Day 18 Cataldo, Idaho to Kellogg Idaho

 

Day 18 Cataldo, Idaho to Kellogg Idaho

   The bike trail along the abandoned Old Milwaukee line is beautiful.  It hugs the shore of the Coeur D’Alene river well out of the noise of traffic.  I am told that this train line was closed because of corruption and incompetence.  In any event, it has left a wonderful resource for the thousands of people who bike along the 100 miles of trail without competing with cars.

   I spent two days in Kellogg.  I splurged on a hotel for the first night which allowed me to explore this lovely place.  The second night I stayed in the parish hall of the America Lutheran Church in Kellogg.  I had sent them an email inquiring about staying there and received a call from the Will Nyberg, the Church President.  The pastor was on leave so Will was fielding all inquiries.  While speaking on the phone he asked me “How do I know you are who you say you are?”  This is an excellent question.  In fact, I myself sometimes wonder if I am who I say I am.  I did not have a ready answer to his question and was grateful that he supplied one.

     “How about if I look at your church’s website?”   I thought this was an excellent suggestion, but then felt a heightened anxiety as I wondered if it had been recently updated.  In any event, he phoned back a few minutes later and said it was fine to stay in the church and he would like to take me out to dinner.  He picked me up and drove me to the delightful town of Wallace, Idaho.  It is a town of approximately 3,000 people with lovely Victoria architecture and assorted elegant sidewalk cafes.  There had been thriving silver mine (which is still in operation) which drew people from all over the world.  There are many gracious homes which add the charm of the town.

    I was touched by his kind hospitality while he drove me around town.  He had taught in an elementary school in Spokane and decided to move to this lovely part of Idaho to be closer to her grand children.