We have three more states to go to complete our goal of riding a tandem in all of the lower 48 states. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, here we come, but first we have to get to Spokane, WA.  

The silver cases contain a new (to us) Co-motion tandem. 

It’s an early 2000’s (maybe 2003?) previously owned, coupled Co-Motion Primera. Roger bought it specifically for this trip, put some fatter tires on it, and now it’s ready for the unpaved rail trails out west.  It rides very well for a 20+ year old bike, but its old-fashioned steel weighs a ton. 

Let’s Go!!

We ride from Spokane on the Centennial Trail and cross the Washington-Idaho state line.

After the ride into Idaho, we make a short (70-mile) drive to the historic silver town of Wallace in the Idaho panhandle, also known as the “Center of the Universe”.

This will be our home base for three days.  We will do two rides here before moving on to Montana.

The Route of the Hiawatha is on the Rails to Trails hall of fame list. It’s unpaved and all downhill, featuring ten unlit and very dark train tunnels and seven high trestles. The ride starts and ends with the same long 1.6 mile very wet, dark, and cold (47 degrees year-round) tunnel. Headlights are mandatory. 

This is one crazy way to start a ride. The first thing you do is enter the tunnel, along with screaming children who can barely ride, people on rental bikes who just picked them up, and others who haven’t been on a bike for years. For some reason, they all think this is a good idea. You have to play “dodgeball” in a cold place with no light that has water falling from the ceiling and running down the sides of the trail. One guy keeps whistling “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” over and over. We were very pleased to see the light at the end of this tunnel. 

After the first 12 minutes of tunnel terror, things get much easier. Since it’s all downhill, we hardly pedal the entire 14 miles and probably eat more calories in snacks than we burn riding. Strange phenomenon: the beginning tunnel seems crowded, but once you get out of it (and take off the extra clothing layers you are wearing), you hardly see any riders. We had almost a private trail all the way down.  The remaining tunnels are no longer than 900 feet long and the trestles offer incredible views, unless you have a fear of heights. 

They shuttle you (and your bike) back to the big tunnel so you don’t have to ride back up. These guys are pros, strapping the tandem into the trailer so it wouldn’t move. Roger wanted to ride, but everyone was coming down and using the entire path and it felt too dangerous to me and so it didn’t happen!  You wind up your 30-minute school bus shuttle by having to put your warm clothing back on and do that 1.6 miles of tunnel again. This time it’s later in the day, so you have people coming at you from the opposite direction. There’s never a dull moment in that tunnel. 

Should you do this ride if you are in the area?  Heck, yes.  We suggest you do it Monday-Thursday as the crowds are smaller on these days. It wasn’t cheap, costing almost $100 for both of us, but there’s not another ride like this anywhere. 

The next ride leaves from our hotel, the Wallace Inn. The trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is also in the hall of fame. It’s a paved 72-mile trail that spans the Idaho panhandle. We do a lovely 32-mile stretch from the Wallace Inn, visiting the (ghost) town of Kellogg to check out a bakery that we discover is closed on Saturdays. Ooops!  Turns out the owner is Jewish and he closes on Shabbat. Don’t worry…we are still able to spend some money in the local bike store, picking up some new Hiawatha Trail jerseys. 

Check Idaho off the list. One down, two to go. Next up, Montana, the fourth largest and one of our least-populated states! 

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