July 7, 2013
Day 3: Wallace to Plummer to Heyburn State Park
We were looking forward to a really hearty breakfast, at the Wallace Inn. Though we did get it, eventually, we ran into not only a surly waitress, but a kitchen that for whatever reason took forever to crank out the relatively simple breakfast items. Where is Gordon Ramsay when you need him!
Though our timing was set back by the pokey restaurant, we charged off toward the eastern trailhead of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene in good order. It's about 120 km from Wallace, out to the top of Lake Coeur dÁlene and then south, loosely paralleling the shore, to the town of Plummer.
Plummer is the administrative centre for the Coeur dÁlene tribe, which was instrumental in getting the trail built. The trail head incorporates a tribal memorial to those lost in various conflicts. One notable one was the Steptoe Battle of 1858, where the tribe lost out to the invading Europeans.
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We press ganged some passing cyclists to take the mandatory starting out photo at the trail head, and we were off.
Not only is the trail paved and smooth as glass, but it is all downhill for the first 10 km. This was a good chance for us to get used to the rigs. It was the first time that we had cycled with our gear, the kids's gear, two tents, a full load of food, the Weehoo's weight, and the kids themselves. The weight of the entire rigs is too crazy to bear thinking about.
Any worries about weight were erased not only by the initial downhill bit, but by the extreme beauty of the surrounding forest and lake, and the pure blue sky.
Our target was terribly modest - Heyburn State Park, just 15 km distant. In 2011, when we passed this way, we looked for the camping at Heyburn and failed to find it, resulting in a wild camp. This time we were determined to find the sign we had obviously missed. so often when touring in Europe (or England!) we would get lost and then eventually find our way through. We would wonder how we got lost, but of course would not spend the energy to go back and really study what had happened. Well this time we were back, and on the road to find out.
What we found was that there is no sign. The way in is through and unmarked parking lot and up an unmarked road. Only after some distance up that road is there a sign. Hmmpph. There is a road access in to the campground, but the State of Idaho does not seem to care about cyclists. In fact, in the fee structure there is a charge for your vehicle, unless you have a prepayment sticker. The signs are forceful, the only way out of paying the vehicle charge today is to have paid it previously. The idea that a camper might not have a vehicle??? Ridiculous. I went and had a word about this wth the campsite host - got pretty much a blank cow-like stare. (Sorry Sandra, I know you sent me off from home with the caution to be polite!)
The campground itself, though, is fine. There are picnic tables in each site, lots of separation, and few camper vans, plus some sites have a lake view.
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Today's ride: 15 km (9 miles)
Total: 45 km (28 miles)
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