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04-09-09, 10:44 AM
Thought you guys might like another trip report from a ride I took yesterday. Click link for pictures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tannergrant/sets/72157616550422562/
With the Little Spokane River near flood stage, Connor, Cole, and I decided to paddle another day, and instead I picked up my bike. With another day of spectacular weather I decided to go on another urban mountain bike adventure in Spokane‘s west side.
After pulling into the Finch Arboretum parking lot, a nice destination in it self, I loaded a light pack with provisions and took off down F street, which quickly changed names to Woodland Boulevard. At a stop sign I went right onto Rosamond then over I90 and down a left hand sweeping turn. At the intersection with Lindeke I went straight, and picked up the Fish Lake Trail running south. It didn’t take long to hit the two kelly humps which are much more fun when coming the other way traveling downhill. Now over the 16th avenue bridge, and through a narrow rocky section of trail I dismounted, picked up my bike, and hiked down a short, rocky, overgrown section to the west of the Fish Lake Trail. Once in a spot where I could my bike down I hopped on and road out over soft soil to the bottom of littered canyon.
At the canyon outlet I went right onto the pavement of Thorpe Road, then proceeded through a tunnel and up hill fill for quite a ways before reaching the stop sign at Assembly. Now heading north on Assembly I crested a small hill before finding the old rail bed and trail heading off to my right. I pulled over to have a drink of water after a good climb, and to store gear in preparation for the downhill.
Now on the trail, it was flat for sometime over comfortable rolling terrain. Picking up speed I soon reached a clearing offering good views of the Latah Creek valley. As the trail curved left I soon reached a short, somewhat steep drop to an area of development and end of trail. Scratching my head I decided to follow old bike tires down into another development over loose, rock, and soft soil. After crossing a small creek I found myself in a giant excavated park. Looking around I noticed a trail over and elevated bench a short climb to my left. Picking up my bike I made the grunt up hill to regain the trail. Back on the trail I went left toward the development to see where I had went wrong. At the development I soon realized that I should not have followed previous tires downhill, and instead continued straight ahead where I would have eventually noticed the path, oh well.
After turning around I continued down hill over fun rollers before reaching an intersection where I went right, down a steep, rocky, narrow section of trail, good practice. After somehow not biting it I reached bottom at viewpoint over looking all of Spokane, and the surrounding mountains, it was awesome. After a short break and more water I hiked my bike up a short section before coasting down over more trail where I eventually reached its end at Milton Street where I continued straight to 14th. After taking a right onto 14th I made quick work back to the truck at the arboretum in order to get home before heading to work.
This was a nice ride that I fear is in jeopardy of being lost by encroaching development. Do yourself a favor and go ride it before its gone. The distance is about 6.2 miles, give yourself about an hour to complete the loop.
With the Little Spokane River near flood stage, Connor, Cole, and I decided to paddle another day, and instead I picked up my bike. With another day of spectacular weather I decided to go on another urban mountain bike adventure in Spokane‘s west side.
After pulling into the Finch Arboretum parking lot, a nice destination in it self, I loaded a light pack with provisions and took off down F street, which quickly changed names to Woodland Boulevard. At a stop sign I went right onto Rosamond then over I90 and down a left hand sweeping turn. At the intersection with Lindeke I went straight, and picked up the Fish Lake Trail running south. It didn’t take long to hit the two kelly humps which are much more fun when coming the other way traveling downhill. Now over the 16th avenue bridge, and through a narrow rocky section of trail I dismounted, picked up my bike, and hiked down a short, rocky, overgrown section to the west of the Fish Lake Trail. Once in a spot where I could my bike down I hopped on and road out over soft soil to the bottom of littered canyon.
At the canyon outlet I went right onto the pavement of Thorpe Road, then proceeded through a tunnel and up hill fill for quite a ways before reaching the stop sign at Assembly. Now heading north on Assembly I crested a small hill before finding the old rail bed and trail heading off to my right. I pulled over to have a drink of water after a good climb, and to store gear in preparation for the downhill.
Now on the trail, it was flat for sometime over comfortable rolling terrain. Picking up speed I soon reached a clearing offering good views of the Latah Creek valley. As the trail curved left I soon reached a short, somewhat steep drop to an area of development and end of trail. Scratching my head I decided to follow old bike tires down into another development over loose, rock, and soft soil. After crossing a small creek I found myself in a giant excavated park. Looking around I noticed a trail over and elevated bench a short climb to my left. Picking up my bike I made the grunt up hill to regain the trail. Back on the trail I went left toward the development to see where I had went wrong. At the development I soon realized that I should not have followed previous tires downhill, and instead continued straight ahead where I would have eventually noticed the path, oh well.
After turning around I continued down hill over fun rollers before reaching an intersection where I went right, down a steep, rocky, narrow section of trail, good practice. After somehow not biting it I reached bottom at viewpoint over looking all of Spokane, and the surrounding mountains, it was awesome. After a short break and more water I hiked my bike up a short section before coasting down over more trail where I eventually reached its end at Milton Street where I continued straight to 14th. After taking a right onto 14th I made quick work back to the truck at the arboretum in order to get home before heading to work.
This was a nice ride that I fear is in jeopardy of being lost by encroaching development. Do yourself a favor and go ride it before its gone. The distance is about 6.2 miles, give yourself about an hour to complete the loop.