Big Wood Valley River Valley, ID aka Sun Valley
Thurs I joined the shop ride, meeting way up on Deer Creek rd. Route is Deer creek loop. Chip really likes it. I believe it is the first ride I did here in Sun Valley per Chip’s give me a ride ride, back in maybe 1999 or 2000 on my first visit here. I ride it way better than 1st time. I inhaled 2 hits of albuterol b4 starting. When it kicked in I was able to ride w/ the 2 slowest riders. Break thru. Now when I run out of breath it is just old age degradation. Several dry mud puddles held casts of wolf paws. Wow! I am riding on my sick fork that is just rude: 2 3/4″ travel that becomes very stiff quickly and bottoms out. Really adversely affects my ride, like I don’t need to ride but After tomorrow I will be out my bike for maybe 10 days.
Chip’s bike lacked pedals. i asked what kind. He said Time. I said I have a pair at my house 2 trucks down. Chip got to ride. These were a replaced pair for use that Chip worked on several years ago.
We hung around after the riding drinking beer and socializing. Good crowd and I fit well. They left back to the city and I drove back down the road to Wolftone XG, rather “spot”. Right along Deer creek. The solar shower heated to lukewarm, I deemed too chilly to douse myself w/ so i heated a pot of h2o on the stove and poured it into the shower bag. I can live w/ this temp. Solar shower. Just below me was the babbling cold clear deer creek. Before bed I stepped outside when 2 bats added me to their memory bank. Still a warm night. I am in the morning shade which kept the temp down.
Fri’s ride is Wolftone over to Curan creek down. I rode this ride back in 2010. It’s a hump to get up to the ridge. But the open sky is so…. so big.
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The trail was signed at the junctions so I was always found, not like signless last time. I rode down Kinsley Creek cutting off the major alpine route. I was tired as the climb was a hump. Besides, there was a bail trail that I had never ridden. Won’t ride it again as it is an ATV beat up track. Now I know.
The fork puts a strain on my right shoulder which turns into pain afterwards. In less than 2 weeks I will have a performing plush 150mm travel. Yeah PUSH.
Back into Hailey and hung @ SSS. I bought dinner @ KBs a great tasty plain Mexican restaurant on Main st Hailey. I have eaten there the most dinners this visit. Back out to Democrat Gulch for the night. I kept the door and a window open all night. @ 7 AM it was 46 outside but 56 inside. Then the sun cleared the hill destroying the shade.
Where I sleep:
Today I wanted a short ride on Greenhorn just to ride. I drove up to Greenhorn Gulch TH. The parking lot was packed w/ cars parked down the road. I scored a vacated spot. Today I changed my ride from coming down Imperial gulch after watching maybe 10 horse riders plowing up the dry dirt. I rode up Cow creek which is way rockier and technical than Greenhorn. And the fork just shit on me making the rock moves jarring. I kept my speed in check going down so I could respond to trail features. Front brake is better but unexplainable reason. I rode down Mahoney creek, so great to ride down what I struggle to climb. A male dog walked told me he just scared up a antlerless moose from a pond where he took his dog to swim. I missed it. I so look forward to my repaired fork.
Back @ the almost deserted TH. A hard mounted fiberglass shell camper to a big 4X4 pick up attracted my attention as a possible upgrade. A man and woman where there after finishing their ride. I rode over to visit. They are 6 months into their I don’t have to go back to work lifestyle. 40 and 38. Wow. They created a spread sheet titled Get Away Plan that allowed them to manage decisions to make this happen. They are back country skiers who last spring chased storms, mtn bike riders, and recently took up rock climbing. On the road lifestyle sharing tips and stories. Dave said he learned of me during a goggle search for a ride and my site was netted. They said they encountered an antlered moose up Mahoney near where I rode, they allowed it to hold them up for 20 mins. But I spied none.
A parking lot solar shower, then drive back into Hailey.
Maybe a ride w/ Steve tomorrow as he is now cast free after allowing his right thumb torn tendon to heal.
Sat night out in the gulch. Moon is almost full. Clear sky.
Congrats on the 5yr. anniversary Craig! Great to chat with you again, and looking forward to another ride with you, regardless of the location! Phil S.