Many times I am asked what is my most favorite trail and I usually don’t have an answer for them. It’s all about riding whatever trail. I have ridden so many miles on so many trails, how do I pick? I like Bend for all its pedaling miles, Oakridge for its climbing and legacy single track. Seems like each ride puts a smile on my face. Which brings me to where I am now: Greater Big Woods River Valley, aka Sun Valley. Friend Steve has been sharing his rides w/ me. And do I have a smile on my face. The rides have been slightly different from deep forest cover into past burns, open steep sage covered hills, most trails are legacy and challenging. Lindarets company has a T short logo that reads: Keep Single Track Technical. That’s what yesterday’s ride was like starting and finishing out of Oregon Gulch. Steve created a loop of the 3 popular gulches: Oregon, Fox, and Chocolate. I really like riding my bike especially when gravity is the engine.
On Thursday we rode the mostly machine built Croy canyon trails. We rode over the ravages of large sheep herds. The Tumble Mustard plants are dead and dry and brittle and break off and populate the trail some pieces ended up fouling drive trains.
The Croy ride was 9.85 miles climbing 1494′. Steve was faster on the downhills at first as his familiarity of the trail helped and his confidence on the loose rock. Maybe his 29 inch wheels helped. I figured confidence for the next bunch of downhills and stayed pretty close to his wheel. Big bermed corners. I made much out of the pump bumps. I almost overcooked a berm which would have sent me for a short space flight but my brakes performed and I was able to square the turn out.
Friday’s ride was Steve’s trade route. He texted Oregon Gulch. I parked at Adams Gulch. He texted me from Oregon asking where I was. Opps. I speedily drove to Oregon. We started 30 minutes past our 1:30 start. We finished a little past 5PM in the shade. 12.47 miles climbing 2318′. I am parked in Ketchum now and the elevation is 5512′ I am rapidly acclimating to the elevation and can almost pedal on Steve’s wheel.
Joy of being able to ride whenever usually means uncrowded trails. We ride during the work week in the daylight.
After our ride I drove back into Ketchum to Sturdos to sign up for a shuttle ride on Osberg Ridge for today. Today not enough riders signed up for the shuttle. Darn. I drove out Warm Springs road to a hot springs for a soaking off of the ride grime. Chilly out of the water hot enough to raise a sweat bead on my upper lip. I finished the soak by splashing cold creek water. I couldn’t force myself to submerge. I was hot enough to be comfortable walking back to my van to change into dry clothes. I found a camp spot for the night. I hung my dripping wet liner shorts on the outside rearview mirror to drip. This AM they were frozen stiff.
No shuttle ride today which will allow me to make this a rest day. Steve and I are planning to ride Fisher Creek on Sunday which per the forecast appears to be the last day before possible snow. The ride is on the Salmon River side of Galena Summit. I might spend the night near Stanley. I’ll find this hot spring along the Salmon River that is a tub w/ the water plumbed in.
Don, a past team member of Hugh Ass race team and manager of Galena Lodge, told me they have approval for 30 miles of new trails. I learned that this past summer the existing trails drew a steady crowd.
Being greeted w/ a smile by people I have previously met puts such a smile on my face. I have met quite a few people.
Bentonville, AR will host the 2016 IMBA World Summit in November. Pretty cool.