Crazy Ladies in Wallace

Leanne reserved the Dobson Wheelhouse for the 2010 Crazy Ladies trip. It was the perfect place for us to hang out.



Helen
Sheila
Leane








We were excited to be together again. Sheila brought her famous meatballs for dinner, and enough cookies to keep us fueled up for the rides.

Since rain was forecast for Wednesday we decided to do our long ride on Tuesday. Although none of us have been riding much, we got in a decent 50 mile ride on the Trail of the Couer d'Alenes. From Wallace we rode to the end of the trail at Mullen and back, then the other way past Kellogg for another 18 miles. Thank goodness for a tailwind on the way back.



Leane
Helen
Vicky
Marcia
Julie
Vicky





The scenery was awesome, and for someone like me who's spent the winter in the desert, it felt like I was drowning in greenery.














Um.... is there a reason they call us Crazy Ladies?



Helen
Leane









Wednesday was cold and rainy so we decided to take the tour of the silver mine. We shared the tour with a group of special ed kids from Couer d'Alene. Here's Helen and Leane riding the trolley to the mine site. Unfortunately, the trolley was in an accident earlier that morning and had the front side panel ripped off by a careless driver.



Julie
Vicky
Sheila
Pam
Marcia
Leane
Helen




Here we are getting ready to go into the mine.




Helen
Sheila
Vicky
Lenny






Our tour guide, Lenny, was a former miner who worked the area mines for 28 years. He ran some of the machinery underground for us and showed us what his work entailed. He listed all the things we would be without if we didn't have metal: cars, trains, planes, appliances, ipods, jewelry, etc. When you stopped to think about it, it made you really grateful for them. It's hard, dangerous, hot work. We all came out saying, "I could never be a miner."














We had a great time together. We drove home by way of St. Maries and Deary, a longer but more scenic route.

Next year we want to do the same trip again, but ride the other half of the trail. With a good sag wagon, we might even do the whole thing.

P.S. I would like to mention that I have a second coat on under my blue windbreaker. I'm really not that fluffy. :)