Autumn Century Bike Tour
Check it out Distance: 101 miles Difficulty: Difficult Riding time: 5-10 hours Season: Virtually year-round Maps: Spokane and Stevens County maps
Info: Spokane Bicycle Club, 325-1171
Biking trip notes
Access: Ride begins in north Spokane at Wandermere Shopping Center, corner of Hastings Road and Division St. (U.S. Highway 395). Attractions: For 16 years, this route’s been fine-tuned by Spokane Bicycle Club for its annual Autumn Century Ride, named last year as one of top three 100-milers in the nation by Bicycling magazine. Event is today, but route remains for all to enjoy whenever roads are snow-free. Route quickly leads from urban traffic to placid rural areas where bikers see forests, lakes, rivers, wheat fields, tree farms and hobby ranches with exotic animals. Several challenging hills mitigated nicely by miles of gentle terrain. Participants in today’s organized Autumn Century ride have catered food stops. But food and services available year-round from scattered businesses.
Hazards: Several crossings of Highways 2 and 395.
Comments: Stores and services available at Wandermere Shopping Center, Clayton, Loon Lake, Deer Park and both Highway 2 crossings.
Begin by crossing Highway 395 (Division Street) at light and head west on Hastings. Go left at Mill Road then right onto Waikiki for rolling tour of Little Spokane River. After second river crossing, go up steep, windy hill. At junction with Indian Trail, turn right onto Rutter Parkway.
Stop sign at 9-1/2 miles: Turn right onto Nine Mile Road. Brace for 10 percent grade of Big Sandy Hill. At top of hill, turn right onto Swenson Road, leaving traffic behind and heading into placid rural area. Begin series of winding climbs followed by screaming downhills before settling down to rolling farm country.
Stop sign at 22 miles: Turn left onto Casberg-Burroughs Road. Go 1 mile, turn right and follow Williams Valley Road 5 lovely miles to Highway 395. Go left onto Highway 395 (has wide shoulder) for 5 miles, then right at Loon Lake onto Garden Spot Road. At mile 41 of tour, pavement bends southward and becomes Short Road, which leads into Deer Park.
Stop sign at 47 miles: City Park with restrooms is across railroad tracks to right. However, route continues straight at stop sign onto Railroad Street for several blocks. At next stop, turn left (east) onto Crawford Street, which becomes Deer Park-Milan Road. Go 7 miles to Highway 2.
Stop sign at 54-1/2 miles: Cross Highway 2 to Milan and head left on Milan-Elk Road, where terrain becomes more rolling and timbered. Wild rose bushes and aspen groves crowd closer to road. Pass Reflection Lake.
Stop sign at 59-1/2 miles: Turn left toward Elk and Camden. Cross bridge at Elk, then turn right onto Elk-Camden Road. Ride through Camden, up hill 100 yards and turn left onto Allen Road, which eventually becomes Bruce Road.
Stop sign at 70-1/2 miles: Turn right on Elk-to-Highway 2 Road.
Stop sign at 72-2/3 miles: Turn left onto Highway 2. Go 2/3 mile, then turn right onto Eloika Lake Road, which becomes Bridges Road. At mile 79 of tour, turn left onto Sherman Road. From right turn, where Sherman becomes Montgomery Road, go 1/2 mile and turn left onto Dalton Road.
In Deer Park, turn right on Fourth Street and go through five stop signs to familiar territory at Railroad Street and City Park. Go left onto Railroad Street, then right (west) onto Crawford Street to Highway 395.
Stop sign at 84-2/3 miles: Continue straight across Highway 395 onto Monroe Road.
Stop sign at 91-2/3 miles: Turn left at cemetery and continue on Monroe. Turn right onto Dartford. Just past mile 96, take sharp right onto Mill Road for last steep hill. Turn left onto Hastings Road and ride back to Wandermere Mall, where you can find kinder, gentler, softer and broader places to sit.
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