Spring is coming on, or maybe it is summer is not here. Last weekend dumped more snow up high that justifies NOAA’s flood warning. Vegetation is green, streams are flowing. 35 degrees this wake up at 5644′. Heater ran all night.

Sat night I spent up at Ketchum where rain fell in the morning that I assumed would be the same down stream. Maybe the weather moved on negating the local weather condition. Down at Hailey the roads were dry, I sat in town and saw several rigs with mountain bikes on them returning from up Croy and their bikes appeared to be clean. I continued with resting. I took on water and groceries then drove out Croy seeing little wet, could have ridden on hero dirt aka brown pow. I spent the night up Bullion Gulch.

I have been harvesting mice living in the protection of the exterior of the van. I set out 2 traps again 2 nights ago, in the morning only 1 trap had an occupant, the other still had slathered peanut butter in tact. Last night I did not set any out. Are the traps catching the riders or are they attracting visitors? Any case, a dead one is a good one.

Yesterday Steve lead me on another Croy ride, this one out Lambs Gulch which is private land but after either change of heart of former owner or a new owner riding is allowed. Several years it was burned leaving black as the only color. This year wild flowers of lupine and arrowhead balsam root plants are back. No sage regrowth.

We descended the gulch at the right edge of the pic.

For the fist part of ride I rode behind Steve and talked because he is slower which keeps me in check. My bpm reflected that. We crossed Democrat gulch road seen above for the start of monster climb, Steve told me to go ahead which I did and my bpm reflected my push. I seem to be recovering from the cold.

Out here the sky and land are open, so great to see green growing vegetation.

Recreating on wet trails damages them regardless of method of travel yet signs are posted instructing mountain bikes to turn around if the trail is wet. I have ridden dry trails with cast in horse hoof prints that were made when the trail was wet. Those tracks pock mark the tread. Bikes leave a rolled tire depressing and not very deep that will roll out over a short amount of time. Hikers will seek to keep their feet dry by walking the edges of the puddle which widens the trail. All users should stay off wet trails and signs should reflect that.

Today Steve will be riding his ebike legally on our ride as I want to see how he rides it. I will continue to huff and puff and earn my turns. He could ride behind me and talk to me.

On the aspects we rode yesterday the lupine was all yellow which is interesting as other aspects at Croy will be purple / blue.

NOAA posts a flood warning until further notice. Water and lots of it. Storm last weekend dumped feet of snow here also up high.

Thursday morning I drove away from open sage country heading north, somewhere up stream the Wood River to Steve’s S of Bellevue.  Met him at his house. He assisted his wife’s horse jumping training then we headed further up river to Hailey then out to Croy. riding here is seasonal, it gets winterized last and melts out the first, it is on open sage terrain. Trails are machine built that are aging in, tread is hard pack and sheds water. Wild flowers are blooming dependent upon exposure and elevation. Lupine is coming on teasing with their fragrance come critical mass.

Longer lasting climbs, still our 9.79 miles climbed 1355′, that’s 138’/mile. That’s big. I made Steve my effort governor as I never went anaerobic.

I stopped at Chip’s shop before hand. While there a customer, Chip knows well, entered. I gleaned from their conversation that he worked on ski hill on lifts. Last year I lost my camera near a lift tower and several days later I retrieved it from lost and found. I learned a hiker turned it into a maintenance  person who turned it in to lost and found. I complimented the guy for his crew’s integrity. The guy smiled as he remembered my camera.

Did laundry in Hailey then:

Back down to Steve’s driveway and enjoying dog companionship with his Jack Russel terrier. She has taught me her pleasure scratch locations.

Fri I took myself on a ride Greenhorn Imperial loop. parking lot packed,  scored a just emptied spot. Ride up Greenhorn, climb a bit of Imperial then drop all that elevation. Greenhorn is a gulch

Lots of effort to cut out. Viewshed is steep hillside both directions. Dirt is firm, no dust and little mud. My body struggled with the climb causing many blow stops. Hit Imperial which climbs some more but is out in open for the most part, the gulch is way below.

10.1 miles climbing 1713′, greeter than 100’/ mile. It’s the long climbs that are taxing plus the fading effects of my chest cold. 2 snow patches on Imperial where steps had already been kicked.

Sat morn at Adams Gulch north of Ketchum  was a volunteer trail work day that I signed up for. I drove further up river to Ketchum then turned upstream of Trail Creek and primitive camping. Preferred spots are on the road as internet signal is strong (hence writing this), however all spots were occupied. Plan B then was turning upstream another feeder of Corral Creek for an open designated camp spot but no internet.

I steamed this piece of Copper River salmon

Natural coloring.

Last repair shop told me mice are riding along. Last night I baited 2 spring traps with peanut butter then put on top of the engine. I attached a leash to each in case the trap might drop where I could not get it in case a mouse did loose its life. This morning I opened the hood finding I scored 100 %, 2 for 2. Tonight I set them out again.

Today was trail work on Forbidden Fruit a machine built flow trail. Chilly overcast and infrequent sprinkles. 40 volunteers plus FS. Pedaled up Eve’s then walked up the trail. I missed that everybody was riding bikes to work site while mine was still on my van. I was told where to meet the fellow lopers. In the short amount of time it took me to get on my bike everybody was long gone. Riding my bike in heavy long pants, hiking shoes and a hard hat. I ended up hiking entire trail and never connected with my crew so I return hiked on Eve’s and trimmed out whatever messed with present and future sight lines. Got a hardy hike.

Now back out on Trail creek

Back into long sleeve flannel shirt but still shorts and sandals. Forecast wants more precip. For me quite something to see all this water. Tomorrow’s ride up here dependent upon precip.

Literally and figuratively. Reality and pipe dream.

Yesterday I drove from Price to Centerville, purchased diagnosis on my van then waited for results in Centerville, absorbed van’s health, grocery shopped , filled tank with %5.55 / gal diesel van getting 25 mpg, then headed further west on interstate system.

The short of van health is transmission is perceived as the culprit for vibrations. I started replacement with shop in Bend, Understand ;lead time for remanufactured transmission is 2 to 4 weeks, by starting replacement before I arrive Bend will mean less waiting days and faster repair. I asked the van shop about the condition of the van if he thought was suitable for more miles. He complimentented me on its condition then said yes, do it. I pointed ourselves westward for Kimberly and Indian Trails. The Wasatch received feet of snow in recent storm meaning melt water running down hill making for wet muddy trails in SLC / Heber City area which would also require out of the direction of travel mileage. Diesel is beyond expensive and driving miles. Drove 4 lane interstate thru gut of Salt Lake City megalopolis. Whew, further north lanes return to sensible 2 lanes and less traffic. Heading west.

Evening stop was Indian Springs trails south of Kimberly, ID, next day, today, ride here. Anchored at TH, ah familiar place. Chilly for for furnace while sleeping.

Over the years I have ridden here many times and over most of trails. Last night I planned my ride, this morning I put it into play. First off was Sweet n’Low. I noticed immediately how the bike handled be it the bike itself or riding on wet firm dirt that didn’t move. I’ll stack the deck in favor of the bike. Plan was to ride up Dry Gulch to gain high point for return. Well, this time Dry Gulch was running and range cows had performed riparian damage and left cow tracks in varying degrees of dirt firmness. The first 2 crossings I worked out dry feet get across. The 3rd crossing was a small pond, no dry feet scramble. Feet were immersed, once and always wet every subsequent crossing was a wade across. Water was turgid obscuring the bottom and my desire to not douse my bottom bracket I carefully placed a foot one ahead at a time till I crossed. Shout out to the consumers who create the demand for these critters and their  subsequent environmental destruction.

Yes, literal wet feet. Figuratively, pedaling soft dirt tread sucks energy and lowers speed, hence time. Compare soft dirt speed sapping with deep sand desert pedaling. I planned on completing Dry Gulch for high point turn around. I bailed at HotShot which was a 3 mile climb up to high point. Sharing trail with grazing cows and places where their fresh steamers the tread. I had ridden this ride years ago, today the soft dirt made my eyes bigger than my belly.

This place is so expansive and open sight, sage brush is the highest plant.

These trails were hand hacked out, some are social, others were somewhat legal. They are rough. To me this is what mountain biking is about which is why I ride here.

Water: moisture, running water, water standing on the tread. Green vegetation. Cows eating green plants. Leaving the droughted SW. Next up is Wood River Valley with water and conifers.

Meeting Steve to ride Croy  at Hailey tomorrow. Sat is volunteer trail work day. Last fall at a trail work day I drew a gift lesson for mountain bike instruction from Cameron whom we have known of each other for years. Steve will join us on the 10th. I will prolly leave here the day after for Bend.

9:16 PM alpine glow light.

Why, I remember being required to write with a fountain pen. The 5th grade desks had a cut out for an ink bottle, we were more advanced in that the pens had either cartridges or a bladder. Ball points were happening but were expensive such that rural school, Lucas, did not permit them as they discriminated income. The desks were on runners, in a row, my seat was connected to the desk of the student behind me, etc. and they wiggled. 1960.