Cycling around Spokane

After exploring around Republic, WA and the National Recreation campsite at Hunters along the Columbia River (aka: Lake Roosevelt), we headed to Spokane, where we stayed in the city's campground on the Spokane River.

The first day we rode our bikes to REI, which wasn't too far away and really quite a nice ride.  The next day we pedaled some of the Centennial Trail which is paved, at least one large lane wide and mostly along or near the River.  It's a long trail and we only did part of it.  More for another visit.

Then it was up to Sullivan Lake where we spent a couple of hours riding along the Lake.  Wildlife: some mergansers and a black bear swimming across the Lake.

Then it was off over Kootenay Pass and on to Creston where Catherine managed to beat her best time in the 10 km.

More Rails to Trails Exploration

With a few free days in the middle of September, we decided on a short road trip over towards Grand Forks to explore the Grandby Valley, do some biking and head down to Spokane, all before Catherine's 10 km race in Creston.

We spent a night north of Grand Forks along the Grandby River.  Quite pretty up there, but it was perhaps one of the noisiest nights we've spent in quite awhile.  Although we were near the river, along a seemingly quiet logging road, the logging trucks started grinding past at 2:30 am and they never really stopped.

The next day we drove up to Eholt Summit and headed downhill on the Columbia and Western Rail Trail towards Grand Forks.  Catherine and I rode together for about half the trip, until we'd passed through the two tunnels, when I turned back to go fetch the van while Catherine carried on to the end.  I'd already done the first part of the trail from Grand Forks a few months ago.

All together, it took about 2.5 hours from Eholt Summit to Grand Forks.  A nice bike ride.

With that, we headed south into the American Republic to camp, bike and shop....