Pedal to Plate highlights farms, local history

Mother Nature smiled on the Mission Valley Area Pedal to Plate bike ride, held Saturday, Sept. 21. The weather was sunny but a bit crisp at starting time and slowly warmed up as the day progressed.

The event began at 9 a.m. with coffee served at the Diamond S RV Park on the north end of Ronan before riders headed out onto the Lake County roads. The ride is capped at 175 cyclists, and the route this year was 47 miles with seven of those miles on dirt or gravel.

“The ride highlighted local farms and local points of interest,” said Pedal to Plate organizer Janet Sucha. She and the other ride planners sought to recognize tribal contributions and make sure bikers realized they were riding on Flathead Reservation land.

Most of the morning was historical as the cyclists visited the Veteran’s Memorial at the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Complex and the CSKT Forestry Department.

First stop for food was at Three Chiefs Culture Center and Gift Shop for frybread made by Janice and Ronnie Couture. Up at 5 a.m. that morning to make 200 pieces of the treat, the Coutures were also on handing out the golden brown frybread and passing the honey to appreciative bike riders.

Next, the herd of cyclists headed to Light Road and on across Back Road to two-lane roads in Valley View, stopping at the Seli’s Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam where Rob McDonald spoke about the dam and Flathead Lake. McDonald is communications director for Energy Keepers Inc., a tribal corporation charged with the management of the operations at SKQ Dam.

A rancher moving cows was a special treat for the bike riders, who halted as the cows came by and took a right turn at Valley View School. After the cows passed, two Valley View students offered bikers a tour of the country school.

“It’s a perfect day for a ride,” said cyclists Arin Lever and Sandy Staudemmayer before they headed to lunch at the Valley View Clubhouse.

Using all local ingredients, lunch included steaming tomato lentil soup, bread from Mrs. Wonderful’s, fresh vegetables, chunks of local cheese and apples. Most riders ate in the sunshine, but there were tables and chairs inside, too.

Help from international bike enthusiast

SAG wagon driver Arlen Hall, sporting polka-dot compression socks, followed the cyclers in case of mechanical issues with bikes, fatigue, or other unforeseen issues. Friends with the ride’s management and very knowledgeable about cycling, Hall also helped them plan the route for Pedal to Plate.

Hall and his wife own BIKEternity, a company that plans custom bike trips all over the United States and some trips in Europe. Based in Missoula, the Halls have led cycling trips in 48 states and in the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

Hall said his wife enjoys bike-to-barge trips in Europe on the canals. This type of bike trip allows a cyclist to stay overnight on a barge, disembark and bike all day at his or her leisure, then meet up with the barge where it stops. This means no moving luggage, no finding a hotel room each night, and no worrying about storing your bike. Also the barges have chefs on board to provide dinner.

“I really like to ride in the U.S.,” Hall said, adding that Death Valley is his favorite biking destination. “I go in March when the temperature is about 80 degrees.”

Shauna and Evan Blind were enjoying the quiet Mission Valley ride and the still lush green grass. The Blinds have four children, and the smallest two were with their grandparents so it was a mini vacation.

Rodney Boughey really was on a vacation. From Dallas, Texas, Boughey was riding with his two daughters and son-in-law.

“I’m not going to lie; it was chilly this morning,” Boughey said. “But I’m enjoying it.”

Afternoon stops were at Carlena and Dale Engstrom’s city garden plot, with berries, flowers, vegetables, vines and fruit trees all beautifully displayed. It’s a corner garden, and they’ve done amazing things with it, Sucha said.

The riders also went to Fresh Roots farm where Darci Jones and Karl Sutton organically farm. They also go from farm to pop, making delicious paletas – Mexican-style frozen treats made with fresh fruit and inspired by ones they enjoyed in Mexico.

MVAPP ended at Garden for Life near the Ronan Airport. It’s a true community garden, which grows and shares lots of food with the community.

Ride ends with harvest feast

Finally, the riders headed back to Diamond S RV Park for a harvest dinner featuring locally grown food and local beverages, including those supplies by the Ronan Cooperative Brewery.

Saint of Soldiers, featuring musicians Caity and Cody North from St. Ignatius, played for the group Americana music for the crew.

Dinner was catered by Valhalla Farm, and included braised tequila pork with caramelized onions with a starter of street elote, made from Lowdown Farm organic corn. There were many tasty sides and a sinful dessert, too.

“We had a little farmer’s market after the ride,” Sucha said, “And the (CSKT) bear management people came, too.”

Sucha, Andrea Ruhman, Carey Swanburg, Carrie Sood, and Darci Johns did most of the planning, although they had help from many other volunteers and community members.

According to Sucha, the annual ride wouldn’t happen without the contributions and support of the community, including Bonnie and Jim Ascencio of Diamond S, Valley View Women’s Club and longtime supporters St. Luke’s Healthcare Network and Mission West Community Development Partners.

Lake County Sheriff’s Department gets a thank-you for always sending a deputy to follow the riders and keep drivers safe and respectful.

Janice and Ronnie Couture made frybread for the Pedal-to-Plate crowd as a taste of Flathead Reservation culture. And frybread is always better with honey. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)

    A group of Pedal to Plate bikers led by Rodney Boughey from Dallas, Texas, head down the road. Boughey was riding with his daughters and son-in-law. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)