7/13/2008-7/14/2008 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

We only spent one night in Coeur d'Alene on our way to WA which was a beautiful little town.  We rode our bikes on a nice rails to trails bike trail for 25 miles.  There were really nice views of some craggy mountains and Lake Coeure d'Alene from the trail.  There was a huge lake there that was really pretty.  Our oldest granddaughter gave us a book called Roadfood written by Jane & Michael Stern's.   This book has unique restaurants with descriptions in it.  As an example the first one we went to was Sugar Mill Restaurant in De Leon Springs, FL.  The table where you were seated had a griddle built into it.  They would bring you pitchers of pancake batter and you could cook all the pancakes you want for $4.00.  In Coeur d'Alene there were three of these restaurants.  I have posted pictures of them.   The first one was Cedars Floating Restaurant.  The restaurant was actually moored in Coeure d'Alene Lake.  The food was delicious.  We sat out on the deck with a beautiful view of the lake and you could feel the restaurant floating.  Luckily we didn't get seasick!  We went to breakfast at the next one, Java on Sherman.  Of course, it really had good coffee and lots of sweet stuff.  We sat outside to eat.  I really loved the next one.  It was called Hudson Hamburgers.  They had a counter with stools to sit on.  You watched the cook grill the hamburgers.  There are no frills.  You can get onion & pickle on the hamburger, but no lettuce or tomato, and no chips or french fries.  When they say hamburger they mean hamburger!  The cook was fun to watch.  He would cook ten at a time, and then throw them on the buns and put them in front of you.  The hamburgers were excellent and the place was packed.  We moved on toward Seattle that afternoon.