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Visiting Coeur d'Alene next week. Hoping to catch a good ride Friday...

7K views 85 replies 8 participants last post by  tim208 
#1 ·
Hey guys,

Name's Mike and I'll be in town working the Ironman race next weekend. It'll be my second Ironman race at CDA and after hearing my glowing reviews of the area the Mrs decided she needed to check out how beautiful Coeur d'Alene is for herself.

We'll be coming in town Tues and while the weather looks like it's gonna be less than stellar we'll have Tues, Wed, and Thurs to enjoy some hikes or a mildish bike ride for the Mrs.

I take her back to Spokane early Friday morning so have all day Friday to shred before I start working on Saturday :thumbsup:

My buddy here in Phoenix, Mark, is from there and recently got up there and rode with tim208 and had a good time. Mark and I are very similar riders in what we like to ride and how quickly and well we can accomplish it so if Tim's up for dragging another Phoenician around the woods I should be ready.

I'll need a rental. I ride a Pitch now (6" AM bike) so something similar if we stay in town. Mark rented his Enduro from TWD so that may be an option. Other suggestions are welcome.

Looking through some more of this forum I see a place an hour and a half north called Schweitzer Mountain Resort which looks like it'd be a blast but checking their website it appears that it's still snowed shut? In June? That seems unreal. The snowboarding must absolutely rock if the snow sticks around that long.

Anyway, back to CDA. My buddy Mark recommended CDA Mountain. Reading more of your forum I see Canfield seems to be popular. I like technical trails. Won't be launching any road gaps but jumps and drops are always a blast.

If anyone is up for showing me around Friday afternoon or at least providing me with good enough intel so that I don't get lost I'd appreciate it :)

Here's a video of one of our favorite trails so you kinda get a grip on our style of riding here in Hell (Phoenix):


Hella Hairball 2012-04-07 from Michael Stevens on Vimeo.
 
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#45 ·
you and mark need to come out in summer, and I will show you around.

Signage is not always done well here, I was actually surprised to see them up this year, but anyway, when you hit the dirt road you would keep going 50 yards the way the trail spit you out and find the trail that keeps going up to the ridge road.

Personally I don't get what all the endure craze is all about, that is all we do here, is peddle up and bomb down. been that way since the late 80's.

I can also gurantee that I have wrecked way bigger than you did on 79. Falling off the side while still clipped in is not fun.
 
#47 ·
I can also gurantee that I have wrecked way bigger than you did on 79. Falling off the side while still clipped in is not fun.
My best "wreck" I didn't even put in because it didn't look like squat from the Chesty angle.

There was a section of the ups and downs and I paused to look at the next particular down after getting up. Narrow section trail, of course, with the exposure on the left. I stopped right next to a sawed off tree stump and, like I'd do anywhere else with a rock or log or mound of dirt, I put my left foot up on the stump so I was still seated while I surveyed and planned my line. When I was ready to roll I pushed away from the log with my foot to stand the bike up and get my foot on the pedal. And my foot promptly slid COMPLETELY off the stump and I started to fall off the edge.

Luckily, there was a 3" diameter tree within grasping distance and it was thick enough to hold me even though the bike was now laying on the ground, flat against the tree stump that just tried to kill me, with my legs intertwined with the bike. Took me a bit to get a leg free and upright the bike but without that little tree I'd've been WAY down the side of the mountain.

I like the outtakes and the sound bites at the end the best - he rides just like the rest of us!
:) Glad to hear it. I actually have been trying not to swear so much but it doesn't work for long. Especially when I'm tired.
 
#3 ·
Trail 257 Beauty Bay Idaho Trail Reviews

Looks to be very close to CDA Mountain and Mineral Ridge both of which were recommended by Mark for biking and hiking respectively. I like the description except for the 2400' of climbing to earn your downhill :( I'd likely have nothing left. Most of our climbs around here are well under 1000'. It's a tough, technical climb but not as much elevation. But, at least it won't be in 100º weather and I'll have most of the day to get it done...
 
#4 ·
Shameless plug but we have some *****in Demo bikes at TWD. I don't think our stumpy 29er is rented this week, call us and have me check on availability and size though.

If you wanted to do some early morning rides, I am trying to do some Canfield rides before the shop opens at 10. I also might be able to setup a shuttle on Thursday for Cda mountain if I can get my buddies rounded up. Upper Caribou is an all time epic trail and the lower section is a trust test of ballsyness.


-Nick

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
#5 ·
Hey Nick, I was unsure of whether or not I'd head up your direction but I just googlemapped it and you're like 15 minutes from downtown CDA. Easy... My Pitch is a large but I'm right between L and XL so I opted for the smaller cockpit of the L. Was kinda hoping to try an Enduro since the new EVO looks like it might be pretty close to a do-it-all bike for me.

Early morning rides would be perfect, actually. The Mrs doesn't like to get up terribly early, especially when it looks like it's gonna be rainy. I can go ride and likely be back before she's ready to go anywhere. Just like at home. What's early for you guys up there? I see sunrise is 5a.

Canfield sounds good. I know it's a popular trail. The shuttle of CDA also sounds good. Mark told me it's a fun ride but some work to get there. Are there maps of Caribou? That sounds awesome although I may have to judge how well I'm feeling up there before I commit to such a big climb.

BtW... I'm not the slowest guy you'll ride with but I'm sure I won't be able to keep up with you guys... :)
 
#6 ·
Its ~10-15 mins to get to the shop from Downtown.. I also work in a restaurant in downtown CDA and make the drive daily. Its a quick shot right up Highway 95.

We used to have a XL enduro, I will check what all we have available today, I know we just build a XL carbon 29er enduro for the sales floor. :thumbsup:

And I wont be up at 5, but the shop opens at 10 so I am normally riding at 7-7:30 to get my ride in and get back to the shop on time..

And the climb up CDA mtn isnt that bad, it will be our only option if its only 2 of us, But we will see if I can convince my buddies to get a shuttle going so we can fit in 3 or 4 laps with the cars... It will give me a reason to take a day off work from the shop as well.. ;)

And no worries about not being being ricky racer. I am not fast right now either. Its all about getting people out and stoked on our local riding and enjoying being on the bike.
 
#9 ·
Options are great! I guess a lot depends on what the demo is gonna cost me. Not sure I wanna pay for the demo bike for three days and from the looks of it the weather may not want me riding all three days.

I think ideally I'd pick up a bike Wed night , ride Thursday (CDA or Canfield with Nick) and then explore Caribou Friday on my own (or with anyone that wants to tag along) so I'd (hopefully) only rack up two days rental.

But, the Wed evening CDA shuttle sounds promising. I'm thinking even my Mrs might be able to handle that. There's not a lot of chunk or technical stuff from what video I've seen of it. She doesn't ride much, unfortunately. I'll test those waters tonight. What time would you start?
 
#12 ·
I am actually thinking I might try for a Wednesday ride. That way we could hook up with Tim and it would be better for my work schedule. I have 2 or 3 buddies that are down to shuttle, we could crank out a few laps easily with that many people..

And lower caribou is hairball. Not novice friendly if you do make a mistake. But 257 is wife/gf great material. Both trails are on CDA mtn.

And we don't have a enduro test bike anymore, camber 29er, stumpy 29er and a demo 7.

Send from my phablet.
 
#13 ·
Demo would be fun but probably WAY overkill for anything I'll ride while there. I've ridden a Camber and it's got a pretty steep head angle. And not as much suspension. Stumpy 29er it is. Not that it matters much but is it the regular or EVO version?

So, are you talking hooking up with Tim and shuttling Wed morning or Wed night with him and his wife? If in the morning will I need to pick the bike up Tues evening before close? I'm bringing my Spike pedals so I'll want them thrown on.

I'm getting ready to head to the airport but I'll check back this afternoon when we get to La Quinta. Looking forward to this. Hopefully, the rain isn't too terrible :)
 
#15 ·
Shuttle or pedal Thursday?

I've got the smallest rental car I've ever seen. A little Fiat somethingorother. Not sure if I can cram a bike, let alone two, into it. Just checked and it's a 40 minute ride on the roads back to La Quinta.

You guys know anything about riding in Spokane? I was just thinking it would be ideal if I dropped the Mrs off Friday morning and found a lift assisted park to rent and ride for the afternoon.
 
#16 ·
What do you want to know about Spokane riding? Beacon Hill has techhy-bermy-flow XC with climbing, plus some push up ride down downhilling. Riverside State park has tons, miles and miles of singletrack, mostly very easy. The only lift assist around is at Silver Mtn, which is about 1 hr 15 mins from Spokane on the freeway.
 
#17 ·
Man, what happened to that park on the north side of Tubbs Hill? They've totally chopped it up... to make another park? How do we get onto the Tubbs Hill Trail(s)? I saw a paved path that looked like it went around the hill by the library. Does that eventually hook up to an actual dirt trail up the mountain?

On Spokane I was just curious if there's somewhere near it or CDA that I can park this little midget car, rent a bike, and be on the trails without having to worry about transporting the bike in the car. I saw Silver Mountain and that would be ideal except that the lift isn't running Friday and that would be the day I have to ride it. I'm sure finding a lift running during the week is not going to happen except at Whistler...
 
#21 ·
OK, still trying to figure out this Caribou Ridge thing. Maps are scarce...

Text White Line Font Colorfulness


I found the above map somewhere which leads me to believe I have two options:

1. Climb 79 then come back down it. This may be a good option, even if it's more difficult, because I'll get to see what is going to cause me the pain that will ensue.
2. The other is pedal all the way up the road and take 439 across and hope I can find 79. Then bomb down it. This is good because I won't be able to see anything beforehand so nothing will be playing mind games with me. But, that's likely a LONG, BORING climb on the road.

Is this the most accurate map and do I have this "plan" right?

Still gonna have trouble getting a bike into this midget clown car. Likely have to take both wheels off and drop the front passenger seat.
 
#22 ·
ewww. don't climb up caribou. climb 257 all the way to 439. Take the road all the way to the top (where it says 4439) drop all the way to the picnic area. cross the road to 79. drop 79.

don't fall off Caribou. It is like the Portal in that part of it is on a cliff.

Too bad you aren't riding Sat or Sun. I would take ya if you were.
 
#27 ·
I forgot to ask, if I take your route I still have to pedal up the pavement to catch 257, right? Just making sure there's not trails out there that aren't marked on that map. Never seen or ridden the Portal but I'll try to keep my ego in check.

welcome to North Idaho, we are a very wet place. remember if you do get out, that trees don't give.
Yeah, I've had a couple runins with trees in Flagstaff. Not super soft. My first time out here was two years ago and it was beautiful the entire time. Must've been a fluke then...
 
#25 ·
Yikes! I don't mind riding in a little rain but not sure I enjoy getting soaked and muddy. Especially when it's only 50º out. I hope this stuff lets off a little. Earlier in the week it looked like it'd be bright and shiny on Friday. Now it looks like it's gonna rain all day. :(

Sorry, I didn't see your PM until late last night, Nick. If it looks like it may let up I think when I return the Mrs to the airport on Friday I'll upgrade the vehicle to something that can hold a bike and come see you. Not sure I wanna be slogging around in the rain on trails I don't know that are dangerous to begin with.

We found the 11th St TH so we are gonna go hike that in a little while...

Yeah, I wish I could ride on the weekend myself, Visicypher. Doing what I do I get to enjoy some of the places I visit but the hours I work mean I can't always enjoy it with other people when they'd normally be enjoying it, too :( I work 10a - 5p on Saturday but that doesn't leave a lot of time after to pickup a bike then ride. I'll be up Sunday by 4:30a and won't get back to sleep before 1a on Monday.

I could ride Monday morning 'cause my flight doesn't leave until 3p but the weather looks like it's gonna clear up a little for Sat & Sun then turn to crap again Monday.

Guess I'll see what happens tomorrow morning...
 
#29 ·
I was just there hiking Mineral Ridge and unless you pick up that trail (257 or 275? Don't have the map in front of me) somewhere other than what's on the map I have to ride the paved road to get to it, no? If it picks up right at the campground that would be great. The map doesn't make it look like that, though.

Sent from my Thunderbolt via Tapatalk...
 
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