The leaves of the cottonwood trees are turning to the bright yellow, orange and red of the season.
Ski boats and jet skis, campers and motorhomes have been winterized and parked until next year. Autumn is here in full force.
While another summer is in the books, fishing on area lakes and rivers continues.
They’re still catching pike and kokanee, small mouth bass and salmon on Chatcolet Lake and several of the other chain lakes in and around the area. We’re told Benewah Lake has plenty of people fishing for crappie.
The cool nights and warm, bright days keep the cutthroat feeding in the waters of the St. Joe River.
Fishermen love this time of year as they have the waterways to themselves. The air is crisp, water is peaceful. What’s not to love about the St. Joe Valley?
The inaugural ride of last weekend’s White Pine Pedal Mettle in the books and organizers considers it a success.
“We put on a quality ride,” organizer Tom Miller said. “This was a totally different event for St. Maries and it was so cool people got involved to make it happen.”
It was also a unique ride for the 18 participants. Several riders left St. Maries and rode 15 miles south on State 3 to the Santa Y and returned to St. Maries. The majority went on to complete the 111 miles, through a half-dozen little towns and communities, over the Palouse Divide, and back to St. Maries.
Along the routes, riders were greeted by residents and ride volunteers, providing water, snacks and words of encouragement.
Riders came from Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow and Boise to participate, and they all had great things to say about the scenic beauty and the terrific people in and around St. Maries.
Next year will bring another ride, and likely more riders, but we’ll always have the same great scenery and the people that make St. Maries great.
Area bow hunters are reporting some success this season so you may want to head into the hills to try your luck.
Not a bow hunter?
Maybe you should take your camera. Some of the surest shots are with a camera.
Last week’s frost has brought some gorgeous fall colors to the high country. The sun is shining and there’s not a cloud in the sky.
What better way than to spend your weekend than in the hills and mountains surrounding our beautiful St. Joe Valley.
As we’ve said before, one of the many things that makes St. Maries a great place to live is the great people who live here.
Whether it’s the Rotary Club’s new playground at City Park, the Heyburn PTO’s Annual Harvest Festival or the Elks Community Christmas Basket, the people of the St. Maries community are quick to come together to make it happen.
Another great example was the Paul Bunyan Days celebration. Dozens of people worked throughout the year to provide a weekend of games, competitions and a one of the best fireworks shows in the northwest.
Volunteers from several area groups rallied to organize a fundraiser last weekend. The taco feed raised approximately $20,000 to help a local family pay for medical expenses.
Today there are several area volunteers working with the Inland Empire Blood Bank for one if its blood drives. Tomorrow is the soup and pie fundraiser for the St. Maries Senior Meal Site, and Saturday is the first annual White Pine Pedal Mettle, a 30-mile and a 111-mile bike ride to raise money to restore the Masons building on College Avenue. Both events require long hours from dedicated volunteers to make it happen.
St. Maries has some great people making it a great place to live.
Th
e cool nights and warm sunny days of September are upon us, giving the valley air a hint of fall.
As every hunter knows, with fall comes hunting season.
Archery deer, grouse, bear and wolf all opened Aug. 30. And bull elk archery season opens tomorrow in the area. For complete information of Idaho’s hunting regulations visit the Idaho Fish & Game website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/
Local fishermen are reporting some dandy cutthroat on the lower St. Joe River. One such fisherman netted more than a dozen one afternoon late last week, each of his three largest fish reportedly measured more than 15”.
So take advantage of these amazing, late-summer days and spend it outdoors. Spend it in St. Maries!
