Cycling Advocates Ride to Pro Walk Pro Bike 2006

from Vancouver B.C. to Madison, Wisconsin

It was pleasant ride to Couer D’Alene along the bike path. It wandered along the lake and eventually took us downtown. The main street was closed for a street festival. We enjoyed a coffee break. We enquired about hwy 95 to Plummer. We were warned by several people not to cycle on it because it was narrow and winding, with no shoulder and a lot of traffic. Fortunately we were directed to a bus stop where we boarded a shuttle bus, with bike racks, that took us to the casino, free of charge. Of course we had to remove all our panniers and carry them on to the bus. From the Casino, we were able to board another free shuttle bus that took us right to Plummer. The only hotel in Plummer was the Sport store and Motel. They sold fishing supplies in the front and rented rooms in the back. Plummer was mostly natives and they had a nice wellness center. I had a great huckleberry shake. Huckleberries are the popular in season berry. I was able to find a nice breakfast spot that opened at 6AM. An old guy sat down at the table in front of me and we exchanged glances. For a moment, I thought I was in a “Deliverance Movie” After a while, he started to talk to me. He was really a nice guy. He was 82 and had lived here his entire life, except for going to Italy to fight in WWll. He said he had spent a little time in Vancouver recuperating from a shrapnel wound. He pointed out the other people in the café that were his relatives. He pointed out his nephew, chowing down on breakfast, wearing a baseball cap. His nephew was the mayor of Plummer.