One last ride here in Wood River Valley before early winter hits tonight. A bit of snow and below freezing at night and not much above during the day. The makings of freeze thaw mud.
Tattered exacerbated by the drought some plants went into fall foliage color before the chill normally would turn their colors. Colors are there. Friday rain fell knocking off weak hangers.
Yesterday Steve and brothers Kirk and Tony and I rode out at Croy Canyon on machine purpose built trails. Picked there because of dirt being wetted but not muddy. We rode on very firm dirt making for confidence that tires would hold on the turns because of rain wetted dirt. We carved the trails. Hailey is at the like mouth of the river valley, trees have been replaced by sage brush desert. Big open skies.
We both ride Revel bikes, Steve rides a Rascal 29er” and I ride a 27 1/2 Rail, both now have I9 Hydra hubs. We have had coast offs over the years on various bikes. Today we staged another one down Bullion rd. Crazy, I won the coast, I hit 29 mph as did Steve.
Forecast has been calling for a snow storm here and elsewhere of course. I figure that riding is over here for awhile or maybe for the season. I have been thinking about my travel plans which are dependent upon weather. Tomorrow depending upon the realization of the weather conditions will determine my departure. I provisioned myself for being snow bound in Steve’s driveway tomorrow waiting for better weather on Tuesday to leave. I might be able to ride Indian Springs down outside Kimberly then head into Utah. Thinking Heber City, stay at state park at $45 per night. Then maybe The wedge aka Goodwater rim then to Fruita.
But first I rode out of Greenhorn Gulch on a loop Steve takes me on, today I was on my own as he is wrestling with home improvement. Greenhorn parking lot was plugged with hardly any people milling around. I pedaled up Greenhorn passing several hikers, I turned onto Mahoney and from the ret of the ride I was all by myself. Climb up Mahoney, climb up Cow Creek until a high point then it was all downhill for miles of firm dirt. Colors. 8.13 miles climbing 1096′ pedaling for 1 hr 14 mins, a shorter ride. Loop gives good beat down on the climbs and rewarded with gravity engine assisted down. Drop the seat, stand up, weight on the pedals, then move the bike underneath me. What a bike.
Today I gave effort to enjoyment of being outside in these mtns. I stopped quite a few times to gawk sometimes taking pics. Realization is I will be out of tree cover as I will be in desert land shortly. Several years ago this place was my first stop for being in the trees and seeing flowing water and no cactus. Tomorrow or Tues desert bound.
I have owned my Revel Rail for 105 days, I have ridden it 77 times for 1210 miles. That’s 73% of available days riding 5 days a week.