Trail Boss - IdaSpode & SpodeDaddy Riders - Brian , Sean
Brian carried his saw but there wasn't any new dead fall for him to cut.
Loop ~ 70+ miles Avg - 17 mph , Max -56 mph Fuel Consumption ~ 2+ gallons , hit reserve ~ 65 miles
Road> Hole in the Wall > Roanhide > Coyote > Bremner > Blue Ridge > Presidents> Hunter Creek> NF Lime Creek> "Sheep Drive"> Road
David & I both needed another remedial ride and wanted to do Lime Creek again
Met Sean and Brian at the Pilot in Mountain Home. David met us at the corrals.
BOTTOM OF ROANHIDE
DAVID'S GET OFF HE SAID HE BANGED BOTH LEGS ON THE HANDLE BARS THEN WENT OVER THE TOP
TOP OF COYOTE
Deer Park
Sean had never been up to Iron Mt Lookout. It's worth the ride if you have never been , but looses it's appeal after a couple of times.
We waited at Deer Park while he rode to the top.
Presidents Bar & Grill is in a saddle below Blue Ridge . Sheltered from the wind when it's chilly and shady when its warm.
At the bottom of Presidents David was ready to call it a day. We rode with him to the South Fork crossing on Hunter Creek then back tracked to ride the North Fork of Lime Creek.
Brain & Sean on North Fork
Sean on the upper part of Porcupine Gulch
Porcupine Bridge , one of the Seven Wonders of Idaho. It may need some new planks this year.
RIDERS – SPODE DADDY, IDASPODE LOOP – 51 MILES ( ~15-20 MILES ROAD ) RIDGE TRACK > HUNTER CREEK > CONNECTOR > PRESIDENT > PORCUPINE/SHEEP DRIVE
18 MPH/AVG , 60 MPH MAX FUEL CONSUMPTION ~1.35 GAL (5L) 3RD WEEK SINCE MY HAMSTRING INJURY , 3RD RIDE THIS YEAR FOR DAVID.
WE RODE INTO HUNTER CREEK FIRST, TO VERIFY LIME CREEK COULD BE CROSSED. THE WATER WAS LOW , ALMOST AT SUMMER LEVELS. THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH TRAFFIC TO KICK THE LOOSE ROCKS OFF OF HUNTER CREEK.
PRESIDENT’S HAD TO STOP TO ADJUST MY BACKPACK SO I SNAPPED A COUPLE OF PHOTOS. TRAIL WAS MOIST AND LUSH
I TOLD DAVID IF THERE IS A HEAVEN , I WOULD HOPE IT’S JUST LIKE PRESIDENTS (TODAY ).
TOP OF PRESIDENT WHERE WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH. ON THE WAY UP I COULDN’T REMEMBER IF I HAD PUT MY LUNCH IN THE BACKPACK. I HAD , IT WAS A NICE SURPRISE !
ON THE ROAD RIGHT OFF PRESIDENT , DAVID SPOTTED AT DOE & FAWN. WE ROLLED UP TO WHERE THEY HAD CROSSED AND FOUND THE FAWN HIDING IN THE BRUSH. DAVID WAS OFF HIS BIKE SO I HANDED HIM MY CAMERA TO GET A CLOSE UP.
VIEW FROM TOP OF PORCUPINE
PORCUPINE JUST BEFORE IT DROPS THROUGH THE CLIFFS TO LIME CREEK. SHEEP HAVE ALREADY BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH , SOME OF THE MUDDY SECTIONS WERE CHURNED A BIT.
WE GOT BACK TO THE TRUCK BEFORE ANY THUNDERSTORMS FORMED.
Loop – 35 miles ~ 15 mph avg 1 gal fuel consumption , 35mpg includes two spills
My first off-road ride in a couple of weeks since I injured my hamstring . I think it may have been close to three months since David has been on his bike.
My first trail ride on the FreeRide . Still has stock skinny man springs , no Rekluse and Maxxis trials tires.
The bike is super light ( ~200 lbs w/o fuel ) , easy to flick around but still feels stable. The engine is like a diesel , all torque , no surge with throttle , heavy fly wheel feel. Small fuel capacity , 1.8 gallons but depending on the terrain should have 50-60 mile range.
The Maxxis trials on the front totally sucks, might be a conspiracy to kill old white spodes . Mud was a slick as greased pig shit , the front gave way a half dozen times . On the first hill climb the front slid off the trail . By the end of the ride I was paddling DOWN HILL ! Not too sure about the Maxxis on the rear either .
The ride had it’s comical moments :
On a hill climb on Minneha Ridge both of us wiped out. Then on Peg Leg Dave spun out in switch back. He high sided and had to roll through the brush to the trail below. We got his bike through the brush back to the trail.
Right after the switchback is small tree across the trail . Being cautious I didn’t carry enough speed to roll the rear wheel over . I decided to walk it over , but lost control and and was dragged over the edge of the trail !
Took a few hundred yards to remember how to feather the clutch on hill climbs , the it took a while to get the hang of using the clutch with the rear brake .
My hamstring was sore by the end of the ride. On the way home I set up an appointment with Brooks , my physical therapist. David said I was “walking like an old black woman”. When I got home I ordered a Rekluse from Moto One.
David bottom of Easter Creek
Start of Peg Leg
After my first trail ride on the 250R FreeRide .
Pending changes – Fat Man Springs Rekulse Auto Clutch AT 81 front tire
Wednesday morning I had a my colon scoped, got home and took a nap. When I woke up I saw I had a FB message from Dave asking if I wanted to join him and Bill clearing trails in Garden Valley Thursday . Meet at the Horseshoe Bend Chevron .
Damn it’s own . I’ll have to leave ~ 7:30 AM to make it to the Garden Valley Chevron by 9AM.
The clinic had a warning NOT TO MAKE ANY IMPORTANT DECISIONS after the procedure since your recovering from the sedative but nothing about Dirt Biking .
Eventually Dave and Bill located me near the Mormon Church in Garden Valley and I followed them to the Airline trail head .
David parked at a pullout just past the trail head but it wasn’t wide enough for me to turn around the dually & trailer. Decided to drive up the road to find a wider spot . The road got narrower, steeper with boulders that had rolled into the road.
About two miles up the road I found a spur I could back the trailer and turn around. On the way back the trailer tire clipped the boulder – slashed the sidewall and bent the rim !
I had to stop and change the wheel. As I was putting the spare on , Dave and Bill had launched a search on their bikes to find me. I told Bill to “ just shoot me now “.
Bill and Dave above Garden Valley.
My first ride on Airline , sweet single track !
Dave’s videos :
About 10 miles up the trail there is rock face to climb, as always it looks steeper that it really is.
Dave and Bill motored up dabbing a couple of times. I start off on the seat, near the top is lip where I start to stand to to roll over . As I stood I felt my left “hamstring” pull, making me lose it , chopping the throttle and trying to dab with the bad leg. I dropped the bike and slid down the rock face.
Bill picks up my bike and then helps me get around the rock face even riding it up in one spot.
Balance rock above rock face. I had to have Dave get my bike up a a slotted step up , my left leg being pretty much useless . Around the corner at a flat spot we stopped to take a rest. I laid on my back and had Bill push my leg back to try to stretch out my charlie –horse .
Post injury my skill level went back ~ 5 years and I was riding at a least a gear lower. My left leg was next to useless the rest of the ride , worried how bad I hurt it , if I was going to hurt it more , how long I wouldn't be able to dirt bike. Sitting down I got cramps and stiff. Standing up it sore going over any type terrain.
I lost count of how many trees Dave and Bill cleaned up.
At 7400 feet we hit snow banks , we were probably within ~ 3 miles of Scott Mountain Lookout.
Had our lunch break . Bill and Dave shared stories about epic rides in the Sawtooths.
On the way back we followed an ATV trail and road back to Airline.
The Lookout on the ridge above us , another week or two the snow should be clear .
Another view of Garden Valley .
Back at the trucks we discussed when the trails would be clear of snow and seasonal closures.
I shared my story about antler hunters , Dave said “that was your party ?”. He met the fellow a few weeks ago. Could see him approaching on the road and stopped . The hunter was startled and laid his bike down on the road. I said good !
They must have discussed closures. The hunter told a tale of how the road was muddy , sloppy and the sheriff was waiting for us at the trucks.
I told Dave the real story – the road was dry , dusty and hunters had called the sheriff . The sheriff said he had a complaint we were riding the road. I discussed with the sheriff deputy the the road was dry & dusty and the purpose of the closure was to keep 4X4’s from using the road for mudding and tearing up the road. The deputy acknowledged the situation but said officially it was still closed to motorized vehicles.
If I had kept my mouth shut the deputy would have left , but he gave us a warning. He also told us the hunters were really pissed that we were on motorcycles and they were on bicycles .
The Hunter lives in Featherville drives a gold/yellow Ford and rides a Kawasaki.
I now have top men working on finding his name.
Injury update -
I iced my leg when I got home. Friday morning it felt better . I expect in a week I’ll be back on the single tracks. I’ll do some road riding on the 950 in the meantime .
DAY3
Don’t know if this from a muscle pull / tear or bruising when I slide down the rock face.
