Sunday........I know, right? Sometimes it is just easier to state the obvious!

We knew Sunday would be the hottest day of the Labor Day weekend with projected highs of 95+ degrees, so, uncharacteristically, we managed to get an early start on a bike ride we had talked about Saturday night.  We were on our bikes and riding by 8:55 am while it was still cool.  We had not yet been over to the east side of the lake where the Diamond Cup Hydroplane Boat Races were being held.  

As we rode along the Spokane River towards the Lake Resort we were surprised at how cold it still was, not that we were complaining.....it was just surprising considering how hot it would get later in the day.   And that is one of the surprising things about living these past few months in the northern latitudes......the heat of the day comes very late in the day......usually around 4-5 pm, and then once the sun begins to go down it cools off very quickly.

There is construction in progress in the Lake Resort area where the bike path normally would take us, but this summer you are detoured on to surface streets for about a mile around the construction.  The traffic was pretty light at 9:15, and many local businesses were still not open.  Once you are past the construction you drop back down toward the lake to a street called E. Mullan Ave. where there is a demarcated bike lane that takes you east along the northern part of the Coeur d'Alene Golf Course (the one with the floating green) to E. Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive.....wow, that is a mouth full!  From there the bike path turns south running  a little up hill.  Just past the entrance to the golf course you come to a kind of scenic overlook area which is were the hydroplane boat race participants are staged.  This is where it got very congested.

The map below gives you a general idea of our route Sunday......the "B" marker is where the races were held, and the "C" marker was how far we rode before turning around.

View Larger Map

It was very congested in the race area which seemed to stretch for at least 1/2 a mile along the lake shore.  There were pedestrians and golf carts going every which direction making it difficult to navigate, but at last we got past the race venue.  At about the 7.3 mile mark of our ride we decided to turn around.....we had just climbed a 6% grade hill for 8/10's of a mile, and the path was heading back DOWNHILL to the lake again.....we did not, on this particular day, want to have to climb back up that hill.

By the time we returned to the race venue area they had put three vintage hydroplane boats in the water to run a few laps around the course....kind of like they do at the INDY 500 prior to race day.   We stopped to take some pictures, and TLE got this great shot of the three boat's rooster tails as they plowed along the water course near the marina.

We stood there watching and snapping pictures for 5, or 10 minutes until an event staffer stopped to ask us where our wrist bands were....hmmmm......we don't have "no stinkin' wrist bands" I was thinking.....so glad I didn't say that out loud......we told him, politely, we were just riding by and stopped to take a couple of pictures, and were just about to get back on our bikes.....apparently, even though there was no fencing in this area, you must have paid admission to even stand there and take a picture.

We stopped off back in town at Calypsos Coffee to have a "cup a joe" and a bagel before heading back home.....on our way home we rode up Government Way to the Supercuts to get my card validated.....after every 8 haircuts you get a free one.......I know at the rate I get haircuts it will take a year to get that free haircut, but I WANT that free haircut, right?

Shortly after getting home I got a text message from my sister, Hilary, asking if we wanted to drive into Spokane for a BBQ that evening, and, of course, we said "YES!".  We headed into Spokane around 4:50 arriving just exactly on time at Hilary's home at 5:30.  Their view off the back deck of the home is spectacular, and enjoying that view while eating dinner takes it to a whole 'nother level.

A glass of Pinot and grilled salmon to go along with the view

We had a lovely evening, and sat outside on the deck talking with my sister, brother-in-law and mother until 10 pm before heading home.  A very nice evening, and another day lived well!

Thanks for stopping by!