Chilly enough last night to run the furnace for getting out of bed comfort. Slept in past 7. Lingered getting up as I had all day to ride while accommodating weather features. Fixed scratch pancakes with blue berries and real maple syrup. Sunday treat when I can find buttermilk.
Chilly enough for long underwear top. Plan was to ride Jackalope loop which per Trailforks is 6.9 miles climbing 1111′. Ride started right from comfort of van picking up And Cookies trail to start of Jackalope which till its high point is mostly climbing. Tread around here is mostly non angular loose rolling rock, nasty is the size of softballs. Nothing holds the rocks together, where heavy traffic up to Serendipity junction loosens said rock. Traction is a game of finesse, that’s climbing, downhill is another matter.
Saw antelopes several other places, saw more of them than riders.
Then the descent started. Trail receives little use, Loose rolling rocks. Drop the seat, assume and aggressive athletic stance and hold a steady course counting on reflexes making adjustments to stay on top of my bike. Not saying I railed anything, just saying that my skin is intact.
Climb is a hump, I paused several times. I would pick a spot uphill of me as a goal for a possible rest. Loop returned to the corral and van where I took advantage of food.
Afternoon ahead of me. Go for a second ride? Didn’t have beer with lunch. Rain is possible. OK. I did put my rain jacket in my pack. I headed back out with ambition of riding High Rollas somewhere south of TH. Trails junctions are for the most part signed and Trailforks spotted me. This place is really big. High Rollas is a mesa perimeter ride reached after some hike a biking.
Clouds would spit drops until finally got after it hitting me when I was down off mesa. I stopped and put on my rain jacket pedaling back to van in rain.
Light rain fell of and on throughout the afternoon. Presently 9 PM having rain drops on the windshield. Forecast is for similar conditions for the near future. Wet events in the desert are a good thing.
Looking ahead. This weekend is Memorial day. A bike festival is held here at the corral. Next stop is Pocatello, ID. Wood River trails are melting out but much is still either muddy or under snow.