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.