RIDES: Nothing I Ride is Good for Me

Riders – Map Guy , Spode Daddy

Loop ~ 30 miles Fuel Consumption ~ 1 gal

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