Happy Trails (of the Hiawatha)

The Route of the Hiawatha Rail Trail is considered the "Crown Jewel of America's Rails to Trails," and it's easy to see why. Rich in historical significance and loaded with ten tunnels and seven high steel trestles, this 15-mile route is a popular Mecca among mountain bikers.



Together with the Millers, Clarks, Hipplers, and Teri Wilson, Tom and I drove over Lookout Pass and just across the Montana border to begin the stretch from the East Portal.



After donning helmets, headlamps and light wraps, we started our adventure right off the bat with the 1.7-mile long St. Paul Pass ("Taft") Tunnel.



It's a bit daunting entering into the unknown of this long, dark hole - completely black, except for occasional reflectors and slight rays from headlamps. The Montana-Idaho tunnel is cold, wet, and muddy but a complete hoot! Without question, the experience renews one's appreciation for the phrase "There's light at the end of the tunnel."



We easily pedaled down the gentle railroad grade and enjoyed spectacular vistas and interpretive signs which encouraged multiple stops along the way.



Riding through the rest of tunnels is a piece of cake compared to the Taft Tunnel, and safety barriers on the sky-high trestles give some measure of comfort to anyone with acrophobia.

























Tom enjoyed his scenic ride until his rear tire literally exploded.



With Bill Miller's help, a creative but very temporary fix using a one dollar bill got Tom a little farther down the Trail. However, the buck finally stopped here!








Tom was forced to walk his crippled bike until triathlete Martin from Vancouver, B.C. generously surrendered his bike to Tom and continued his training on foot. So for nearly five miles, Tom gave new meaning to tandem bicycling as he steered Martin's bike with one hand and hauled his bike with the other.














The rest of us rode to the end of the Trail without incident, continuing to savor the views and the panoramic, mountain-high beauty of Montana and especially Idaho (of course).


After loading our bikes on the shuttle bus, we took the easy way back up the Trail for one more trip through the Taft Tunnel and beyond to where our cars were parked.








An encounter with a stubborn moose in the middle of the road briefly delayed our westbound trip toward home.



Beer and a very late lunch at the Wallace's Historic Saloon and Grill "The 1313 Club" was a great and seemingly appropriate way to end our day.

Dine and Dash - Wunderbar!

Our friends Peggy and David Whitman are splendidly responsible for one of my absolute favorite traditions, "Dine and Dash." For the past several years, the Whitmans have hosted our dinner group during summer evenings when we have tickets to the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre. We gather at the Whitman home at 5:00 for libations and a wonderful dinner typically themed with the live musical production for that night. The shows begin at 7:30 which requires us to Dine and Dash off to the theater before the curtain goes up!

Last week the Summer Theatre ended its season with the popular Broadway show "The Sound of Music." In true Whitman fashion, dinner beforehand was perfectly planned to fire us up for the Austrian-based show about the musical Von Trapp Family. Hound-dogs Carmen and Aurora greeted us in their Alpine finest. And after savoring German-style pretzels and salami, we moved into a picture-perfect Biergarten, complete with blue and yellow decor, beer-stein candles, and Edelweis. Though I sing about it a lot, I have never seen Edelweis, so I was thrilled to finally be in its midst.

The authentic Austrian dinner included brats (flown in from Wisconsin), potato salad, spinach salad, and German Chocolate Cake. Never missing a beat, Peggy and David arranged for personalized "Dine and Dash Biergarten Water Bottles." PLUS, we all went home with a pot of the small and white Edelweis (which every morning now greets me.) It was hard to leave the Whitman Biergarten, but the play was excellent. After such a memorable evening, I pretty much felt like climbing every mountain.

Still Amazing After All These Years

In February my PEO chapter invited me to present a program on our six-month stint in New Zealand. I happily pulled together a picture-loaded powerpoint featuring highlights of our many adventures. The most difficult part was whittling down a lifetime of experiences into 15 riveting minutes.

Marie Whitesel happened to attend this PEO meeting and was happy to recall with me her own trip to New Zealand many years ago. Notwithstanding her 95 years, Marie is one of the most talented, saavy and inspiring women I've ever had the pleasure to call my friend.



I first became acquainted with Marie through the Medical Alliance - a social-service organization for spouses of physicians. Over the years, Marie has left impressive tracks both locally and throughout the State. She was once president of the state-wide Medical Auxiliary and has been a champion of education and, in particular, the University of Idaho. Marie also happens to be a well-known, highly regarded watercolor artist.



Following my presentation, Marie pulled me aside and said she wanted to paint one of the scenes featured in my powerpoint - a panoramic shot of Queen Charlotte Sound (of the Marlborough Sounds) taken during our camping trip on the South Island. I was thrilled that she had taken such a keen interest in my program and especially touched that she offered to capture one of our most special memories through watercolor.



The next day I mailed Marie a photograph of the slide she mentioned, and two weeks letter I received a call. Marie had completed the watercolor and invited Tom and me to her home to see if it we thought it was finished, too. We promptly jumped into the car and headed to Marie's beautiful home on Lake Coeur d'Alene. After spending a delightful afternoon with Marie, we declared that not only was the painting finished, it was glorious!



Next week, the University of Idaho is opening a month-long exhibit of Marie's latest watercolors - a fitting tribute to one of the University's biggest supporters and an opportunity for patrons to acquire a lovely work of art. I, of course, will be shamelessly proud that our own "Marie Whitesel Original" already hangs in a place of honor in our home on Hayden Lake.