Dinner and 400 Feet in Coeur D'alene

Through the sunroof.

Well, it is a lovely town. It's supposed to be 72 on Sunday. My bike, and particularly my tires are ready to go.

I put my hand in the lake. It be cold. The Race tents are up. We'll be visiting tomorrow.

Dinner was eventful. We went to Brix right on the main drag in Coeur D'alene. It was recommended by my cousin Aaron and his sous chef, Emily. They said ask for Aaron. Aaron wasn't working tonight.

They were down a couple of bodies at work, and the Athletes have started their descent in town. This happens in all smaller Ironman towns. The services love the influx of cash, but have no idea, year-to-year how to deal with the sheer magnitude of people in town for the week.

One group of hoity-toity's left Brix after one of the wait staff offended them. I asked the gal who had done the offending and she had no idea what the heck just happened.

After ordering our meal and receiving the first two courses of the Chef's Choice 6-course meal, our waiter (doubling as the bartender--or vice-versa) came to us and said the chef had to leave due to a problem with his child at home. Would we like to order something else off the menu?

It was the longest 2 hour dinner of our lives. Food WAS good though.

After leaving dinner we looked for a place with pasta, that was kid friendly and that would accept reservations. No dice. We did find a place up by our hotel called Tomato Street. They put our name on the list early. We show up at 6 and our "wait is cut in half." I'll let you know what that translates into. If we don't get seated until 7, I'm ok with that ... its the 9pm business that's bad.

Start of 400 ft. of insanity (all with Tommy on the phone):

Heading back to Tommy's car, I was shown a tatoo on a young man's derrier that stated "Your Name." I didn't ask to see it. He asked me if I wanted to see his tattoo. I said "I've seen a lot of Tattoos." I think he was just going to show me anyway.

We pause and see a giant buffalo sculpture. I instruct Tommy to stand by the head while I take a picture.

Is that a dookie dish under your Tatonka?

We proceeded on. We were about to cross the street at the cross walk, when we were almost run down by a skate boarder. "Sorry," he said. As we crossed the street, I guy riding his mountain bike while walking his dog, just about bit it on the curb, as his dog took off a direction his bike couldn't go.

Then Tommy got off the phone. Just another night in Coeur D'alene.

Green? They're recycling the boat-load of bottles. It's a start.

Proof that my wheels and tires are ready to go.

Special thanks to Arby's for their free wi-fi. Makes me want to buy that 5 roast beef sandwiches for 5 bucks (or whatever the deal is this decade).