Out of Montana. Away from big mountains and sort of way out there rides on mostly old legacy hiking trails. I would go back and reride everything except Spencer mtn.
So I walked the main drag in Salmon looking at original buildings’ architecture, many with artistic touches that cost extra to doing business. When I check out downtown sections of old towns I wonder what life was like when the buildings were being put up. There had to be strong economic engines generating revenue for business to spend $ building up. Then think about the decline of prosperity that elevated the towns. Resource extraction of some kind that played out or productivity gains displaced bodies and families.
While in Salmon I studied the local trail info book searching for a ride. I picked one that I might be permitted to spend the night and ride the next day. I drove to TH which was posted no camping. That didn’t work. The ride appeared to be on sagebrush desert. Back into town for more research. I picked Twelve Mile Creek ride which is south of town in my travel direction plus land manager was USFS and as I drove up Salmon River drainage I could see trees. A gravel road left the pavement heading up stream with private property on each side until I crossed into the Salmon NF as noted by a USFS sign. I parked at a wide spot on the shoulder that I had to work leveling blocks for level. The spot would work but perhaps a more suitable spot might be just up the road. Hope springs eternal from the human breast. I walked uphill over 1/4 mile to a pullout where I would be off the road and maore level. I drove up to it. I was parked on grazed down dead public property littered with numerous dried cow patties. rancher allowed cows to strip mine the vegetation. Just before dark a sheriff’s deputy truck with emergency lights flashing scooted up the road. Shortly afterwards an EMT van, an ambulance, and 2 wreckers, all with their emergency lights flashing. My spot was out of the way. Hours later those rigs passed by without lights except the ambulance inside light was lit suggesting a patient. An additional rig was in the mix that might have been the problem as the wreckers were empty.
I researched a ride in this drainage which would entail a 7 mile road rode climbing 2,xxx’ to the start of the dirt. I deemed the road to be hard on the van so I would have to pedal to the goods. Arm chair planning. I geared up and threw over my right leg and put power to the first pedal stroke. OK, it’s just a work out and a work out and a work out. Time went by faster than my progress to dirt. I passed a FS pumper truck parked on side of road. I kept an eye out for an accident scene. Coming down was a white truck perhaps a FS truck. I motioned for stopping which it did. I asked about what happened, the 2 women in the FS truck heard just bits about incident. Seems a rog pulling a horse trailer left the road that was rescued. I spoke with high emotion about how grazed out the land was. Turns out the 2 women work in range management and they had been dispatched to here because of a public complaint about over grazing. I learned a bit about FS range management rules. The grazing lease holder has defined rules to follow to be in compliance. This rancher was grazing cows to the detriment of the land in violation of his lease. Just tragic that the rancher continued grazing his cows beyond the health of the land that they are to be good stewards of. I was about 5 miles up, I asked them how close I was to TH. One looked at a laptop display and said hopefully that I just a couple of miles away.
I chose to keep pushing down on the pedals. I arrived at the TH and a gated road. I looked at Trailforks route. I decided that doing an out and back on the road would be just fine. I had pedaled 7.69 miles in 1 hour 36 mins climbing 2057′. I put my glasses on and studied TF closer. How about that? I was at the top of a black trail named Crevice dropping down said creek. Cool. Description read the trail was the FS’s first go to here. The trail has not been maintained as an established tread but a faint path and prolly ” maintained” by volunteers. TF showed hte trail paralleling the road but down in the creek. The trail is backcountry single track riding going mostly downhill. Numerous stream crossing that down lower were over lashed together with barbed wire logs.
Trail went by the site of an old mining camp active prior to 1927. Its ;location was marked by large piles of rusted cans, prolly all food cans. The trail ended onto the road. 4.51 miles dropping 1079′ took 41 mins per EDGE. Data was skewed because of all the stopping I did to route find and cross the creek. Wild setting while I was never more than maybe 300′ straight up below the road I knew that I was out back. I would like to be driven to the top and ride the planned route then ride the creek back down.
Back at the van I made ready for driving destination Stanley, ID. still up the Salmon River. Climbing twisty highway tight against the river. Mountainous scenery that was only slightly enjoyed as I focused on driving the van keeping all 4 wheels adhering to the pavement.
I arrived in Stanley. I planned on a store prepared dinner as my reward for the ride. Pickings were 2 restaurants. I paid for a meal that I cook myself as that was the best I could do. They did the dishes.
I coordinated with friend Steve from Bellevue for a Fisher Creek ride yesterday. We met at 11 at the TH. Great to be in Steve’s company again. He is wearing a new helmet because of his sudden stop on Alpine trail previous July. Fall season is on. Empty TH. We pedaled away, the first part is several miles of RT 75 highway pedaling. Turn on to FS gravel road for more miles with climbing culminating in a beyond gut buster very steep jeep road paved with baseball sized loose rocks. Steve in is earlier years had pedaled non stop, I watched him do it years ago. Today he said those days are over. My success was less than his. Topped out at 8,070′ which is why my breathing didn’t keep up. Back in 2005 this area was burned. In the burn area the dirt was loose kitty litter because the heat burned the organic out.
Here is what is becoming the norm.
Those 2 pieces of burned log on the trail caused some riders to ride off tread to the left and right widening the trail. I rode between then then stopped to clear the trail. Why should I stop to clear the trail when there are “people” to clean the trail. Trail Fairies are a pipe dream. We as riders have responsibility for the trails we ride on. All those riders widened the trail when the first one could have stopped and kicked the logs off and then following riders would have kept the trail narrow.
Steve and I had the entire ride to ourselves, 17.1 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 22 mins climbing 1834′, msot of the climbing was the to the start of the single track. Among other things this trail stands out because of its monstrous long gentle downhills. I haven’t extolled the virtue of my bike lately. What a bike.
I finished my drive up the Salmo river going over Galena Summit to descend the drought affected Wood River down to Steve’s place south of Bellevue. Quite the mountain transition from the Salmon River to the Wood which is more gentle as the land falls away to sage desert.
Slept in Steve’s driveway. Before sunrise sprinkles fell which intensified to gentle rain for maybe an hour. Much needed moisture. Steve showed me a pic of the rive where he walks his dogs. White bellies of dead fish in a small puddle everything else was dry riverbed rock. Another case of over consuming public resource.
This weekend is the celebration of Trailing the Sheep as they are herded out of the summer pastures using highway as driveway. Locals have made a celebration out of it. Come to Ketchum, spend money on trinkets and step in sheep shit to glorify a nasty resource extraction lifestyle. Sheep shit sticks and stinks. Dirty Finger won’t depoo your bike.
Laundry done in Hailey. Reader boards at city limits of both Hailey and Ketchum read Masks required for inside. Sloppy compliance. Red Idaho with a spot of blue here diluted by reds.
I buy and eat a lot of honey locally gathered. Many of the containers are in the shape of a bear which is known to raid bee hives. Seems the robber is being rewarded and not the providers.