Reunion on the Trail of the Coeur D'Alenes

This past Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we (Russ and I) did a small family reunion with the Ludwig family (Geno, Sharon, Heather & Robbie, Mary and her little boys Shade & Miles and Scott's boy Christopher) on the Trail of the Coeur D'Alenes. We had such a wonderful time. Great company, Great food and a Great time riding our bikes on the trails which originally were for the train from Chicago to Seattle. I believe it was the Milwaukee. They have have paved the rail road bed and it is all down hill. The scenery was beautiful and the ice cream in Wallace was so yummy. On Thursday we closed our camp at Osburn and went to the "Route of the Hiawatha". It is this amazing bike trail down the mountains starting from the Montana Idaho border to this place which use to be a town called Pearson. The first thing you do is go
through this two mile tunnel. It is scarier than all get out, because when you first get in there you cannot see anything till your eyes adjust and you get use to the little light that is on your bike. You have to have a light to go on the trail, it is required. I was pretty freaked out. I am a little claustrophobic and was having a hard time. Russ was behind me and I asked him to sing. His voice was so soothing in all that darkness. Besides the beauty of his voice the tunnel really made it sound so amazing. I calmed right down and was able to make it through that first tunnel. It made think that when we feel like we can not get our breath or feel like we are lost that if we just listen to the voice our prophet or read the scriptures they will lead us to the light. That is what his voice did for me. There are 9 tunnels in all and you have to go through the first one twice, that makes 10 that you go through all together. There are also 7 train tresses that you go over too, the highest one is 230 feet high but you don't even notice the height part. The scenery is breathtaking. The trek down is about 14 miles down and you ride a bus back to just before the first tunnel and you have to go through the two mile tunnel again which makes the trek about 16 miles in all.

The whole gang on the trail from Mullan to Osburn

Heather

Sharon and Christopher

At the head of the trail of the Route of the Hiawatha

The Two Mile tunnel

Train tresses

Russ had every one eating out of his hand with all of that singing he was doing for me.

Our transportation to the first tunnel we went through.