Prairie Trail, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Now that I know we are moving, I am in a low-key panic to try to write about the trails around here I have not written about yet. Why? Sigh. Probably because I am ridiculous.
Anyway, I have written about the North Idaho and Spokane Centennial Trail, which is a 64-mile mostly-paved trail that connects Coeur d’Alene to the far side of Spokane, Washington. There is a junction to that trail that connects to a trail named Prairie Trail, even though I think a lot of people call it all the Centennial Trail. I live right on the Prairie Trail and use it nearly every day.
I-90 (which goes from Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts) passes over the intersection of the Centennial Trail and Prairie Trail. “It’s a Cutthroat World” is an art installation that cost the city $38,000. The artists are Cain and Todd Benson. It was put up in 2016 and 7 years later it is in rough shape.
One of my most recent adventures on the trail was during a snow storm, when I was convinced I could ride my not-fat-tire-or-winter-bike-in-any-way from home to work. I ended up having to move off the trail due to the huge amount of snow piled up and then proceeded to crash on Northwest Boulevard. My bike and body twisted together and both broke. Why? Again, probably because I am ridiculous. The above photo is from my last walk with Biking Queen. I love walking with her. she is always flexible on where we go and how we do it, but more than that, the stories she tells about her kids always make me laugh so hard. Sunshine, sweat, and laughter with people I love is something that carries me far.
Prairie Trail passes some apartments and subdivisions, senior living complexes, a middle school, and a few businesses. It is 4 miles from beginning to end, making it an 8-mile out-and-back that is quite easy. the further you get from where it meets the Centennial Trail, the less people you will see. The city has plans of extending the trail at least one more mile.
