Ron, Center of the Universe, and a Mission.
The day started early with breakfast plans to meet Kirk’s brother Ron at 0830 before heading out to explore the area.
Lynn was up at 0500 and caught the 6am sunrise over the lake, while Kirk made a record appearance at 0730. By 0800 we were out the door and on our way to Elmer’s Cafe, which won the breakfast vote thanks to their German Pancake offering.
It was great to see Ron and squeeze in a quick visit before he headed back to California. He was on a long road trip testing automotive parts, and it’s always fun when friends or family manage to intersect our travels in whatever random state we happen to be in.
By 10am we were on the road to Wallace, ID — about an hour east of Coeur d’Alene — to check out the Center of the Universe. Wallace didn’t earn its cosmic title through science or astronomy; it came from a clever bit of small‑town logic. After years of wrangling with the EPA over mining pollution in the early 2000s, locals decided that if the government couldn’t prove where the pollution did come from, then Wallace could claim whatever it wanted… including being the center of all existence. “Prove it wasn’t” became the town’s unofficial motto. In 2004, the mayor made it official and installed a manhole cover as the “cosmic marker” right in the middle of an intersection. Wallace has embraced the joke ever since — small‑town mischief at its finest.
The site itself was a bit underwhelming, especially compared to the Center of the Nation in South Dakota, which had a full visitor center and gift shop. Maybe the real magic was under the manhole cover — a portal to another galaxy??! Even without interstellar travel, we enjoyed wandering the old town and stopping at the Visitor Center to see pieces of Wallace’s mining history. The town is full of brick buildings, vintage signs, quirky sculptures, and even a sourdough pickup box on the sidewalk. Lots of trust in Wallace — great to see!
Wallace is also known as the “Silver Capital of the World” since it sits in the Silver Valley, one of the richest silver‑producing regions on the planet. The mines surrounding Wallace — including the famous Bunker Hill, Hecla’s Lucky Friday (Hecla Mining), and the Sunshine Mine — have produced over a billion ounces of silver since the late 1800s. Because of that extraordinary output, Wallace adopted (and fully embraces) the title “Silver Capital of the World”.
Around noon we headed back toward the campground and made a pitstop at Cataldo Mission. After paying the $7 entrance fee (per vehicle), we watched an 18‑minute video at the visitor center and then walked the grounds. Cataldo Mission is Idaho’s oldest standing building and the oldest surviving mission church in the Pacific Northwest. Built in the early 1850s, it’s known for its Mediterranean‑classical/Baroque architecture and the fact that it was constructed entirely without nails! It was a quick visit — just two buildings and a peaceful overlook of the Coeur d’Alene River — and the heat kept us from lingering too long.
By 1:30pm we were back in Coeur d’Alene and stopped at Madd Chicken again for lunch. Still just as good as yesterday. We were back at the RV by 2:30pm and ready for a nap.
The rest of the evening was spent indoors. Both of our eyes were burning from wildfire smoke, the wind kicked up, and we settled in with TV and blogging.
A great day reuniting with family, exploring the area and relaxing.
Weather – High 85*, Low 60*. Winds 3-15/30 mph. No rain, no humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Elmer’s Cafe – good.
Notable – Breakfast with Ron, Center of the Universe, Cataldo Mission.
Screen time – Homeland.
