Day 35--Reverse Karma Strikes Again!

This morning as I was getting ready to leave, I told Kathy I was done with the major climbs. Ha! I should not have said that! Because, you know what always happens...

I rode the trail down from the campground to return to the Trail of the Couer d'Alenes. It popped me out right at the bridge over the lake.

In the middle of the bridge.

Headed down the little rampy part.

I rode to Harrison on the trail. At Harrison, I wasn't sure if I had to get off the trail there, or if I could continue further. I went to the library (as I had no service on my phone) and used the wifi to Google the directions to Beauty Creek Campground (I could have just stayed on Hwy 97). Yippee! I could stay on the trail...well, for three more miles anyway. So, I returned to the trail. This was a part I had not been on before (the Tour d' Lac always exited at Harrison). Here's what I saw.

Lots of Lilly Pads (the photo doesn't really show the pretty pink flowers).

At East Blue Lake Rd, I got off the trail and went over this old wooden bridge.

I followed E. Blue Lake to E. Thompson Lake Rd. I thought it was just fabulous! Then the road turned to gravel. Of course, that was fine! No problem! Then I turned onto South Asbury Rd. Still gravel, the road began to climb...and climb...and climb some more. It was pretty loose gravel, so I stopped and let more air out of the tires. That was better. It was a really long climb! Okay, maybe it wasn't that long (2 or 3 miles), but, because I wasn't expecting it, it seemed really long.

I finally made to the top.

I thought I'd get to go down at least as much as I went up. Not exactly. The down was short lived, then it flattened out and was a bit rolly. Finally I started the long downhill. It brought me back to 97. Now I knew I had to ride on 97 for awhile. 

The next turn was onto E Burma Rd. I saw the road. I also saw the mountain. Hwy 97 continued around following the lake, nice and flat-like. I bet you can guess which way I went. Yep, I stayed on 97. I knew Burma would be the same as Asbury. It may have been shorter miles, but it took longer.

It was pretty warm, but cooler by the lake than the mountain route. I came upon a gas station that was more a shop and restaurant. I stopped and had a turkey and bacon club sandwich. It was delicious, but when I got back on the bike I felt like a slug. Turns out I was going uphill! At the top it was a 6% downgrade for 2 miles (basically, back to lake level). At the bottom was the turn for Beauty Creek. Staying on 97 seemed to add about 5 miles.

This is what Beauty Creek looks like.

No water, and dare I say, not that much of a beauty.

Total miles today 35.47

Afar age speed: 8.4