Weekend Adventure and Spokefest 2009

Sal decided he wasn't riding on the back of my bike for 21 miles, so I rode alone while Veep watched the kids ride the short loop in the park and took photos.  Always taking photos.  I didn't think her camera would make our son a celebrity for a day, but it did.  At least at school.  Check out photo 5 on the link.  Sal's teacher called him a movie star, and his buddy at school wished he had his photo in the paper too.  And Veep even got recognized at Les Schwab, where she was getting new tires for my car.  

We got a flat on Saturday driving on dirt roads in Idaho that we probably shouldn't have been driving on in a small passenger car.  But I decided it was time to see something new and go somewhere we haven't been before so we headed south on a gravel road by the Cataldo mission.  The idea was to scout out some good terrain for skiing this winter and take a hike.  The St. Joe National Forest is beautiful.  We made our way to Crystal Lake which ended up being a great family hike--short enough for the kids but challenging and scenic enough for the grown ups.  I whole heartedly recommended it.  Afterward we kept heading south and dropped down onto the St. Joe river road--only after negotiating some steep rocky road.  When we hit asphalt it was clear that we had a flat.  I just wonder how long we had it before we noticed.

The flat tire delay kept us from getting back home in time for dinner.  The kids were complaining they were starving so, in a stroke of genius, Veep and I decided to keep the adventure going and stop at the Couer d'Alene Casino buffet--and see some thing else we'd never seen.  Needless to say, a casino buffet isn't really our style and, while it was sort of fun to do something different, we will probably never see the place again (especially now since it doesn't look like the new highway is going to go right by it).

As for Spokefest, it is always fun to see a lot of other bicycle enthusiasts crammed into one place.  I tried to ride the route kind of quick so that Veep could have a turn too.  I drafted off the Badlands Bicycle Club most of the way, then slowed a bit and started getting passed.  Not that I was racing, but I did catch a few people on the way up doomsday hill.  I don't think of myself as a climber in any respect given I weigh over 200 lbs., but I suppose all the commuting I do riding up and over the South Hill every day has actually helped.

All in all a good weekend--especially since I've worked the past two weekends and am working next weekend.  Sheesh, enough already.

BTW, Veep got a new lens which I think has inspired her to learn more technical photography skills.  I think it is paying off.  Thanks for letting me use some of the photos you so painstakingly take.