BEST OF
Along the 285-mile Palouse to Cascades trail in Washington, the town of Rosalia was a gem. We camped in a beautiful town park and had lively conversations at the Red Brick Café. The park featured mature trees, a ball field and a swimming pool. In the evening, a girls’ softball game brought out the entire town. While eating breakfast the next day at WASHINGTON Small-Town Charms … and Emmys Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail
Idaho A Taste of Huckleberries Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
In Harrison, Idaho, we were introduced to the huckleberry, a round, purple tart fruit that grows at higher elevations. We purchased muffins from two women selling huckleberry products as a fundraiser. “Huckleberries were once everywhere in Idaho, growing after our forested lands had been clear-cut,” they shared, adding that since clear-cutting is no longer supported, there are now far fewer berries. Washington South Cle Elum Depot Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail At the South Cle Elum Depot in Washington, one of three crew-changing stations on the former Milwaukee Road, we uncovered more railroad history. After dining outdoors in the mid-day sun on smoked pork ribs and cornbread from the depot’s restaurant, we walked through the former railroad yard, reading interpretive signs and admiring the former residences of the crew and substation operators. Indiana Star(ke) Trek North Judson Erie Trail The Constellation of Starke, the Prairie Trails Club and the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum have added a unique feature to the North Judson Erie Trail in Indiana. It was intriguing as we cycled to find our solar system on signage that has been set up in scale, to the actual planets’ sizes and distances between them, as they are separated in outer space. Ohio Riding Through History Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail This 90-mile trail follows the route of a historical canal, constructed in the 1820s, where mules towed barges on the Ohio River from Portsmouth to Cleveland. We cycled past several former locks, had lunch in the historic town of Bolivar and traveled through the site of Fort Laurens, the only Revolutionary War fort located in what would become the state of Ohio. Washington, D.C. Photo Finish National Mall We arrived at the U.S. Capitol eager for a photo to commemorate our accomplishment. We asked a tall young man dressed in yellow shorts and blue running shoes if he would take our picture. “Where are you from?” we asked. “Moscow,” he answered. As we wrapped up our journey, we reflected on the diversity of the Great American—a route that truly unites all of us.
the café, we heard horrific stories about the recent Malden wildfire and met more new friends, including Rudy, a kind gentleman in his 90s. “I won two Emmys for a television program I produced,” he said. “I traveled back roads across the country, interviewing folks.” Moments later, he went to his truck and brought in his two dusty Emmy awards! •
IOWA (Big) Bulls and Birds T-Bone Trail
After cycling on the T-Bone Trail in Iowa, named as such because farmers once rode with their steers to market on the former rail line, we arrived in Audubon. We first stopped to admire Albert, known as the world’s largest bull. He is 28 feet tall and made of 45 tons of concrete. We cycled to the town center, which commemorates John James Audubon, the famous ornithologist, artist and painter. Here, we found statues of Audubon prominently displayed in the town square. Several of his “Birds of America” illustrations, replicated in ceramic tile by artist Clint Hansen, line the brick sidewalks. •
IDAHO Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
On the eastern side of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes in Idaho, Wallace’s railroad history came alive for us at the Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum, which once served as home to employees of the Northern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads. We saw the railroad agent’s room, talked on a real telephone from 1908, and learned that men’s and women’s waiting rooms were separate because behaviors society attributed to men back then (e.g., smoking, profanity) were considered offensive to women. We also saw the only remaining flag from Presi - dent Teddy Roosevelt’s visit to Wallace when he arrived on the Northern Pacific and left on the Union Pacific. •
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FALL 2022 RAILS TO TRAILS
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