With the abundance of nature activities around the Pacific Northwest, summer is a great time to bike through a lush forest or up a mountain peak. If that's not your style, get together with some friends to zip around a roller skating rink. Or, hop on your e-bike or scooter (or rent one now that Lime's back in Spokane for the season) and explore the city's many festivals and events. Whichever wheeled apparatus you choose, it's time to start the summer off in motion.
ROLL WITH IT
Fast-paced and more challenging than it looks, roller skating is an ideal activity to do outside on a paved pathway or rink, and a fun way to escape the blistering heat or wildfire smoke that may saturate the air for days or weeks through the season. The Numerica Skate Ribbon in Riverfront Park offers free admission during roller skating season. Bring your own skates, nonmotorized scooters or skateboards, or rent a pair of skates or a scooter for $5.95 and $7.95, respectively.For indoor rinks, check out Pattison's North, Roller Valley Skate & Event Center in Spokane Valley, or Skate Plaza in Coeur d'Alene, each of which offer lessons for brand-new skaters, along with occasional events (check each venue's website or social media for updates).
Amp up your roller skating adventures even more and check out Lilac City Roller Derby, which has new skater orientation events scheduled for July 14 and 18 at Roller Valley; find details at lilaccityrollerderby.com.
LOOP THE LAKE
Just north of Coeur d'Alene is Hayden Lake, lined with sandy shores and forested trails overlooking its clear blue waters. To complete the Hayden Lake Loop, you can start in Coeur d'Alene and ride north to Honeysuckle Avenue and Strahorn Road, then continue northeast to Lakeview Drive. Next follow Hayden Lake Road, which loops around most of the lake.There are also a number of trails along the route which bring you closer toward the shore and various beaches — a perfect rest stop along the 30-mile loop. Consider stopping by Honeysuckle Beach for a picnic or checking out one of Coeur d'Alene's many eateries after your trek.
For more details, Trek CDA bike shop's "Hayden Lake Loop" route on Ride with GPS (ridewithgps.com) has more. The shop shares other routes around Coeur d'Alene if you're looking to spend a full day biking amid the Idaho Panhandle's scenic forests and lakes.
PEDAL TO THE PEAK
On June 15, Mount Spokane is the site of the inaugural Climb for the Cure timed bike race. The race is put on by The Wendy Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to raising money in memory of Spokane-area resident Wendy Ramsey, who died in 2021 from a rare form of leukemia called Richter's Syndrome. Proceeds go to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a renowned cancer research institute in Boston.
There are six racing categories separated by age and gender, with prizes for top placers in each. The route consists of gravel and paved roads and is estimated to take anywhere from three to five hours. Since the ride is mainly uphill, it's recommended that participants have mountain biking experience. Sign up at climbforthecure.org.
SCOOT AROUND TOWN
Are you an avid scooter rider, or are you looking for a group event centered on scooters? Look no further than the Mild Riders, a Spokane "scooter gang" founded in 2021 by Tiffany Patterson and Ruben Villarreal to bring together local scooter lovers for weekly rides around the city. Every Thursday at 6 pm from now through the fall, the group hosts Thursday night rides, for which participants meet up at Lunarium cafe (1925 N. Monroe St.) and embark on a two-wheeled journey through town. Since most scooters don't reach super high speeds, the Mild Riders often pick routes less traveled by cars, which often equates to a more scenic ride. For information on upcoming rides, follow the Mild Riders on Instagram (@mild.riders.spokane).
EXPLORE CANFIELD MOUNTAIN
Right on the outskirts of Coeur d'Alene is Canfield Mountain, which has over 25 miles of trails suited for hiking, biking and dirt biking. A 100-acre area on the mountain was purchased in 2019 by former Facebook engineer Jason Evans, who partnered with the City of Coeur d'Alene and the Lake City Trail Alliance to build and maintain a network of trails there.Canfield Mountain's trails are of varying levels of steepness, meaning riders can easily customize their ride's length and difficulty. For a shorter ride, embark on a 1.1- or 5.3-mile loop around the mountain. Visit the City of Coeur d'Alene's website (cdaid.org) to find a trail map of the natural area. Next time you're feeling adventurous, head out and see where your wheels take you.
PEDAL POWERED
Explore Riverfront Park from a new perspective — one that's a lot lower to the ground than you're probably used to — by renting a pedal kart at the Numerica Skate Ribbon and SkyRide building. The human-powered rides fit both kids (ages 5 and up) and adults, and are designed to be stable and smooth, even if you may get a little winded pedaling up some of the park's hilly areas. The park has four single-seat karts and two double-seat karts, so whether you're having a date night, family time or going solo, these rides can add a little extra fun to your outing. Helmets are required, and rentals can be made for 30 minutes ($9) or an hour ($13). Check riverfrontspokane.com for rental hours.
PARTY ON WHEELS
To start off summer in joyous fashion, head over to Olmsted Brothers Green in Kendall Yards on June 15 for the Movin' and Groovin' Ride, a low-stakes bike ride filled with music and bright lights. Avid local cyclist Erin Mensing organized the ride to bring together fellow riders for a joyous community party. If you're not a cyclist, you can still join in the fun as skateboards and roller skates are also welcome. The ride starts at 7 pm and goes until 9 pm, and it's free, with no sign-up required. Adorn your bike with lights and other fun decorations, and get ready to ride along to fun music that keeps everyone movin' and groovin'. ♦
