Hi,

I'm heading to Spokane, WA next week for a conference, and I'll staying at the Doubletree City Center at 322 N. Spokane Falls Court.

I'm thinking of taking my Bike Friday "Q" in single form for the trip and doing some riding from my hotel. I won't have a rental car.

Any Spokane riders here who could recommendation some downtown routes worth ride? Or what direction I should take to ride out of the city center?

Thanks in advance!

You will be a block or two away from our 'Centennial Trail', a paved path that runs from west of Spokane to the eastern end of Lake Coeur d'Alene, about 60 miles one way. It's flat to gently rolling with plenty of 'pit stops' en route. Very nice riding. When you get to Spokane, call or visit Two Wheel Transit (bike shop) 747-2231, 1405 W. 1st, about a mile (or less) from where you're staying. They can give you explicit directions and have the 'official' Centennial Trail map.

I have no affiliation with Two Wheel other than they are my fave LBS.

Have fun, the weather should be warm and dry!

Wow! That sounds like a nicer Centennial Trail than the one we have in Snohomish. The Snohomish one is only 1/10th as long.

Davet,

Thank you for the recommendations. I'll take a mapquest of my hotel to the shop, and I'll see how far I can ride the trail. I hope to be able to ride Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, depending on how much of the day is eaten up by the conference.

Hmmm-- now I'm looking forward to both the trail and the shop.

There seems to be no shortage of places to ride in Spokane. For a nice ride from downtown, take the Centenial Trail west through Riverside State Park. Taking the CT east brings you through more residential areas until you get to the state line. If you take the trail west, it'll be through parkland, and you could even continue on the country roads after the CT ends, if you want more miles. From downtown to the west end of the CT trail is about 12? miles. There are some nice country roads north and west of town if you'd like to bring your bike by car to the starting point. If you're into mountain biking, you could also ride right out of downtown to Riverside State Park. There are many more places too, if you want more info PM me.

I here they are close to finishing the trestle repair across the lake and the CT will be joining up with the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene.

khuon I hear they are getting ready to open an extention to the CT here I don't know if it is going to be all the way to Arlington (Thats the eventual plan) yet but I will keep my ear out for the opening.

ngateguy: The trestle across the south end of Lake Coeur d'Alene is for the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, not the Centennial Trail. The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is 72 miles long and runs from Mullan ID. (hard on the Idaho/Montana border, on the east side of Lake Coeur d'Alene south to Plummer Idaho. It's a rails-to-trails, so it's pretty flat. It goes through some pretty country, largely uninhabited, lots of rest stops, restrooms, picnic areas and just a very nice way to spend a day. You could ride on the Centennial Trail to it's eastern end, then about 10 miles over Fourth of July Pass to Cataldo and pick up the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes there, but the two don't connect.

Mtn Mike,

Thanks for the extra details. I've been studying the info. about the trail at https://www.spokanecentennialtrail.org/index.htm and west was the first direction I was going to take. 24 to 30 miles sounds about right for how much time I'll be able to sneak away for. The site also suggests that the Double Tree downtown has easy access to the trail.

It's really great to be able to post a question like this and get detailed advice from riders in Spokane. If this trip works well, I hope to take the bike to New Orleans and Memphis later this year (not to mention Maryland and DC, where I rode for many years). Definitely spices up a convention trip.

Thanks again.

Yeah, this forum is pretty cool for that sort of thing. A few weeks ago I attended a conference in Seattle. ngateguy was happy to include me in an awsome Saturday tour around Seattle. Next time I go to a new city with my bike, I'll be sure to post here first. Let me know the dates you'll be here pdxcyclist, maybe I couuld steer you in the direction of a good group ride....

Thanks for the offer-- if I were staying an extra day I'd take you up on it. As it is, a sliver of professionalism is suggesting I should remember that I'm presenting at this conference. So, my schedule's so up in the air I hope to slip in a couple of rides somewhere (just don't know when, yet).

I'm taking three colleagues with me, and they're already jealous about the trail and riding. I wonder if there's any places that rents bikes for them in the area we'll be staying. I checked the web site of the shop noted above, but I don't think they do rentals.

Thanks!

You might try North Division Bikes (509-467-2453) I don't know if they do rent, but it's worth a try.

The weather for your visit should be great! Coolish in the a.m (hi 30's, low 40's) warming to the mid to high 60's around noon. Doncha hate it when that happens? I just built up a new bike and it's time for a ride!

Last I heard Spoke N' Sport (downtown at Trent and Division) Rents bikes - Only place in town I know of, and they are close to the Centenial trail. BTW, I'm flexible (time wise), if you need a guide.

Good call! I didn't even think of those Spoke N' Sport guys. They are very close to the Double Tree.

Spoke N' Sport, 212 N. Division, (509)838-8842

Spoke n' Sport is not as good as Two Wheel, but they rent. If you make it East into the Spokane Valley, about 10 miles from downtown, stop by Wheel Sport East - at the Sullivan exit. I work there a couple days a week.

Great info-- I'll forward this to the guys, and we'll see if we can check it out. After we get there, we'll find out our schedule and try to work out some riding time. We'll have Internet access, so I'll post here if we have a clean time for riding.

This should be fun-- I hope it doesn't cloud up and shower on us.

i love how you're looking forward to the bike ride, and the conference is like an inconvience! shows you got your head on straight!

i was just in a meeting today at work, and was looking out the window thinking about nothing but bike riding...

Both the trail recommendation and the Two Wheel Transit recommendation are spot on. I have family in Spokane, have ridden that trail a number of times and ride a lot of miles on a Ciocc that was purchased at 2WT ten years ago!

Thanks again to everyone for the advice. I had a fun trip to Spokane, and I posted a report here: https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/50033-first-business-trip-bike-friday-q.html

The Centennial Trail was great, but I didn't have the best luck at Two Wheel Transit. Beautiful shop, and I loved it that they had a Co-motion Nor'wester in the front window. I don't think they liked me much, though. Probably because I made the faux pas of bringing my bike in the shop with me (no lock, only five minutes to stop and get a trail map). I didn't find the map, and when I asked the person behind the counter was pretty dismissive and acted like he hadn't heard of it or the trail. Hmmm.

Anyway, I would've liked to see more of their bikes, but I had to move on. Maybe next time I'll return, but in dress clothes and a tie, and no bike with me.

? I usually bring my bike into 2WT when I go there. I never thought it was a faux pas, could be wrong though. Glad you liked the Centennial Trail.

Mike

Bringing a bike inside of Two Wheel isn't a problem, I bring mine in all the time. And it's not even a brand they sell. They also had a newbie on the front counter all this week, who may not have been the best informed about the Centennial Trail.

I am glad that you had some good riding here in Spokane and sorry 'bout (relatively) cool weather. Next time you come, stay longer or over a weekend, there are some fantastic rural roads to ride on.