About Bonner County, ID

Mandy, Trace, Bentley and I were looking for something to do on Sunday in this in-between Fall season...meaning in-between being able to go swimming in the lake or playing in the snow. So we took the short drive to Faragut State Park just a half hour or so south of Sandpoint.

I had been mountain biking a few times and had a blast on all the fast single track that lines Lake Pend Oreille but had never really taken the time to just walk around and explore. Faragut is really an amazingly beautiful spot on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille, near Bayview. This area is near where the lake hits about 1150 feet deep, and the mountains just shoot up from the water.

With the water level a bit low we were really able to enjoy hanging on the beach, feeding ducks, and my boy's favorite pasttime... throwing rocks in the water!

We did a bit of swinging at the kids park.

And we took a nice family hike on one of the many trails along the shoreline.

Next time we plan to campout in one of the great campgrounds they have set up at the park. Even better we'll make sure to have a boat there for the weekend, along with our bikes. Definitely another cool spot in North Idaho for the whole family!

I think it was ad-out in our doubles match today when we all had to take a break (A POETIC MOMENT) and gaze at what was happening in the park outside the courts...you've got to have priorities in life. (By the way, I was playing with my lender and one of my clients. Real Estate never rests.)

It was a little cloudy but warm, calm and beautiful here in Sandoint, Idaho.

A group of 13 of us went mountain biking last weekend at American Falls trail, about an hour north of Priest Lake along the Canadian Border. This was absolutely one of the top 2 or 3 rides of my life, and is one that should be added to the list of every mountain biker in the Inland Northwest!

This is a really fast ride, similar to Mineral Point near Garfield Bay, in that its like a roller coaster, up and down, rather than a sustained climb and descent. The condition of the trail is amazing- super smooth and your tires just stick to the track, especially after the recent rain. There are all kinds of bridges and different features like you'll find at some of the Schweitzer trails. This trail has the perfect combination of fast easy riding, and focused more technical aspects that challenge even the best bikers.

It was our buddy Scott's birthday and so we really had a blast, basically partying and biking all day. The trail takes you to a stunning waterfall is deep in a canyon. We all climbed up the side of the rocks in order to sit in the warm sliver of sun that was making it through. This was definitely not the kind of day where everyone races to the end, so there was probably an hour gap between the first and last of the group. Those of us who pulled back into the parking area built a nice fire where we all hung out for several hours as the sun set.

Another great day enjoying the outdoors in our beautiful countryside of North Idaho!

www.SandpointResortRealty.com

New Zealand never received the brunt of the September 29th earthquake, as predicted, but they sure got a nice rainbow out of it. The tsunami was triggered by a magnitude-8.0 earthquake, the world’s largest in two years, that struck south of Samoa. Waves reached at least 20 feet high in parts of American Samoa and swept more than a half mile inland. This photo was taken by my daughter (a New Zealand resident) from Takapuna Beach outside of Auckland during the event. That is Rangitoto Island several miles in the distance across the Pacific. (The sea was up a few feet, but no giant surf).

The photo below was also taken on September 29th, but in Sandpoint, Idaho. That is Gold Hill, a few miles across Lake Pend Oreille viewed from my dock on Kootenai Bay. If we had a rainbow, the visual would be almost the same. It is a small world.

By the way, it is still Saturday here in Idaho, but it is Sunday in New Zealand...hence...SPEECHLESS SUNDAY.

The Sandpoint Farmers Market takes place every Wednesday from 300-530pm and on Saturdays from 9a-330p. For our size community to support two weekly markets from May into October is pretty cool in and of itself. But this one always seems to have solid support from both the farmers and vendors, to the locals who make it a habit to buy their groceries at the market.

My wife and I only recently started going to most of the Markets, and we're really hooked now. Since we have been at the Market over the past few weeks, we've gotten to know most of the farmers who are just awesome additions to Sandpoint and the North Idaho community. Most of these people are smaller scale family businesses. You'll usually see all the kids chipping in to help out, talking to customers about the fantastic family potatoes, vegetables, or goat cheese. The markets become a real family and neighborhood event if you participate regularly, as there are so many regulars in attendance each time.

The Market has been able to line up some nice entertainment every week as well, usually very entertaining and engaging. Its fun to see all the kids dancing and chasing each other around while parents visit with each other and buy groceries. Certainly a better experience than the standard trip to the grocery store! And the food is really something else- a great way to stock up on the essentials.

With the last Market taking place this Saturday Oct 10th, there is already a plan in place for a Winter Farmers Market in the Cedar Street Bridge. Hopefully this will be able to get off the ground. Regardless of this, the new online Six Rivers Marketplace is bound to catch on as a great year round alternative to these farmers markets. Local farmers and other 'producers' pay a small fee to sell their product through this website and post their offering online. Then consumers can shop online and pick everything they want, having it bagged and ready for pickup at the Sandpoint Events Center every Wed afternoon. This is a concept that has been huge in towns like Bend, Oregon and is certain to catch on. The basic concept of supporting local business and sustainable living just resonates well around here in these times.

So this final weekend of Harvest Fest is the last Farmers Market of the season. With OctoberFest following immediately afterwards in the Sothebys parking lot, there are sure to be tons of people out enjoying the peak of Fall and talking about another epic ski season on the horizon.