Coeur d'Alene Delights

HD and I arrived in CdA, the locals’ term for Coeur d’Alene, on Tuesday, June 11th, in the early afternoon. Elizabeth and Larkin were both at home---a rarity for a weekday. It was Larkin’s day off and Elizabeth’s “flex day” (Thank you, Elizabeth!!). The lady of the manor was cooking up her signature corn chowder. I texted ahead of time, with the plan to park myself at a coffee shop and write. Lady Elizabeth insisted I come on over to their home. So, another reason not to spend a perfectly good afternoon at the computer. I seem to regularly find much more rewarding things to do.

But, if I don’t write, there will be no record of these marvelous people and incredible sights. So, today is actually June 18th, one week later. It seems like an aeon ago.

CdA is surrounded by rivers and lakes created by glaciers and it borders the gorgeous Lake Coeur d’Alene. It is a University town, so on this lovely day that I cycled into CdA, the college kids dotted the lakefront beaches in their swimming suits, working on that summer tan. Growing up in San Diego, I thought it was a bit chilly for suntanning, with a high of 74 deg. But it is all relative. I mean, the snow has melted! CdA has the University energy and a very live downtown area. With a population of over 44,000, it has all the stores and malls you could wish for. If that’s the kind of thing you wish for...

The CdA Ironman is a popular annual event, coming up on June 23rd. Imagine: first swim 24 miles in the 60 deg lake water, then cycle for 112 miles (ain’t nothing really flat around here), and then, as if that wasn’t enough to kill ya, run for 26.2 miles. CdA roads are practically locked down during the event. 

What a town.

Elizabeth and family (Tom is hubby and Victor is son) live in a really cool two-story blue house. It is just the kind of cool I love. It is like a welcoming country home right in the middle of the city.  Elizabeth has her “Peace Blankets” strung out on the clothesline. This helps keep the neighbor’s noise a bit muted, thus keeping a peaceful back yard. She has decorated walls and fences with sunbursts and cool metal and bejeweled symbols. Her flower garden has a few small statues; they suggest peace and calmness, a fitting signature in a garden. Elizabeth expressed a bit of concern that the flower garden had gone a bit wild. Actually, I like them that way. Doesn’t nature find a way? I love that Mama G!

Larkin took the time to drive me around to tour her city, which she knows like 

the back of her hand. She zipped all over town and showed me the Coeur d’Alene lakefront, the university district, the downtown area, her friend’s house which she will housesit in July, and the perimeter of the city. We ended up at Target, where I spent too much money on supplies, a new pillow, and some clothes. As time passes, I am recognizing which clothing works for both comfort and for public use! You really can’t wear tight pants or shorts around town when you are in your 50’s. Heck, I’ve never felt comfortable wearing tight things in public. But, these tank tops---they are staying, Bucko!! Just the form fitting bottoms gotta go. 

When we got home, the dinner was ready. The corn chowder and homemade cornbread were delightful, as were the conversations with Elizabeth, Tom, and Larkin. Victor spent the evening with friends. 

Tom was an avid cyclist at one time. In fact, that is more or less what brought the two together. They were both in college and Elizabeth saw that this guy posted an ad at the college, looking for someone interested in cross country cycling. Well, she was not a cyclist, but she thought that it was really cool that someone would cycle across the country. So she answered the ad and a romance blossomed. This is a woman who goes after what she wants! Wahoo!!

Tom works in the construction business. He has an engineering degree I believe. So, he works for a large, well respected company and they contract for very large jobs . John supervises these large crews who work from the ground up. He even helps supervise the landscaping, etc. When you think about remodeling a home or building a new one, isn’t it amazing all the thought that has to go into it? Architecture amazes me--I mean, the ENGINEERING of it. Bridges. Cathedrals. Skyscrapers. Victorian homes. Beachfront homes made of windows. And freeways and railroads.

And EarthShips...

Tom loves his work because it is challenging and it is different every day.  He still loves to cycle, but admits he has not been able to find the time lately.

I understand. When you cycle, you often don’t want to cycle for just 30 minutes and sometimes that is all the spare time you have, when you are busy with work and family. You can get a more balanced workout in 30 minutes doing a varied exercise routine. Not only that, but when you really love to cycle, 30 minutes barely gets you started. Part of it is really about the travel--the adventure.

I totally enjoyed every minute spent with Larkin. She is a beautiful young woman with that pearlescent skin that you see only in youth. She has sparkling, lively eyes; rosy cheeks; a ready smile; and an effervescent personality. She is so easy to talk to!! While she drove me hither and yon, we discussed her job and her challenges working in a typically male-dominated field. She works at a club for marksmen---target shooting. She is an expert marksman herself and she earned her gold award in the Girl Scouts for inroads she made for girls’ rights to carry. She runs the machinery at the range to launch the targets. I don’t know any of the terms and Larkin will laugh and shake her head when she reads this. Regardless of my ignorance in artillery nomenclature, Larkin not only operates the machinery, she does most of the repairs. Additionally, she teaches newbies how to shoot and is often invited for team rifle sports. New men to the club often overlook her, as they look for the man who “really” runs the machinery. She doesn’t get angry, just amused. 

Larkin loves to be outdoors and she often goes in early to work and sets up the practice range equipment ahead of time. You will find her shoveling snow in the winter to ensure that the games begin. She enjoys working with the men and showing them that she is a force to be reckoned with!

She is a university student and is studying political science. She likes people. She is a natural leader and an easy nature. She loves animals and children. I think this young lady has quite a future ahead of her.

She has also started cycling around Coeur d’Alene in the mornings and, after just one week, says she notes her thighs getting stronger and her clothes are fitting looser. Yay for Larkin!!

Elizabeth, the matriarch, is a complex woman. Generous, loving, strong. She became an assistant Girl Scout leader when Larkin was a little girl. She is now superintendent of the Girl Scouts in CdA. And perhaps the surrounding area. I’m really not sure how far her duties or her “range of power” extends, geographically. She is a paid full time employee--which I understand is saying something in scouting, as both Boy and Girl Scouts are run primarily by volunteers at the ground level. It takes a lot of vertical movement to achieve a paying job. She has her own office in downtown CdA and keeps her work cell phone with her at all times, day and night, 7 days a week, to answer questions about GSA. (Larkin said she was very proud of her mom when they took a small vacation to Boise, Idaho and Elizabeth didn’t bring the work cell phone!!) Elizabeth’s job varies every day---whether it be running a marketing campaign, taking fliers to the grade schools, training new troupe leaders, teaching seminars to groups of volunteers, advising leaders, and, of course, putting out virtual fires. All supervisors have to do that, don’t they?

Elizabeth has a passion for the Girl Scouts because of how they empower these young ladies. She described how the Girl Scout Law, when followed, helps build character and a strong value system. When she is making a decision or even making a comment, she often stops to think if what she says or does is really following the GS Law. If so, she proceeds.

Here is the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. (Larkin had to recite it aloud, upon order of Lady Elizabeth!)

The Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

So, what gives Elizabeth joy? Her family, those she loves, and seeing others grow. She loves to help others and has found a good avenue to do this through her dedication to the Scouts. 

She is also passionate about her animals. I think all of them were rescued animals. 

Elizabeth is a strong woman who is a “take charge” kind of gal. She juggles numerous responsibilities and this seems to keep her going with great energy. But I also see quite a vulnerable side. Elizabeth is extremely generous of her time, her resources, and her self, and she sincerely wants to help others reach their goals. This may not always be understood, as she is a strong and determined woman, but this is a true fact: Elizabeth has a heart of gold. And she has a gentle sensitivity that can be seen in her eyes and her soothing hands. 

She reminds me of one of my closest friends, Carola. Carola will lay down her life for her friends. She is generous beyond measure. Not everyone understands her strength. I do and I love her for her palpable and true strength of spirit. Elizabeth shares some of these same qualities. She is a gem. 

After enjoying the evening with the family, we discussed cycling route options to get through Lookout Pass. So, Larkin took me for another drive so that I could actually see some of the roads recommended by my bicycling map app. That was sooo helpful! After enjoying a backyard fire in the firepit with the family, I retired to my tent. Their three dogs and one of the kitties inspected it and allowed me to say. That was very generous of Everyone!

I stayed in CdA on June 12th and spent the day at the local coffee shop labeling photos. This meant going back in time, pulling out e-maps and trying to remember where in the heck I was when I snapped that photo of another river, mountain, tree, or road. I live in the desert but I have been since reminded that there really is water!!! A lot of it is flowing through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana!

That evening (Wednesday, June 12), there was a special GSA leaders’ meeting accompanied by the girls who had sold more than 500 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. They were to be honored and awarded for their efforts. Imagine, selling over 500 boxes of cookies! These were dedicated kids, lemme tell ya! One girl sold over 1000 boxes! They were awarded T-shirts that were emblazoned with the words “Stay calm and sell cookies”. Their mothers were given shirts that read “Stay calm and eat cookies”. I thought that was such a hoot! On their sleeves was the number of boxes each one sold. Obviously, each t-shirt was personally made. These volunteer troupe leaders put in untold, devoted hours of love into their girls. And the parents are to be commended for their support. 

Elizabeth presided over the meeting, advising as needed to help the Girl Scout leaders do the best they can. My goodness, there were so many things to do: camps, projects, volunteerism, training sessions, etc. They covered about 6-8 different events that were scheduled for the 3 months of summer alone. I got tired just thinking about it!! I am definitely out of my normal stress mode. 

All I have to do is pedal. And write this gol-durned blog. Which is actually pretty fun--both activities.

I talked for about 10 minutes to the girls and the troupe leaders about Henry David and our wonderful journey together. They asked questions such as: What do you eat? Where do you sleep? Are you afraid? Have you had a flat tire? How many miles a day can you cycle on Henry David? Have you run into any “critters”? The children, as well as the adults, were very receptive and just precious. 

After the meeting, I stopped at the store for the next few day’s of groceries, picked up a Father’s Day card, and went to my tent and had a cell phone conversation with my daughter Heather. 

The next morning, Elizabeth had berries and bananas ready, as well as her delicious coffee. She had kept the heater running in the bathroom at nights so that, if I needed to, I could come inside and use the bathroom in comfort. What a sweetie!

I took off for the hills on Thursday, June 13, 2013. My goal was to reach Osburn, ID. But I held onto those lovely memories of Elizabeth, her family, and Coeur d’Alene all the way up the mountain.