Lazy days of summer are early this year
One of my favorite North Idaho pastimes is floating the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River each summer. It's not an activity you'll find in the tourist brochures, more of a longtime local word of mouth thing to do.
Through the years we've amassed quite a collection of inflatable conveyances in our flotilla so whether it's just me and Bert or a number of friends and family members, it's always a fun and scenic way to spend a hot summer day.
We usually put in at Bumblebee Bridge and float to Albert's Landing, about three or so miles at the leisurely pace of 1 mph, and enough fast moving turns to make it interesting. This year that distance might take an entire day to travel. Our friends Pam and Rich Houser have had their river property north of Bumblebee for decades and a few miles from their place is the Heiststuman family property. After this past weekend people were remarking about how they could not recall when the last time the river was this low at this time of year, which is generally the optimum time to float.
So how low and slow is the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River right now? The usual cubic foot per second flow is 600 and as of Tuesday at Pritchard the river is flowing at 230 cfs. At this rate there won't be much floating to be done by late July, unless you don't mind carrying your rafts more than floating in them.
River recreation notwithstanding, this doesn't bode well for fire season I fear. Be extra careful when out camping in our beautiful forests!
It's Ironman time again in Coeur d'Alene and again I encourage any of you who have not experienced spectating at this event to give it a try. It's energizing and inspiring, and that's just for the spectators! A few friends I'll be looking for in the crowd on Sunday as they embark on such an incredible feat are Jeff Conroy #2195, Derek Garcia #6, Andrew Evenson #1847, Jaimee Myers #326, Mike Baker #1435 and Thomas Elliott #1841. They'll be joining another 2,000 or so athletes who have trained most of the year with the goal of crossing that coveted Ironman finish line. The least we can do is cheer them on!
The Fourth of July is two weeks from tomorrow. Wow! Summer just arrived and it's already going fast.
The loss of Ray Stone coming a week after Lidwina Dirne's passing is hard to accept. Ray and Lidwina both lived lives of service for decades in this community. I'll sure miss seeing Ray around town, playing music and showing us all how to be present each and every day. Another of The Greatest Generation is no more.
Happy birthday today to Jim Morrison, who's happily and gratefully turning 60, Jennifer Smock, Kelly Gwinn, Paul Ivie, Mel Swatzenberg, Doug Harwood, Genia Wortman, Lauren Hoffman, Twyla and Bill Cope, Jerry Riggs and Sue Shibley. Tomorrow's birthdays belong to Kristen Enders, Daniel Davis, Sherin Diehl, Mark Appleby and Eva Jones. On Friday, the official first day of summer, Wayne Newby, Jaymee Owens, Lynda Pym, L.C. Schell, David Wold, Shirley Bade, Kelly Rice and Stephen Larson will enjoy another trip around the sun. Wish Joe Butler, Scott Shepperd, Mike Saunders and Caitlin Parmentier a happy birthday on Saturday. Sharing a birthday on Sunday are Nancy Nick, Lynne Hammond, Dawn Forest and Carly Cline. Starting the last week of June out with birthdays are Jim Reynolds, Kathy Bush, Kimi Cole, Rhonda Ellis, John Phelps, Sara Wegner and Laura Lahr on Monday and Mikki Stevens, Bill Reagan, Megan Ownbey, Joann Hildebrant, Patty Vogt, Addison Johnson, Jan Olson, Jim Guy, Sally Mackin, Connie McGee, Kylie Gibson and Shanda Johnson on Tuesday.
Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Find Kerri on Facebook or at mainstreet@cdapress.com