Northern Idaho Panhandle

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW: This multi-faceted tour offers three fantastic cycle trails -The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes- www.friendsofcdatrails.org , The Route of the Hiawatha- www.ridethehiawatha.com , the Centennial Trail- www.spokanecentennialtrail.org; and a music festival- the Festival at Sandpoint- www.festivalatsandpoint.com ) as highlights.

Our ride will begin with an introductory business meeting/happy hour on Friday afternoon, August 4, followed by a group dinner. Our farewell dinner will be on Sunday, August 13, and the ride will officially end after breakfast, on Monday, August 14.

Departing Spokane, WA, we travel south into the northern edge of the Palouse region to the southern end of the Trail of the Coeur d’ Alene’s, overnighting in Harrison, ID on Lake Coeur d’Alene. A full day on the Trail takes us to Wallace, ID- www.wallaceidahochamber.com -a former silver mining town that is entirely on the National Historic Register. Along the way we visit the oldest mission in the state - the Cataldo Mission. On a day off the road bikes, we ride the Route of the Hiawatha, a 15-mile premier rail-trail ride (all down hill) through 10 tunnels and over 7 trestles (bag lunch and trail fee included, however, you will need to reserve a mtn. bike separately - $32.00 - due to BAC insurance requirements. Info on this will be sent after sign-up). Our hardest day follows as we climb over Thompson Pass to Thompson Falls, MT (two separate 3-4 mile climbs of 6-9%). We follow the Clark Fork River on our way to Sandpoint, ID, on Lake Pend Oreille, stopping in Clark Fork for the night. A short day takes us to Sandpoint for two nights and a real treat as we attend the Festival at Sandpoint each night. Your day off lets you explore this lovely lakeside town. This is an outdoor music event so we provide lawn chairs for our evening under the stars. Your dinner will be on your own from an assortment of local restaurants that will have food service tents on the lawn.  Leaving Sandpoint, we ride to Coeur d’Alene, our last night on the road before taking the Centennial Trail back to Spokane and our celebratory-farewell dinner. We will have a van for luggage transfer driven by the ride leaders.

RIDE RATING: This ride averages 2C, but we have two days with a higher climb ratings of 3 & 4, so you need to be comfortable with those two days. On the 3C day there isn’t a difficult % climb, but on the 4C day there are two areas with 3-4 mile climbs of 6-9%. Other than that, the remaining days are rated 1-2. There are 5 days with mileages of 57- 60 miles, therefore the C rating. There will be a short section of gravel on one day, but easily ridden with road bikes.

WEATHER: Temperatures in August typically range from daytime highs in the mid-eighties to nighttime lows around 50. It is dry there and can be hotter.

LODGING & MEALS: We will be starting and finishing from the Downtown Holiday Inn Express in Spokane, WA. This is a nicer than average Holiday Inn Express. All other hotels are of that quality or nicer, except two in smaller town where they are still nice but limited options available.   Included meals are the two group dinners, all but three breakfasts, and a sack lunch on the day we ride the Route of the Hiawatha.

LOGISTICS: This is a loop tour starting and ending in Spokane, WA. A free shuttle will take you from the airport to our starting hotel (Holiday Inn Express) in downtown Spokane (and return after the tour), where we can leave our bike boxes until our return. We will have a van to transport your luggage, driven by the ride directors.

COST & ADMINISTRATION: The ride cost is estimated to be $1680.00 per rider, not including the $50 BAC Registration Fee. This includes (10) nights lodging, (2) group dinners, (7) breakfasts, (1) sack lunch, social hours, cue sheets and gps files, (2) Festival at Sandpoint tickets plus lawn chairs. A deposit of $500 will be due when you sign up, and the remaining $1180.00 will be due on May 1, 2017.

SINGLES: Singles are welcome!  It is recommended that singles who want a roommate, try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until June 1, 2017 for a full refund (minus the BAC fee) — or pay the $400 single supplement and stay on the ride.  If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary.  The ride leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. Due to room availability, only two singles (solos) can be accomodated on this tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC ride registration fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled.  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped.  The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations.  If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time.  If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed.  If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the single supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.  BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support.  Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles.   All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour.  We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader.  While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup.  Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour.  Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

SIGN-UP: To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description.  When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List.  At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable $50 BAC ride registration fee online.  Once those steps have been completed, the initial deposit of $500 will be due using the online credit card process. When your deposit is received, your status will be changed from wait list to participant. The final $1180.00 payment will be due on May 1, 2017.  To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.