Waikiki Springs Hike July 2021

I belong to a women's hiking group.  You will see some familiar faces, Sheila, Bonnie and Peggy.  This is the first hike Sheila and I joined.  Wonderful group of women that love the outdoors. 

I have to say the two ladies that organize these hikes do a great job.  They noticed everything along the way and they even knew the history of the area.  This hike was 15 minutes from home and I had no idea it existed.  It was tucked back in a neighborhood.  

I didn't notice this bird but they did.  I may have used one of their pictures of the bird. 

Sheila got this great shot of a bubble bee!

Beautiful.  Love the colors in the sky. 

The terrain provided a little bit of everything.  

Peggy and Bonnie

Toward the end of our hike Carrie pointed out this eagle's nest.  It's right in the middle of the picture. We wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't shown us.  This nest is huge.  It doesn't seem huge in the picture but it is huge.  No eagles in the next today.  

We fit right in with these ladies because we all went to a local spot and had coffee and some food after our hike. A perfect ending to a great hike with new friends and old ones.  

Cindy's Silver Valley Ride to Defeat ALS 2021

Team Gleason decided to do the ALS fundraiser bike ride at the normal location.  The ride was virtual again this year but I am sure next year we will get the full experience.  We did our best to recreate the experience.  We started at the trailhead in Kingston, Idaho across from the Snake Pit restaurant.  Peggy and Bonnie did their speed walking and Sheila and I biked the Trail of the Coeur d Alene's.  

Sheila could have had me hold her bike or she could have used the asphalt path to the restroom but NO!  She hauled her bike up the stairs.  

And there they go, the speed walkers!  They saw a bald eagle on their walk!  We did not see the bald eagle riding bikes. 

This trail is so beautiful.  

No diving or jumping off the bridge.  That was not a temptation at all.  

I was riding my bike when I took this picture and didn't know if I would capture the fishermen.  I did. I am getting pretty good at taking pictures while moving.  HA. 

We went across the road to explore the other side of the trail.  It started out looking great. 

We discovered that this was some sort of a quarry that created lots of dust.  We turned around. 

We finished our ride and walk and headed to the Snake Pit.  The Snake Pit usually provides an outdoor BBQ after the ride.  Trying to make the experience as close as possible to the real deal meant we had to eat at the Snake Pit.  Of course we did!

See that grilled cheese sandwich?  It was the best grilled cheese I have ever eaten.  That says a lot because I have eaten a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches.  

I appreciate these ladies and their continued support of my ALS fundraising efforts and of me in general.  Good friends, good food, good exercise for a good cause.  Thank you for joining me and being such good friends. 

Experimental Trip to North River RV Park, Kettle Falls

Mike and I thought a short trip in our travel trailer with our dogs might be a good idea since we had never taken them camping before.  We decided to go a couple hours north of Kettle Falls to the North River RV Park. It was challenging for sure and not necessarily because of the dogs. 

We took a walk along the lake our first night. Beautiful. 

We engaged in some rock skipping.  Neither one of had really retained that skill but I have to say Mike was more successful than I was.  

I got a couple of his skips, along with the moon, on camera.

All went AOK this first night.  

Ready to go and I couldn't wait. 

We woke up to a deer in the distance.  Mike was still in his pajamas but he got some pictures.  

This was challenge number one.  Getting the kayaks to the lake.  It was about a 5 minute walk to the lake.  We strapped up the first kayak with my wheeled carrier and took off.  Dogs on the leashes.  We would come back and get the second one.  Well, the kayak kept tipping over and let's just say we didn't deal with it well.  It was hot and the trail was dusty.  By the time we got to the lake, dogs in tow, Mike said I am not doing this with your kayak.  Just take this one and go and I will go back to the trailer.  I was more than OK with that.  Off I went. You can't help but relax on the water with beautiful scenery.  Boy, did I need to relax. 

The scenery was amazing. As I was paddling I heard something and turned around. I saw this bald eagle fly right by me. I think the eagle's wings moving is what I heard that made me turn around.  I got my phone out and just pointed and took pictures.  I couldn't see what I was taking pictures of.  I was surprised I got the eagle in some of the pictures. God has a way of communicating with me through eagles.  This isn't the first time God has helped my spirits with the majestic bald eagle.  

I paddled over to the tree the eagle landed in and just watched.  The tree branches hid the eagle in the picture but I could see it clearly.   I just sat and watched and thanked God for helping my spirits.  Highlight of the day for sure.   

Off the eagle went.

I headed back to the beach were I put my kayak in.  AHHHHH!  Reset. 

We got ready for bed and all went well except...in the morning. I was still in bed and took my glasses off after looking at something and tried to set them on the counter next to the bed.  I missed and the glasses fell between the bed and the cupboard.  I couldn't even get close to grabbing them.  My arm didn't fit in the space they fell down. I went outside and opened the storage spaces thinking maybe, just maybe, they fell into one of the spaces.  No luck.  Mike took a look too and we thought the only way to get them was to remove a wood divider in the trailer.  It wouldn't be easy.  A nice man gave us a tool that grabs things but the glasses were off to the side a bit and the tool just went straight down.  No glasses for the day for me.  We decided to try and get them after we got the kayaks to the water which would be another challenge.  We rented one of the kayak carriers at the RV place for Mike's kayak and it worked great.  We tried using my carrier for my kayak.  It tipped twice but it eventually made it to the water. 

The dogs were doing just fine enjoying this trip.  They were watching for Mike to come back to the trailer here.  

You will notice Sammie and Mike are wet.  Mike sat in the kayak and it tipped.  Sammie was already in it and she went into the lake. Mike did too.  We learned Sammie was a good swimmer.  

Then there was Murphy. For some reason he did not want to stay in my kayak.  I kept having to pull him off the side.  Then he would sit on me and be in the way of paddling. He was a pain.  I don't know if he didn't like the kayak or he just wanted to be with Mike and Sammie.  

In this video you will notice me having to paddle over Murphy because he was sitting in my lap.  I had to move him.  

Murphy is on the side again.  I was not enjoying the kayak experience at all.  

Mike and Sammie on the other hand were having great time.  

Mike kept paddling and I went back to shore and waited for Mike and Sammie to finish.  Murphy and I tried to stay in the shade.  It was hot.  Mike and Sammie returned and then we had the journey back to the trailer.  I had my kayak on the way to the lake and tipped it twice.  Mike told me to be more careful. Well, we traded on the way back and I had his kayak and he had mine.  He tipped it right away and realized I was being careful.  He tipped it several times. I was waiting for him. The dogs were hot, I was hot and I wanted to take the dogs, with the kayak I had, back to the trailer. I would come back to help him. Nope.  Mike wanted to keep trying to get it hooked up and to make it back to the trailer.  Hot, dusty and frustrated.  We made it back but the dogs were so hot they just stopped walking.  I had to carry Murphy along with the kayak for awhile.  I wanted to pack up and just go home.  Nope.  When we got back to the trailer there was a highlight.  We figured out a way to get my glasses.  We took the mattress off and that gave us more room.  There you have it.  We packed up the next morning and headed home.

Oh, did I mention the mosquitoes?  Lots of mosquitoes.