Sandpoint, ID

My friend at work had gone to Snow Creek Falls the weekend before and told me how amazing it was. Due to the warm weather and the extreme snow pack, the falls were flowing heavy this year, which gave an amazing site for us to view.

My New Year’s resolution was to get out and enjoy the area I live in. I have lived in the Sandpoint area for awhile, however I do not really feel like I have done much in the area and I am a little embarrassed by that. For me it was time to start exploring, so I talked to my dad, one who is always on the go, and told him that I wanted to go on an adventure. I arrived at my dad’s house in Hope, where he hopped into my truck and told me to head towards Clark Fork. About 15 miles later my dad told me to take a left on a unmarked rocky dirt road. At first I was unsure about this road, but my dad reassured me that it was in fact a road, so I continued to drive.

After the best in show was awarded the field retreated to the pits and we awaited the start of the first heat. There were three heats of eight cars each. The top three cars in each heat, who were left running at the end of the timed heat moved on to the next level of competition. After the three heats were finished the teams who did not move on to the final event were allowed 15 minutes to work on their cars and compete in the “hard luck” competition, a last chance for competitors to make it to the final event. As the derby moved on the driving certainly got more aggressive.

After hiking for only about 20 minutes, we reached our destination. Rising out of the ground – literally – on a small mound just off the trail, sat the gravesite of Sam Owen and his wife, Nina. Mr. Owen was an important person in the history of Hope and the Hope Peninsula. Indeed, there is now a campground and day-use area named after him, as well as this trail we were on. As I looked at the graves – these two cold slabs of cement peeking from the dirt – I wondered why Mr. Owen and his wife had chosen this spot to be buried.

Car buffs flock every year to the car show the day after the Lost in the 50’s parade in Sandpoint, usually the weekend before Memorial Day. It is the place to be if you love cars or want to show off your own hot rod. I always watch the parade on Friday night, however this [...]

Every year, on the weekend before Memorial Day in May, Sandpoint hosts a huge bash called Lost in the 50’s. It’s mostly about a car show featuring classic cars, but there are other happenings, too. There are a couple of street dances, a rock-n-roll concert, a rally-run, and more. Downtown is a pretty hoppin’ place, to say the least, during Lost in the 50’s weekend. If you’re interested in seeing the cars, but don’t really feel up to beating the crowds, sit back and enjoy the Vintage Car Parade.

that’s why I love getting dinner from Pend Oreille Pasta & Wine. Don’t let the modest exterior fool you. This quaint little store is chock full of surprises. And the best surprise, in my opinion, are the carry-out dinners.

Book Babies is a half-hour program for parents and children hosted by the children’s librarian at the Sandpoint library. It is every Friday morning, beginning at 10:30 AM, in the children’s section of the library.

I was expecting to find just a bit of grassy area and a sandy beach, but Dover City Beach is so much more than that — there is a really cool trail system that meanders through wetlands, perfect for pointing out water fowl for my young Audobon.

This trail is great for biking, walking, jogging, roller-blading, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, sledding…just about everything non-motorized. It’s open to all users, and of course, it’s free. This is a great trail for so many reasons: the re-use of something existing, bridging communities, and the town-to-forest uniqueness.