Coeur d'Alene, ID

The diverse beauty along the trail is worth exploring along with watching for the abundant wildlife. I’ve personally seen bears on the trail and moose, and have rollerbladed next to a Whitetail Deer for a few hundred feet, before she figured out how to get away from me. There are beaver and muskrats and an assortment of birds and raptors to keep the user entertained. Different times of the day adds new excitement and a new experiences like I am riding the trail for the first time.

The park had quite a few attractions to keep kids (and adults) of all ages having fun. There was a lazy river where you just grab a tube and float around the flowing current that goes in a big circle. This can be very relaxing as long as you don’t run into one of the many waterfalls located on the sides or get splashed by kids running by in the water without a tube (which can be fun too). There is also a younger children’s play area located above the lazy river that has very shallow water and multiple areas for kids to play and get squirted (including 2 mini waterslides that adults can go on too). In addition to these, there are also 3 waterslides located on an upper level, one that involves up to 4 people riding in a big raft down a waterslide.

My family has recently moved to Moscow, Idaho, which is 81 miles south of Coeur d’Alene off of US 95. The drive is relatively short, about an hour and a half, and the scenery is beautiful. On the drive down you pass through several small towns, one of which is Worley, where the Coeur d’Alene Casino is located. I have yet to go there, but I hear they have a really good All-You-Can –Eat buffet. Once you arrive in Moscow it’s a great town with a lot of things for families.

On July 20, 2008, the Steve Omi Memorial Swim marked its 15th anniversary. I had decided a few months before to participate… following about four years without any serious training. I’d worked up to two miles in the pool, but pool time isn’t anything like open water.

This weekend was an amazing one for sports in Idaho. Coeur d’Alene played host to Ford’s Ironman race. And what could be better than competing in a triathlon. A nice 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride and then finishing off the day with a 26.2 mile run. This is an easy one, watching it. Now I have always been open to trying new things but talk about not playing with a full deck of cards. Don’t get me wrong these athletes are amazing to be doing what they do.

BMX Racing At its Best! Several years ago I took my boys to watch some BMX racing off of Seltice way. The track was ok and it sured looked like a lot of fun. I had passed the track often while riding my road bike along the Centennial Trail from my home in Hayden, through Coeur d’alene and off to Post Falls or Spokane. The boys were a bit too young to race, but not so much anymore.

This winter started off a little slow but by the Christmas holidays, Silver Mountain gets hit by a series of storms that would not let up. There are two weeks left of the season and still the mountain is receiving fresh snow. I like to fancy myself as a Goddess Aging with Gusto and with all this fresh snow, I decided I was due for a physical challenge that would push me out of my comfort zone. While I am already a diehard snowboarder, playing in the terrain park would really test my boundaries, being 47 and all…. I mean taking jumps, the quarter pike, riding over bent trees or sliding across rails just a few of the things to conquer.

North Idaho College sits up against Coeur d’Alene Lake just blocks away from downtown. This two-year college, while small, offers some of the best events and dining around. NIC was built on the site of an old U.S. Army Fort, whose land was once used by the Coeur d’Alene Indian tribes. Some of the history of the land has been preserved around campus with the Ft. Sherman museum, and the Fort Sherman Officer’s Quarters, which now houses a faculty lounge and conference room.

Cherry Hill Park has long been a favorite sledding spot of the children and families of Coeur d’Alene, but that is not it’s only great feature. Cherry Hill Park is also home to a BMX track, tennis and basketball courts, and the 9/11 Memorial playground. The 30- acre park is located behind the fire station on Hazel Ave. and 15th. Street and has plenty of trees that offer shade in the summer and a spectacular color display in the fall. The park sits up against the hillside and in the winter becomes one the most popular sledding spots in the whole city.Families come from all over Coeur d’Alene at the first sight of snow to take advantage of the great hillside angles.

One of the great benefits of living in the Coeur d’Alene area is the access to so many amazing places to ride your bike, roller blade, run, walk and even take your dog for a walk. The Centennial Trail is one of my favorites. The trail runs from the Spokane Valley through Coeur d’Alene and beyond. It is a well paved trail with some amazing views. The portion of the trail that we rode the other day starts downtown and goes all the way to Higgins Point and back.