Travel & Adventure

Wing foiling marries wind with water

If you want to see your favorite water sports’ lover as giddy as a dog with two tails, introduce them to the “magic carpet ride” or “best powder day” of water sports: Wing Foiling.

“It’s so smooth, it feels like flying, like a powder day everyday, but there’s no crowds, no lines,” says Gwen Le TuTour, avid wing foiler and all-around water sports enthusiast.

In 2019, wing foiling became the latest and greatest evolution of the hydrofoil technology - the use of a wing-like lifting surface to propel a water vessel or board out of the water; the faster the speed, the higher the lift. However, different from its foiling predecessors, wing foiling also involves a hand-held sail or “wing,” using both wind and water energy for a ride like no other.

“Slowly, foiling has spread out to many disciplines - surf foiling, SUP foiling, kite foiling and now, wing foiling. It’s combining a lot of different sports that have been around for a long time, and making them more versatile,” said Le Tutour.

While active in water sports most of his life, growing up surfing and windsurfing off his native coast of Brittany, France, it wasn’t until he moved to the U.S. that Le Tutour started tow foiling (behind a boat) in Florida.

A recent Sandpoint transplant, Le Tutour found his way to the Pacific Northwest by way of his American wife, however had no idea he would find a like-minded community of

foilers and now good friend, Tony Mueller.

“We just showed up at City Beach at the same time and I said, ‘Let’s ride together,’ ” said Le Tutour.

Mueller had recently retired to his lake cabin on Pend Orielle from his home in California. With a history of surfing-, kayaking- and paddle board-racing, while he was looking to slow things down, he was also looking for a new challenge.

“My first wing came from South Africa, in the fall of 2018, as they were the first ones in production and I wanted to try it,” said Mueller.

“So I went to the beach with my sail and board and saw this guy out on the water with a foil and a kite and he was launching and crashing, and I was like, ‘Woah, I need to meet this guy.”

Now the two men meet up regularly and make videos of their time on the water, some of which are added to Le Tutour’s popular YouTube channel with fellow water sports enthusiast, Damien LeRoy.

In the winter months, Le Tutour spends his time in Florida where he teaches different types of foiling with LeRoy. In the summer months, he takes his teaching to City Beach, in Sandpoint.

This year, will be the first year he’ll have a jet ski to tow beginners, which is key in helping them to understand and learn how to maneuver the board and foil.

“What’s so cool about foiling, is that it’s opened the door to so many different conditions,” said Le Tutour. “Where before, say with wind surfing, you needed quite a bit of wind so you needed to be on the ocean to make it fun, now - for places like Sandpoint, it’s the perfect example - foiling has opened it up to doing these water sports anywhere.”

Published in Sandpoint Magazine in the Summer 2024 edition.

Be avalanche aware

Winter recreation in the Pacific Northwest not only means getting to play in the beautiful, snowy conditions we're so lucky to have in our neck of the woods, but also knowing how to play it safe.

Dozens of people die in avalanches each year, but there are tips and tricks to reduce your risk.

Avalanche danger is highest in the back country, but avalanches can and do happen on ski runs as well, like the deadly Silver Mountain avalanche of January 2020, a sobering event that killed three skiers and injured four, reminding us that even with the best avalanche mitigation team working to make the mountain safe, Mother Nature sometimes has a mind of her own.

"The best way for winter recreationists to avoid triggering or getting caught in an avalanche is to get educated,” says Ben Bernall, avalanche specialist for the Kootenai National Forest under the umbrella of Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center, which provides avalanche education. In addition, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation offers free avalanche safety and companion rescue courses. These classes are critical for those seeking to ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, or otherwise recreate in our winter mountains.

Staying on top of the current conditions before you head out, and being prepared with the proper gear, is key, said Bernall.

“There is tons of information [on the IPAC website] updated at regular intervals during the winter months. If you’re going into the mountains, that’s a great place to gather the most current intel on avoiding avalanches.”

Being prepared with the basics - a beacon, shovel and probe - and knowing how to use them is key. An airbag pack, that inflates at the pull of a handle, is also a good idea to have. It will keep you closer to the surface of the slide and offer protection against blunt force trauma. This is especially critical if you venture into the back country alone...which is not recommended. If you have no travel companion, make sure that people know your planned route into the mountains and don't deiate from it.

There is also special technology now built into ski gear, such as Recco detectors. Similar in theory to sonar, Recco detectors emit directional signals that respond to accompanying reflectors which are typically sewn into ski jackets or other ski accessories. A reflector will send a return signal to searchers which is then translated into an audio tone on the detector, providing directional and distance cues to a trained rescuer.

However, if you really want to play it safe and aren’t geared up, Bernall suggests being prudent in where you choose to ski, snowboard or snowshoe.

“If you want to avoid avalanches, simply avoid traveling on or below terrain steeper than 30 degrees.”

Resources to reduce avalanche risk:

Know before you go - www.kbyg.org
Idaho Panhandle National Avalanche Center - (208) 765.7323 www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org
Payette National Forest Avalanche Center (208) 634.0409 www.payetteavalanche.org
www.avalanche.org

Published in Sandpoint Magazine in the Winter 2024 edition.

Way Out West
A delightful roadside attraction filled with retro spaceships, & such

Hit I-90 west from Spokane, and as you near Exit 257, you’ll see what appears to be the dreamscape of a 10-year-old brain.

A 16-foot T-rex terrorizing a treehouse, two equally tall roosters going head to head, three cows in a boat, because, why not? And of course, a spaceship - that looks straight out of an episode of The Twilight Zone - from which two aliens have emerged to stretch their long, gangly limbs.

For first-timers driving by, it can definitely make for a surreal moment, loaded with many, very understandable questions.

‘What in the world?!? Is that stuff for sale or is it just some madman’s idea of yard art?! If it is a business, how do I get there and where’s the sign?! I wonder if they’d let me sit in the spaceship?!’

Truth is, it is the creation of a 10-year-old brain, trapped inside the body of long-time “junker” and Spokane businessman, Mike Ferguson.

“The front line is my sign,” says Ferguson of his junkyard o’ fun called, Way Out West.

For those seeking just the right bit of kitsch or whimsy to adorn their storefront or home, happening upon this fantastical playground in the middle of nowhere seems to be akin to a mirage they have to experience to believe - regardless the time of day.

However, hint-hint, there is the giant World War II submarine net float ball that swivels to say, “Open” or “Closed.”

“If people want to stop and look, they do, no matter my hours,” he says, throwing up his hands.

But the good-natured, talkative Ferguson says he doesn’t mind, and you believe him. He lets photographers come shoot, any time of day, as long as they let him know they’re coming. Senior portraits and prom pictures are also a common occurrence from which he gets a kick.

“If they want to climb on a dinosaur or giraffe, let ‘em! It’s all for touch,” says Ferguson.

And it’s “all for sale,” with price tags ranging from under $100 to $35,000.

Growing up in Southern California, Ferguson got his start “trash-picking” around his neighborhood and going to the annual Saugus Swap Meet with his dad who was “a junker."

“I’d drag things home and sell them to the neighborhood kids,” said Ferguson.

“I did get in trouble when I sold one of them an adult magazine...I made a killing off those.”

Even though he became a registered nurse 38 years ago, the thrill of junking was a constant.

“I never stopped buying and selling, regardless of what I was doing,” said Ferguson. “I didn't miss a lot of yard sales.”

In 1991, he opened Ruby Street Antiques in Spokane, which soon morphed into an antique/oversized statuary shop when he started taking annual trips to Mexico, China and Indonesia, filling up shipping containers or semi-trucks with oddities that were too good to be true.

Many remember the two monstrous lions which flanked the entrance of Ruby Street Antiques, drawing in the masses with the attractive absurdity of it all. They eventually sold for a mere $20K a piece.

“You have to be willing to risk a lot of money with zero customers - you have to think this is so cool everyone else will think it’s cool, right?”

His purchases were getting bigger and bigger. He decided he needed a “warehouse,” so he bought the property off I-90.

“A phenomenon happened where people started stopping to look around, and they couldn’t be denied.” So he moved the business there in 2004.

Business was booming exponentially in the three years that followed. But even with over $1 million in sales, Ferguson would put 100% right back into it.

“If I had to live off what I was making, I could never have built my inventory.”

He was buying bigger and crazier items and the draw from I-90 along with being more accessible and out in the open, as opposed to a crowded store, appealed to a lot of people, including ex-bassist for Nirvana, Krist Novoselic - who bought a spaceship- and actor, Adrian Brody, who put a “[huge] ton of items on hold, then never called back.”

“A lot of times, to keep them busy, we’ll show up on a list of things for [famous people} to do, while in town,” said Ferguson.

However, when the recession hit at the end of 2007, “It was like a light shut off,” said Ferguson.

He had over $1 million in bronze statues alone and had just received 4 semi-trucks from Mexico and 42 ocean containers from China.

So he had a huge auction (he’s also owned four auction businesses throughout his career), liquidating most of his inventory to pay bills.

Then in 2010, things started to pick up again and spaceships at $7,500 apparently sounded reasonable once more.

Ferguson had originally worked with a designer from China to have 9 of the spaceships manufactured.

“I said, I need it to look like the ones when I was a kid,” said Ferguson.

Just recently, Ferguson sold the last of those nine spaceships - the one that had lived on the little knoll at the west edge of his property for 15 years - the one thing he always said was never for sale. And it created quite the stir.

“I heard from hundreds of people…‘What are you doing? ’Where did it go?’ they get comfortable and love a certain thing,” said Ferguson, with a chuckle. “Everything is for sale - at the right price.”

When a guy that stopped by every year, each time bugging Ferguson to sell him the last spaceship, finally offered “a dumb amount of money,” Ferguson told him if he could get them manufactured again he’d sell him the one on the knoll.

Ferguson’s designer found the blueprints and made another load for of nine spaceships, three of which have sold already.

“If you want your spaceship, the few we have left is probably it as the profit margin was a lot smaller this time around,” said Ferguson.

The industry has changed. Ferguson recalls how he use to have the T-rex manufactured at $750 a piece and then would sell them for $3500 each.

“I couldn’t have them manufactured at $3500 these days; there’s no room for profit.”

When asked what the future holds for Way Out West, Ferguson isn’t sure as he and his brother, Mark - who has been his long-time manager - “aren’t spring chickens any more” and his son, who use to run his auction business with him, is currently interested in traveling the world, not in running his dad’s business.

But for now, Ferguson is currently on his annual buying trip to Mexico for more of the strange and outlandish, while brother Mark holds down the fort.

When asked what he’s looking to bring home, Ferguson says “proven winners” - stuff he knows is going to sell. And with that sale, comes his favorite part:

“It’s mostly about seeing the joy it brings out in people; that makes it all worth it.”

Way Out West is located at 11610 White Road; take the Medical Lake exit.

Published in The Inlander in the June 8th, 2023 edition.

Day Trippin’ the Palouse

White-water Rafting, World-class Jazz,

Great Eats & Spirits, & So Much More

For those not super familiar with the Palouse - trust me, it’s much more than a stunning photograph.

While home to a few hundred farmers and a few thousand college students (okay, 30,000ish), it’s also teeming with rich culture, community and adventure.

The great restaurants and cafes and plethora of wineries and breweries that live along the quaint streets and country roads of the towns sprinkled throughout are just the beginning.

Have you heard how awesome kayaking up the renowned Palouse River is and and how when you hike up Kamiak Butte, you’ll feel like you’ve won the lottery upon seeing the dramatic beauty of the panoramic view?

Then there’s the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (going on 56 years), the Renaissance Fair, the nation’s longest running and award-winning Moscow Farmer’s Market, one of the oldest and most successful Food Co-ops (celebrating it’s 50th this year), as well as phenomenal Steelhead and Salmon fishing.

So hop in your car and just drive. And when you arrive, prepare to be welcomed wherever you go.

#1 - Paddle the Palouse

No doubt inspired by the breath-taking beauty all around, settlers, in 1871, originally - and aptly - named, Moscow, “Paradise Valley, which you’ll fully understand when you paddle the Palouse River.

It’s scenic, sparkling channels, flowing through grasslands that are abundant with cottonwoods, willows, alders and pine trees, as well as stunning rock formations that are home to colonies of nesting cliff swallows, will leave your jaw dropped and your senses heightened.

With the perfect vantage point from your kayak, expect to see an abundance of wildlife meandering, floating and fluttering along the landscape, including red-winged blackbirds, muskrat, otter, beaver, herons, egrets, osprey, owls and moose.

Two great places to put in are Palouse City Park and North River Road Bridge, in late spring when water flows are ideal. Trips can take from 2 to 5 hours.

For more info: http://www.moscowchamber.com/

#2 - Soak up some great music at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival

Happening on the University of Idaho campus every Spring, the acclaimed Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is bringing jazz greats this year - April 19-22 - including Habib Iddrisu, säje and Marshall Gilkes.

Since 1967, the festival has brought world-class concerts to the Palouse. Recipient of the 2007 National Medal of Arts award, the Festival attracts 20,000 visitors each year, 10,000 of which are young musicians and collegians that get to spend four days on campus for performances and workshops.

For more info: www.uidaho.edu/jazzfest

#3 – Tip a pint or wine glass, or both

Palouse wineries are working hard and winning at taking back their regional status from 100 years ago as “the center of the Northwest wine industry,” before prohibition left the successful winemakers of the region high and dry.

As well, brewers are carving out their niche in the Palouse, with hard work and a deep passion for what they do and how they do it.

With a focus on local ingredients, environmental friendliness and community, the more than 20 wineries and 11 breweries within 30-40 minutes of each other make for a perfect day to visit, tour and taste the Palouse.

Try Paradise Creek Brewery in Moscow for the tastiest Reuben of your life and pair it with their Postal Porter (the brewery lives in the town’s first post office), or Groundwork Brewing in Pullman for a slice of some of the tastiest wood-fired pizza in the valley and tip an Isolation Amber, for a perfect match.

For wineries, find that super-cool eco-conscious/industrial vibe by stopping by Lindsay Creek Vineyards’ in the Lewis and Clark Valley in Lewiston for breathtaking views of the Palouse. Try one of their Best in Class 2022 winners - the 2021 Riesling or 2016 Merlot while listening to live music. For your next stop, try Merry Cellars in Pullman for their Blackberry Wine or 2012 Crimson - a popular blend of red - Bordeaux-esque in taste and take in their Summer Concert Series.

For more info: moscowchamber.com/pages/WineryBreweryTours/

#4 – Ascend the Buttes

Take a hike up Kamiak Butte or a drive up Steptoe Butte and you might find yourself wondering how these giant natural monuments made their way here among the rolling hills of the Palouse.

Both Quartzsite formations, Kamiak and Steptoe Buttes are made from sand that came from the bottom of the ancient sea that was pushed up and left as an island in the plains. Since then, the ancient rock has been surrounded by younger layers of basalt flows and glacial Loess.

Towering approximately 1000 feet above the fields, a 3.5 mile loop will take you through Kamiak’s thriving ecosystem, featuring Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, and Western Larch trees, due to the ridge that provides shade and lower temperatures, allowing rainwater to be absorbed. At the top of the Buttes, 360 degree views can stretch for 70 miles on a clear day.

#5 – Lose yourself in local at the Award-winning Moscow Farmers Market

Since sprouting up in 1977, the Farmers Market in Moscow, Idaho is the oldest farmers market in the nation and is still going strong.

Located downtown on Main Street and in Friendship Square next to the Moscow Hotel, the Market is open every Saturday morning, celebrating local farmers, artists, craftspeople and musicians of the Palouse, with bountiful fresh produce, meat, delicious homemade baked goods, plants, flowers and quality handmade crafts.

For more info: www.ci.moscow.id.us/residents/farmers-market

#6 – Raft the Salmon - “River of No Return”

Although it sounds ominous, the Salmon River earned its nickname for its swift current which makes upstream travel difficult, but also makes for some good whooping-at-high-volumes rafting trips!

June through September are prime season to enjoy its blue-green waters, which warm up nicely in July and August, providing a chance to absorb the countryside beauty while relaxing in the calm, deep pools post riding-the-rapids.

Edging the river are sandy camping beaches, backed by pine forests and granite formations, where you may spot wildlife or discover rock paintings left by ancient inhabitants. Trips range from a few hours to several days in untracked wilderness.

For more info: www.rowadventures.com/salmon-river-rafting.html

#7 – Stop in to Watch Artisans at the Dahmen Barn

Look for the big white barn surrounded by 1000 iron wheels, just off Highway 195, in Uniontown, and you’ll know you’ve made it.

After owners, Steve and Junette began building their fence of wheels, neighbors started contributing; there are wheels from an antique baby buggy, threshing machines, push-binders, sidewinders and gears of every kind, large and small. “Every wheel has a story,” said Junette.

What’s cool about this barn - other than its history and unique appearance - is that not only can you shop and listen to live music while you hang out amidst amazing artistry in the form of photography to books, sculpture and fine art, but you get the chance to actually see local artisans at work who are more than willing to share how they cultivate creativity on the Palouse. You can even take classes from some of the artists.

Events/classes include concerts all year round, the Mudslinging/Soup Extravaganza and and their Culinary Arts and Ceramics Programs.

For more info: www.artisanbarn.org

#8 – Renaissance Festival

Since the 1970’s, spring on the Palouse has meant —along with the loess hills turning bright green, with wild flowers sprinkled throughout—that the Renaissance Fair is not far behind.

A downtown Moscow favorite, the fair is held the weekend of the first Sunday of May and features two days of celebration with approximately 100 local artists, crafters from all over the country, live music and international foods.

Complete with the Maypole Dance and donning of a Festival King and Queen, this first outdoor fair of the season in the region, is held at East City Park, rain or shine.

For more info: www.moscowrenfair.org/

#9 - UI Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Pack a picnic with good foods from the hip and happy Moscow Food Co-op and grab a bottle of wine or some cold ones from one of the many local wineries and/or breweries and head to the 63-acre Arboretum and Botanical Garden of University of Idaho.

Walking trails—easy to challenging—make their way through more than 120 dedicated trees and groves, with water features throughout and granite benches to relax and observe resident and migratory birds flocking in and out of the conifers, crabapple, lilac, mock orange, magnolia, oak, elm and others.

Organized into geographical groupings of Asian, European, Eastern and Western North American sections, this unique garden will educate your senses and your mind.

Maps and more available here: http://webpages.uidaho.edu/arboretum/

#10 - Ferdinand’s Ice Cream

Since 1938, this old-timey ice cream shop has been serving up sweet, frozen treats on the WSU campus, thanks to a student who was looking for a way for the Dairy Products Judging Team to earn money for competitions.

Now 84 years later, Ferdinand’s - named for the student, Rune Ferdinand Goranson - is still the place to go for old-fashioned ice cream and soda fountain goodness, espresso and the award-winning Cougar Cheese.

Located in WSU’s Food Quality Building, visitors can watch cheese and ice cream makers in action.

For more info: http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/ferdfront.htm

Outdoor Rental

Kicking the Tires on Outdoor Adventure Gear
Easy, Cost-friendly Options, Low Commitment

There’s a clarity to the air, the temps are pushing balmy degrees and you can literally hear the world coming alive, beckoning you to come play.

Yep. This is the year you’re going to kayak the Pend Oreille River, take up paddle boarding and backpack camp to Colchuck Lake. Or at least one of those.

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely a newbie/sometimes dabbler in Mother Nature's playground and have added “should go camping, kayaking, hiking, etc.” to your summer to-do list. Then you go shopping, flip a price tag and can almost hear the sucking sounds of your bank account draining.

What if you don’t end up loving kayaking? Do you really want to lay down $500 when you honestly might only use it once or twice before moving on to the next thing?

Now more than ever, you can book a weekend fling of adventure without going all in on the commitment; trying on a kayak, camper trailer or even outdoor clothing for a minimal rental fee might just be the smartest move you’ve made all year.

Specializing in this arena since 2005, Flow Adventures is the perfect place to start.

Not only does this Spokane recreational hub rent out Cooler Tubes (tube that floats a cooler you bring with you) daily on the Spokane River for only $20/day (includes shuttle ride and personal floatation device), they also rent out river rafts, kayaks and paddle boards, starting at $45/day.

“These guys know their stuff. We loved our two person kayak rental. Jon gave my wife and me a comprehensive overview of the river including safety, places to avoid and how to have the best time. Reservation, pickup and drop off was easy,” said Rian H., a visitor from Portland, Ore.

Flow also offers guided river rafting and inflatable kayak trips on the upper and lower Spokane River, as well as all levels of whitewater kayaking lessons.

However, if you want a little more zip and less work, Fritz Boat Rentals makes boating 100% fun, without all the effort.

“We bring the boat to the lake you’re vacationing on, allowing you and your family to relax and have a great vacation,” says owner, Curtis Fritz.

Fritz delivers his boats to most lakes in Eastern Washington or North Idaho. However, if you don’t see the lake you’re going to on his list, he is always willing to be as accommodating as possible.

All boat rentals come with a free adult water-ski rental and those who book 2+ days at a time will see their boat delivered the night before at no additional cost. As well, tubes, paddle boards, wake boards and kayaks are also available to rent.

For super-convenient camping, backpacking and skiing equipment rental when traveling the Pacific Northwest or beyond, a savvy Santa Monica company will deliver wherever you are in the continental U.S. for free on purchases $49+.

Arrive Outdoors was started in 2014 by married couple, Rachelle Snyder and Ross Richmond, when they realized the challenge of making outdoor adventure - while traveling - affordable and easy.

Arrive partners with top brands like YETI, Helly Hanson and Black Diamond to rent out bike touring, back packing, camping and ski gear, and offers everything from one-off items like tents to full sets of gear, to add-ons like baby carrier packs and cookware, and at roughly 10% of the retail price.

“The prices are especially reasonable for one-off items, however the sets make activities like camping and skiing more accessible for those who aren't quite ready to invest in the gear required to get started,” said reviewer Hannah Freedman of BusinessInsider.com. “Overall, the equipment made for a really comfortable and easy campsite.”

You can reserve your gear up to a year out or as few as 10 days before your trip and they’ll ship to your home, hotel or any FedEx nationwide. When you’re done, you simply repack your gear in the original box and drop it at any FedEx location, for free.

Perhaps you’re just looking for a VW camper van experience this summer, but not interested in a new set of wheels in your garage?

Like an on-the-road version of Air BnB, Outdoorsy.com - the #1 trusted RV site - is the perfect place to rent personally-owned camper vans, RVs and trailers. Choose the amenities you’re interested in and see how others have rated the owners. Then have it delivered to a location for you to pick up or even set up where you want to stay.

With so many choices these days to try before you buy, whether you’re trying something new, not ready to commit to the purchase price tag or simply don’t have the storage space, it’s never been easier or more affordable, to have an adventure-filled summer.

Published in The Spokesman Review Summer insert, May 2021

Fuel for the Road: PNW Coffee-inspired Roadtrips

Anyone with an affinity for coffee will agree: a really good cup can be worth a roadtrip in itself.

Remember that ristretto in Sandpoint last summer that made your taste buds dance? Or the café brevé in Hood River that made your heart skip a beat?

Yes, coffee is sexy so let it inspire your destination route next time you pack your bags and hit the road, and you’ll find it’s like having a different lover in every city and town along the way. However, this steamy love affair is one your significant other can’t begrudge you, and may even share with you.

Whether you’re headed north, south, east or west, here are some coffee stop gems that could easily become the high points of your trip. After all, sometimes the journey is the destination.

Dog River Coffee Co.
Hood River, OR

For a legit top-notch coffee experience amidst art-deco coziness, with cool local art to admire and a kid-friendly atmosphere to boot, follow your nose to Dog River Coffee Co. on Oak Street and dig into the small-town vibe of Hood River.

While Dog River doesn’t roast their own coffee, they do the next best thing and serve up the superbly stellar choice and PNW fan-favorite, Stumptown Coffee - roasted in nearby Portland, OR by a team with 121 collective years roasting experience.

Owner, Nate Devol and friendly staff not only will make you one of the best coffees you’ve ever had (try their famous iced coffee that never gets watered down thanks to the thoughtful frozen coffee ice cubes), but will serve it up with all the just-like-family feels on the side and perhaps impress you with some of the best well-crafted latte art you’ve ever seen.

In addition, they also serve up a lovely lavender lemonade, delicious baked sweet and savory goods from across the street, and if you want to jump from coffee beans to hops, ice-cold beer is at the ready.

Never mind they were voted “One of Top Ten Coffee Houses in America” by USA Today in 2014, and have placed second and third place out of coffee shops up and down the West Coast and Alaska, in America’s Best Coffeehouse competition sponsored by Coffeefest Seattle, Dog River deserves a pin on your map next time you hit I-84.

Location: 411 Oak St., Hood River, OR
Contact: (541) 386-4502 https://dogrivercoffee.square.site

Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters
Sandpoint, ID, Coeur d'Alene, ID, Spokane, WA

Like a good cup of coffee, the vision between brothers Rick and Randy Evans, took its sweet time percolating. Over long lift rides on Chair 6 at North Idaho’s Schweitzer Ski Resort, during the winter of 2008-09, the brothers discussed how they would create a coffee business that would have a positive, meaningful impact in their own backyard, as well as on the families of their farmers and producer partners.

A few months later, in the summer of 2009, Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters came to fruition in Sandpoint and stole the hearts of locals and beyond. Not too long after and they opened their first coffee shop in the same location.

When Food and Wine magazine picked the top coffee shops in every state, Evans Brothers received a shout-out along with the praise that it’s “responsible for some of the best roasts in the state.”

Recently opening their third location in the Wonder Building in Spokane, WA, Evans Brothers was the region’s first Good Food Award winner in 2013, then again in 2016, and remains the only establishment in the Inland Northwest to win two Good Food Awards.

Location: 524 Church St., Sandpoint, ID, 504 E. Sherman Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID

& 835 N Post St, Spokane, WA
Contact: (208) 265-5553, evansbrotherscoffee.com

Montana Coffee Traders Coffeehouse
Whitefish, MT

Inspired to roast and package his own coffee beans after drinking a terrible cup of coffee in a late-night café in 1981, Montana Coffee Traders (MCT) founder R.C. Beall hoped he had found a way to make a living in Montana.

Now 38 years and 3 coffee shops later, and you could say MCT has been a success.

At over 3,000 feet above sea level – almost exactly the same altitude at which they grow – MCT beans are still roasted using “clean, Montana mountain air” in the same old farmhouse in Whitefish, Mont., where Beall first set up shop.

Focused on selling the best coffee possible, happy employees and positively contributing to the community and environment, MCT is a favorite among locals who often say they feel like family, rather than customers.

Find MCT coffee shops in Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Kalispell, that not only offer a full espresso bar, freshly baked goods, lunch options such as quiche, grilled paninis and hot soups, but also feature Montana Made products and artwork by local artists.

Location: 110 Central Ave, Whitefish, Montana (other locations include Columbia Falls & Kalispell)
Contact: https://www.coffeetraders.com/

Lone Pine Coffee Roasters
Bend, OR

While alleys aren’t always a “good” place to be, an exception is Lone Pine Roasters in the very cool, brick Tin Pan Alley in downtown Bend, Ore. The cool, little dog-friendly café is owned by husband and wife duo, Scott and Anna Withamm, and has been going strong since opening in 2009.

The dynamic duo not only operates the quaint shop – hung with works by Central Oregon artists – but meticulously selects, roasts, and packages all of their own coffees and considers themselves perfectionists in the art of roasting beans, admittedly laboring over their French presses to a nearly neurotic degree.

Coffee is drum-roasted daily in small batches; spent grounds are composted, and unsold coffee is donated to local non profits.

A favorite of locals, especially the alternative and artistic crowd, Lone Pine also provides a pastries, baked fresh daily by the Sparrow Bakery, as well as unique offerings like their Noisette, which features chocolate and Oregon grown hazelnuts for a nutty but not too sweet flavor or the locally-made Bonta salted vanilla or toasted coconut gelato espresso.

Location: 845 N.W. Tin Pan Alley at Minnesota Avenue, Bend
Contact: 541-306-1010, www.lonepinecoffee.com

Expand Your Coffee Knowledge

Ristretto – A very “short” shot of espresso, that is pulling a hand press faster than usual, using the same amount of water as a regular shot of espresso. Since the water comes in contact with the grinds for a shorter time, the caffeine is extracted in reduced ratio to the flavorful coffee oils. The resulting shot is bolder, fuller, with more body and less bitterness.

Flat White – An espresso shot with a similar proportion of coffee to milk as a latte and a cappuccino, but the difference is the number of espresso shots, and that a flat white is “wet,” so it has little to no foam, and instead has a smooth, velvety texture.

Café Breve – A coffee beverage made with steamed half and half cream with some foam on top.

Cortado – An espresso “cut” (from the Spanish cortar) with a small amount of warm milk to reduce acidity. The ratio of milk to coffee is between 1:1 – 1:2. The milk is added after the espresso.

Published in The Spokesman Review Summer insert, May 2019

Coffee Trips

For Those Who Like Making Pour Decisions

For all you beer and wine lovers with a penchant for travel: simply grab your adventurous spirit and palate and find your flow by letting the best of the Pacific Northwest brewers and winemakers guide your tastebuds.

What this means is total immersion in the culture of the drink - trying lots of new pours, pairing them with delicious gastronomical delights, of course, learning words and terms never before known to your ears, and perhaps even picking up a few new dance moves and friends along the way!

So hit the road and make your contribution to a healthy local economy by lifting your glass; let the Cheers begin!

WINERIES

Split Rail Winery, Boise, ID

While their passion for wine culture was rich in college, Jed and Laura Glavin’s wallets were not; so they improvised like starving college students do: they paired mediocre wines with cheap food.

As the years went by and their wallets fattened a bit, their dedication to exploring new foods married beautifully with their interest in wine. They started tasting new grape varietals and learning about the rich history of wine-making and before they knew it, they had opened Split Rail Winery in 2012.

And two things are for sure: they love Idaho and they like to have fun.

Their kid- and dog-friendly tasting room features a hot-pink lighted bar, pop-art, industrial-inspired furniture set on concrete floors, British punk and abstract art pieces, with lots of natural light and iridescent glass.

“Split Rail winery is propagated by the minds of a new generation of drinker. We create wine that is spawned from whimsy and redolent of the soil that we stand upon. Let us bring the farm to your glass; bring Idaho soil to your lips.”

With a penchant for exploring new wine-making techniques like skin fermented whites (using grape skins in the fermenting process (how reds are made), rather than discarding) and carbonic maceration (filling a sealed vessel with CO2 and adding whole, intact bunches of grapes, which causes the fermentation to occur from the inside out (rather than by using yeast), softening tannins and producing a lighter, fruitier red), head winemaker Jed, likes to experiment and put new and different spins on key varietals so they never produce the same wine twice.

Split Rail sells three of their wines in cans which feature amazing, fun art, as do all of their labels. Notables include the NV Horned Beast Cerunnos GSM, which took Gold and Best in Show at the Idaho Wine Competition in 2016, and their Laser Fox Cinsault, which took Gold in the Idaho Wine Competition in 2014 and 2016.

And for those beer lovers tagging along to appease your taste for wine, they also serve beer, as well as, ciders, kombucha and non-alcoholic options. They also offer charcuterie and cheese plates, asian snacks and macaroons.

Adelsheim Vineyard, Newberg, OR

Long known as the benchmark for the world-class Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris of the region, the Adelsheim family has been growing and perfecting their *LIVE certified sustainable wine since 1971, when they were the very first winery in the area.

Located in the lush Chehalam Mountains of the lovely Willamette Valley, just one hour south of Portland, Adelsheim Vineyards has made the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Wineries (of the world) list seven times. One of the ways they do this is by constantly asking themselves, ‘How can we make the best possible wine out of the best possible grapes?’

“When you taste [our] wine, you’re experiencing the sum of a lot of hard work, a passion for the land, and our genuine love of the winemaking process.”

Call ahead to organize customized private tastings or sign up online for one of their many events, such as their Dinner in the Field at Adelsheim Vineyard, January 28th, Truffle Feast in the Chehalem Mountains on February 4th or their Bubbles Fest, February 18th and 19th. Or visit their tasting room to try a range of small-batch, winery-only bottlings.

*your assurance that the wine in the bottle was made in conformance with the most advanced standards for sustainable grape growing and winemaking

Woodward Canyon Winery, Walla Walla, WA

With bold dreams and humble roots, Rick and Darcy Small started Woodward Canyon in the heart of Washington State’s history.

Now they are the sage winemakers of the region in which they have produced globally-recognized wines for over forty years.

Just a 2 ½ hour drive from Spokane, Woodward Canyon was one of the first two wineries established in Walla Walla, which has now become one of the fine wine destinations with more than 100 wineries and 2,800 acres of vineyards.

Their Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon is known as the first wine in Washington to be voted in Wine Spectator’s Top Ten - a prestigious distinction among wines from all over the world. Originally started as a Dedication Series with the start of the winery in 1981, for the first twenty-five years, the label featured a different pioneer of the Walla Walla Valley each year. Subsequently, it has featured A. P. Woodward, who Woodward Canyon is named after.

Woodward’s certified sustainable vineyards surround a 1890’s restored farmhouse where guests are welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy on their patio or garden picnic tables, and sample some of Woodward’s finest with their new tasting flight. Tasting fee is $20 per person, waived with a minimum purchase.

To indulge in the riches of Walla Walla, even if you’re in Seattle or Portland or Boise, check out the Walla Walla on Wine tour happening soon and don’t forget Spring Kickoff Weekend, April 7-9th where the magic happens - Walla Walla.

CRAFT BREWERIES

Draught Works Brewing Company, Missoula, MT

In the heart of Missoula, you’ll find a brewery with a lot of heart.

Known for their good-as-it-gets friendliness and kid-friendly, feel-good space, as well as their creatively-named beers, Draught Works is an absolute treasure trove of good taste and good fun, winning Best Brewery in Missoula since 2018.

The brewery is tucked in the historic northside/westside neighborhood, with a stream running through it, and offers seating inside and out year-round. Foods trucks set up every night, March through October, beginning at 5 p.m. and live music rounds out the ambiance Thursdays and Saturdays, 6-8 pm and Sundays, 5-7 pm.

Speaking of creatively named beer, here are just a few of tasty interest (wish I could claim them but beer descriptions are courtesy of Draught Works):

NEW! Thioled and Dialed IPA - Here to strut her stuff all over your palette, this beauty “flaunts a delightful, welcomed, herbal bitterness, flawless tropical fruit flavors, and aroma of bright melon, juicy papaya, and sweet citrus imparted by the addition of Montana-grown Mackinac hops from Big Sky Orchards."

Till Death Do Us Party - Sip this crisp, crushable, absolutely lovable Toasted Rice Lager, brewed in the name of everlasting love! Light bodied, and pale straw in color like afternoon sunshine, this lagered love potion is bursting at the seams with toasted grain flavor!

Clothing Optional - A balanced beer not afraid to bare it all, just like the hot springs enthusiasts at Jerry Johnson, this sessionable golden Juicy Hazy boasts a medium body, and a citrus-forward aroma that encourages you to dive in to the irresistible flavor amalgam of bright lemon, juicy grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, and mango.

Other tastes include their SWOL-y Mammoth Wheat Wine, “an easy drinking, high alcohol wheat wine…designed to be a pale, dry interpretation of the classic English Barley Wine” or their “dark as a moonless night” Last Rites Mexican Chocolate Porter, a malt enhanced and complemented by additions of South American raw organic cocoa nibs and cinnamon.

Catch special events such as their “Mussel Boil and Pint Combo” and Growler Fill Mondays.

Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR on Dekum Street & on 27th Ave; Milwaukie, Beaverton & Lake Oswego, OR

Gaining early attention for its fresh take and experimentation with diverse flavors, award-winning Breakside Brewery has gone full throttle since they opened in 2010, wining more than 200 national, international and regional awards for their beer as well as being named Brewery of the Year in 2017, 2019, 2020-2022 by the Oregon Beer Awards.

Once releasing more than 100 different styles in a single year, Breakside “might be pouring a passion fruit sour, an ale brewed with spruce tips or something blended off its list of barrel-aged “B-sides."

Two of their highly regarded selections are their IPAs—the Flagship and Wanderlust—that are regularly recognized as perhaps the finest in Portland.

Next door find their raved-about Woodlawn neighborhood restaurant, which serves elevated pub fare that’s local and sustainable.

Now producing up to 40,000 barrels annually, Breakside has set up shop in five locations now and, as well, has become one of only a handful of employee-owned breweries in the country.

Fremont Brewing, Fremont, WA

The third largest independently-owned craft brewery in the state, Fremont Brewing is set in the “industrial and sleekly postmodern” town of Fremont, on beautiful Lake Washington, with ample seating inside and a large beer garden out front.

Since 2009, this family-owned craft brewery has been brewing artisan beers from the best local—and organic when possible—ingredients, and is known for running one of the most consistently excellent barrel-aging programs in the country.

Try one of their popular seasonals such as Field to Ferment, which is brewed throughout the entire hop harvest in Yakima, highlighting different hop varieties as they’re harvested or their Summer Ale that’s “as simple as craft beer gets. One grain, one hop.” As well, dig into one of their Barrel Aged Series, such as Spice Wars, an imperial oatmeal stout with spices such as ginger, vanilla, and clove aged in old Kentucky bourbon barrels.

Pour Decisions

North Idaho’s Dover Bay: Stunning Nature & Rich History

Anyone who’s been to Lake Pend Oreille in North Idaho knows it’s something special. The reverence for the pristine waters of this 43-mile-long wonder and its surrounding natural beauty runs deep in the hearts of those who live and recreate here.

Just ask Ralph Sleteger, longtime local turned businessman.

During college, he spent his summers working at the mill in the neighboring town of Dover. It’s here that the owner/developer chose as the site for his new multi-phased, residential waterfront community, Dover Bay, first breaking ground in 2003. And it’s still causing quite the stir. Maybe that’s because the quiet little town hasn’t seen this much activity since it originated in 1922!

The city’s history states that when a sawmill downstream in Laclede was destroyed by fire, the mill owner, choosing to relocate his business, moved houses, church and community hall by river barge and teams of horses to settle in what is now known as Dover.

Even though the Dover sawmill closed in 1989, and a year later, burned to the ground, 10 of the original houses, the church and community hall still exist. However more importantly, it’s the tight-knit community spirit, spanning many generations, that remains.

That’s why Sleteger is making sure his new waterfront community gives back to the City of Dover and compliments the beautiful area with the sunny southern exposure—by keeping a delicate balance with nature, history and Dover residents.

Dover Bay Waterfront Community truly is about community, encompassing the old and new with no walls or gates, offering the same amenities to all residents in the City of Dover, as well as seasonal vacationers.

“I grew up here,” said Sleteger. “To do an exclusive deal where I gate and wall off an area of people I’d known and grown up with wasn’t something I felt good about doing.”

With over half of the 285 acres that make up Dover Bay committed to preservation, the city of Dover will end up with one of the highest ratios of parkland to residents in North Idaho.

These open areas include nine acres of public parklands, including wetlands, a nature preserve where inlet restoration has created several islands and Verwolf Vista Park, the highest point of Dover Park with stunning views in all directions. There are also 7 ½ miles of public trails that meander over bridges and through wildlife viewing areas, connecting to paved routes leading to Sandpoint and beyond.

In addition, one of Sletegers visions for Dover Bay was to provide access to the water for everyone so he created Dover City Beach—a stretch of 3,300 feet of public-use waterfront.

In an effort to fuse new with the old, regarding the architecture, Sleteger borrowed design elements from Dover’s original homes for the first of his 12 neighborhoods—“Cottages at Dover Meadows.”

Eleven other distinct neighborhoods, in different stages of development, include “Estuary Forest”—heavily wooded homesites which face a meandering inlet; “West Dover Bay”—exclusive waterfront estate sites for custom homes; “Marina Town Condominiums”—neighboring the Marina District and with a private beach; and “Cabins in the Woods”—set amid dense, mature forest on the waterfront, just to name a few, with prices starting at $198,500.

For the seasonal vacationers, the “Beachside Bungalows,” adjacent to the marina, include all amenities and are available for a night, a week or more, with prices starting at $225/night.

And as their motto, “Live it up on the Lake!” implies, there is plenty to do at Dover Bay. Open for the season in May, the Dover Bay Community Marina features 274 boat slips, a public boat launch, Dover Bay Market, and the Dover Bay Café where you can start your day with a steaming cup of Joe and a plate of Vanilla Cinnamon French toast or sip on a glass of Chardonnay as you peruse their enticing lunch menu. Several cultural and artistic events keep things hoppin’ such as “Dover Bay Days,” “The Wooden Boat Festival” and “Sunday Concerts on the Lawn.”

There’s also the Lake Club Fitness Center which is open to members, Bungalow guests, daily-pay guests and Dover Bay residents and which features a year-round outdoor heated pool and hot tub, and the latest in exercise equipment.

So whether you’re looking to spend the summer or a small part of it on Lake Pend Oreille, or if in need of a little reprieve during the winter months and you want to hit the slopes of Schweitzer, Dover Bay is a community just waiting to welcome you in.

For more information, www.doverbayidaho.com or call 208.265.1597

Dover Bay Resort