Ah, the joy of waking up @ the trail head for the day’s ride. Forecast called for 30% showers. I was awakened by rain drops hitting the roof. Got up & put on my had and wool poncho then stepped into a light rain to put the rain cover over the bikes. Crawled back into bed and shortly after the rain quit. Skies looked more might fall. I dragged my feet heading out to see if rain or sucker hole. Sucker hole. I was a good way up Dry Gulch which has a strong stream flowing down it when sprinkles fell. Warm enough to not put on my rain jacket. A rider heading down stopped and chatted. He said hello to me earlier in the parking lot. Larry, another local, who knows all the guys I met yesterday.
Pedaled up out of Dry Gulch onto Rockstar up on the flat. Plan is to find Smitty 2 to head back downhill. Found the trail that dropped down a jeep road then picked up a cow path down the creek. remarkable. This place is soooo huge. Thinking about how big it is is that this is all sage brush and you can see for literally for miles. In a forest the trees shorten the sight distance so it seems that I am always way out there. This place is big. Rain clouds cleared
Most of the trails are marked by splashes of white paint. Back on Smity small pieces of orange tape sporadically tied to sage bushes. Faint bike tire tracks. Navigation was challenging. Trail was a cow path that dropped down stream. Nothing for tech challenge but fun to surf the twists. Drop my saddle a little w/ the Reverb lowers my center of gravity.
I encountered cows on the way up Dry Gulch and negotiated numerous nasty splatters. I carried my bike over several of them. Chopper said if you are not willing to take a hot steamer to the chops you are not a mountain biker. OK I confess, I won’t take a steamer. Back at the van I saw manure splatter on my saddle.
Back @ my van I wound down after my ride. Next up is a drive to a campground for a shower and grocery shopping. The skies took on an ominous look for more rain. I put the rain cover over the bikes in case. As I drove out of dirt road the wind hit blowing hard rain. Wow, I was inside dry, I could ahve been caught in it and it would not have been fun.
Got a $5 shower then headed into Twin Falls for groceries. Then my return trip back to Indian Springs TH for the night.
Plan tomorrow is drive to Sun Valley area. Snow is still low. Riding here will be the low trails.
Sundown is 9:25 local time. I usually go to bed @ 10:00. Chilly sleep night.