FOG & OVERCAST BURNED OFF SOON AS WE GOT ON THE BIKES.
RIDERS – SCOTT MOORE
MURRAY AVISON
STEVE FRANKLIN
JOHN AITON
LOOP ~ 40 MILES
SCOTT & STEVE ON “SLOT” SIDEHILL. I LOST MY MO AND LET THE MUD PACK UP THE FRONT WHEEL & FORK. SCOTT HAD TO HELP ME PUSH THE BIKE TO A DRY SPOT.
WE CROSSED THE CREEK A FEW TIMES TO KNOCK THE MUD OFF.
LUNCH BREAK ON SINKER CREEK.
TAKING A BREATHER AFTER A RUN DOWN A SANDWASH.
MURRAY WANTED ANY EARLY START SO HE COULD GET HOME SOONER.
BUT WE HAD A SLOW START:
# TIRE CHANGE AT THE TRUCKS
# MULTIPLE STOPS TO FIDDLE WITH BIKES
# SEEMED TO TAKE FOREVER TO REGROUP
STILL MANAGED TO CLOCK 45 MILES.
AFTER WE FINALLY GOT ROLLING WE HAD 8 RIDERS IN OUR GROUP.
I HAD A NEW FRONT TIRE , 700 MILES ON THE OLD ONE (SINCE MID NOVEMBER).
BIKE FELT FASTER ! HAD IT STRETCHED OUT IN 5TH A FEW TIMES.
LUNCH STOP ON SINKER CREEK.
AND I GOT AN AUTHENTIC PERSONALIZED EMAIL FROM OFA WHEN I GOT HOME !
GOT MY DONATIONS TO THE IRANIAN FOOD BANK CURRENT BEFORE THE RIDE.
HOW MUCH BETTER CAN LIFE GET.
WE RODE “OUR” LOOP AGAIN. RELATIVELY LONG STRETCHES OF SMOOTH SINGLE TRACK. THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO DOUBLE BACK.
I STARTED TO SEE THAT STUFF CALLED DUST.
WHILE WE WERE STOPPED NOTICED THIS PAW PRINT.
MAYBE A WOLF ? WE SPOTTED ONE LAST MONTH.
QUICK BREAK IN SINKER CANYON. WE THEN RODE UP THE SINGLE TRACK IN THE TIGHT DRAW AND BACK DOWN SINKER CREEK. MUST OF HAD A DOZEN WATER CROSSING. TOOK THEM ALL IN 2ND & GOT FAIRLY DAMP. NO ICE THOUGH.
WE LOOPED BACK TO BELOW THE SLOT AND HAD LUNCH.
BEAUTIFUL SPOT ! THANK GOD ITS ON PRIVATE LAND AND THE OWNER LETS US RIDE IT.
WE THEN PRETTY MUCH DOUBLED BACK TO THE TRUCK TO STAY OUT OF THE WOOPS.
I TOOK THE 640 FOR A QUICK SPIN THRU THE DESERT IN THE NGR. CLOSE TO TOWN IT WAS MUDDY BUT WAS MUCH DRIER FARTHER SOUTH. CLOCKED 120 MILES IN 3 HRS, FUN TIME.
SEVERAL OF THE TANK RANGES HAD JUNKERS STACKED UP FOR TARGET PRACTICE. THE GUARD HAS ALSO SET UP MORE SIMULATED VILLAGES AT DIFFERENT SPOTS.
SNAKE RIVER
DESERT WET LAND
SIERRA CLUB POLAR BEAR PARTY – MURPHY IDAHO
I COMMITTED TO SIERRA CLUB THAT I WOULD HOST A PARTY TO SAVE THE ARCTIC.
RIDERS- DAVID , BRAD, SCOTT, JOHN
LOOP – 43 MILES
SINKER CREEK GATE
SELF PORTRAIT – LUNCH STOP ON SINKER CREEK
BRAD RIDING THE STEP UP ON ONE OF THE SINKER CREEK CROSSINGS.
ALMOST DECIDED NOT TO GO TUESDAY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE TOO MUCKY FROM FROM SUNDAY’S SNOWSTORM. BUT DAVID CALLED MONDAY NIGHT AND ASKED IF WE ARE GOING, SO WE DECIDED TO GO ! GOOD CALL IT WAS A SUPER DAY, EVEN MADE IT OVER HALF MOON PASS !
DAVID NEEDED TO STRETCH HIS BACK, SO I FOUND A WIDE SPOT ON HWY 67 NEAR THE POWER LINES. WE FOUND THIS –STIMULUS MONEY AT WORK. USED TO BE GOOD 950 TRACK, NOW IT WILL BE A 70MPH ROAD !
I GUESS BUILDING ROADS HAVE LESS “ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT “ THAN RIDING DIRT BIKES.
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RIDERS – DAVID, MURRAY, JOHN
LOOP- 60 MILES
WE PARKED ALONG THE LOWER PORTION OF MISSILE BASE ROAD NEAR THE STOCK WELL JUST AS THE CLOUD COVER WAS BURNING OFF.
FOLLOWED FENCE LINES ,SAND WASHES AND SINGLE TRACKS TO POISON CREEK.
DAVID AND MURRAY ON TOP OF THE SAND HILL. TOOK ME TWO RUNS, WAITED TOO LONG TO DOWNSHIFT . ALL THE BIKES WERE SINGING TO GET TO THE TOP.
BARRY “ HEALTH CARE IS NOT DEAD IT’S JUST RESTING”.
BARRY SAW HIS SHADOW SO WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST 6 MORE WEEKS OF BAD SPEECHES.
HALF MOON PASS LOOKING NORTH
LOOKING SOUTH. SLICK CLIMB- THE TRAIL HAD HAD 2-3 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE RUTS.
THE BIKES WERE STEAMING WHEN WE FINALLY GOT ON TOP. PACKED SNOW ON THE RADIATORS TO COOL THEM OFF.
THE NORTH SLOPE ON THE WAY DOWN HAD 4-6 INCHES, NO WAY IT COULD BE CLIMBED ! PADDLED QUITE A BIT BECAUSE THE WAS NO TRACTION TO STEER. IT WAS EASIER FOLLOWING DAVID AND MURRAY’S TRACKS.
WENT TO LOUIE'S WITH THE FAMILY FOR DINNER, THEN HAD CAKE, PRESENTS AND WATCHED AMERICAN IDOL. GREAT DAY !
