Was a legendary employee of the USFS back long ago. A namesake trail runs from Gibson Jack over to Cussik creek and City trails. A black rating. I gave it a go yesterday morning. Forecast wanted strong wind. Trail info was limited to looking at its line on Trailforks. Started from Gibson Jack TH, weekday not crowded.
OK ,start in sage, has to climb but sight unseen to where. Trail was built by mtn bikers for same, heart propelled users only. So nice because primarily the tread is not beat up. Trailforks showed climbs at both ends with mostly flat once up. No idea of what I was going to ride on, thru, and over. High mountain, but still sage, hung on the steep mountain sides. Along the way it dipped into gullies that provided enough moisture to change the plants to water loving, deep shade from leaved deciduous trees. Like opening the frigerator door and standing in front of it on a hot day. Welcome relief not needed today. The trail worked in and out of ridges and gullies until it went fully exposed.
The trail continued exposed like above. I went around a snout into strong wind, forecast happening. I got off my bike to stay on the trail. I waited for several minutes waiting out what I hoped to be just a gust. It was short lived. I pedaled on soon to be hit by another blast. Again I waited, this time the ahead trail revealed more of the same exposed steep mtn side. I gave long thought to benefit cost factors. I turned around because the wind might blow me off the trail outslope.
Trail angle was shallow enough angle for me to pedal all of it. On the return I seemed to have coasted a lot telling me that going out was lots of climbing. I would like to go back and ride it in its entirety. To me this trail is what mountain biking is. Bikes actually riding on their namesake.
The 2 previous Pocatello rides had screamer downhills on which I modulated my brakes to maintain sanity. The rear brake was becoming spongey indicating a necessary brake bleed. I new what needed to be done but I kept putting it off. The brake never went limp. I decided during the ride that I would support a local bike shop that had a web site claiming it is what a bike shop should be, something like that. I called them from the lookout on Sterling. ” we’re doing major tunes now and are out 3 weeks”. Brake bleed: a week. City shop not a destination shop. My next planned location is Twin Falls. I googled bike shops selecting Epic which is the closest to Indian Springs S of Kimberly. Spoke with Dan in service. Sure bring it by, we close at 6, just don’t bring it in at 4 and expect turn around. Cool, I could be there today early driving from Poc.
The wound on my leg is of concern and so is the edema. I wanted trained medical advice on treating the wound. PA-C concurred with what I had been doing. Also concern is vascular. The wound site hurts.
Early enough to beat sunset I drove west to Kimberly and the Indian Springs main trailhead. I use google maps for navigation, it’s route used the county roads laid out on rectangles taking me thru rich agriculture land, both in tilled crops and scourge of feed lots. First hay cutting was beyond vibrant green. Irrigating canals made up for shortage from air. Moisture. Nasty head and quartering wind on the way. I filled diesel and did the mileage, 26.8mpg. Running gear seems able. Anchored at a open spot off the road. In hte past the parking areas seemed to segregated by users. The first being horses with their leftovers, the next was dirt bikes, and the mail was the heart propelled users. Dirt bike spot was empty so I picked it. Later 2 rigs arrived with dirt bikes but they were well behaved. Chilly night, ran furnace at wake up.
Today I headed into Twin on US rt 30 to arrive before bike shop opening at 10 AM opening. Made it. Walked the bike in Dan took it and put in a stand then got after bleeding. He needed to work at it to purge trapped air. $15. I invited myself into their work space, Dan and Steve. I used my dormant verbal skills to regale them with tales. Steve gets around so we shared several ride spots. I was allowed in for many hours, they were captive and I felt welcomed. Wonderful to have human interaction. Wonderful visit, we parted with warm strong handshakes. And my brake was bled.
Shop guys concur with what Troy said about maybe next year there will be a big dump of used mountain bikes for sale as some people who bought them during the covid experience then learned that mountain biking was not for them and decided to clean their garage putting that bike up for sale. Steve said that the new bike sales will be slack because of all the almost new bikes on the web. One day you’re up, the next you’re down as the cycle repeats itself just with different music. He also said that trail courtesy has deteriorated, it’s newbies regardless of age.
Dirt biker rig just pulled in beside me.
Change. Change from a previous solution. Today I needed propane and water. I drove into Kimberly to fill up from an outside spigot at a gas station. Shit, it is going thru reconstructive construction eliminating that spigot. Next was gas station where I bought propane previously. parked next to tank then walked in and asked for fill. We no longer fill, see station at the corner. I drove to the corner and was filled. Add this location for future. I scored water at the bike shop. I finally found Happy Camper bread in Hailie and Ketchum. Change for the good. Rear brake will have more bite.
Returned to Indian Springs