RR: Another Road Trip!? [Pictorial]

Part 2 from RR: the consolation.

It's late Monday night, I've ridden hard, and now I'm scrambling to
keep my original commitment to lead this little group up into the
high-country to ride Fisher Creek/Williams Creek Loop in the
Whitecloud and Sawtooth Mountains. Yep, an 18 mile loop in 2 mountain
ranges. Folks come from all o

ver the world to ride this hombre, it's just that good.

To make a long story short, Big D picks me up at 6am Tuesday. Not
even my patented Turkish mudd can clear the cobwebs after 4 hours
sleep and a hard ride last night.

So I stumble into the back seat of his blazer and we go pick the gal
up.
Gas up, coffee up, but still no wake up. So we're heading up to
Stanley, a tiny mo untain town on the north side of the Sawtooth
range, about 40 miles north of Sun Valley.

On the way, I roll down the window to photograph a low lying cloud:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20146.jpg


Big D takes a shot of Sleeping Beauty, who snoozed the whole way. You
know the mandatory abuse of companions who snooze on a road trip. We
restrained ourselves:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20152.jpg

So we roll into Stanley, recycle some coffee, and note that its
35degf, fairly clear, and should be a perfect day. 14 miles south
toward Sun Valley is our trail-head. I'm getting jacked.

Hit the trailhead, and big D tries out the remote on his camera:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20154.jpg

Looks like the gay roadie lookalike is the only one ready to ride:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20155.jpg

I swear, this was the slowest start I've ever seen, and I've been on
lots of group rides. You name it, we did. adjusted everything under
the sun, lubed everything, and the gal and Big D even swapped rear
wheels. I handed out some provisions, checked everybody's air and
brakes, and we're still farting around.

Is this guy the only peacock ready to ride today?

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20156.jpg

Our female sits down to fiddle with something. Maybe her new shoes,
as this was her first trip on clipless pedals!

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20158.jpg

OK, I give up! Take your time, because as a matter of fact, I do have
all day:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20159.jpg

3 miles into it, and we stop for more adjustments. Big D wrestles
with his sweatshirt and Camelback for 20 minutes. I tell him to hang
it from a tree and we'll get it when we finish. I offer him a
tourniquet strap that he finally secures that thing with. Geezo, good
thing we're patient people raised on Barney songs:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20161.jpg

So the gal and I take off, with Big D following with the camera. We
got painfully few action shots, due to the fact that it was Big D, our
downhiller who carried the camera. He was always shooting way out
ahead and then waiting for us:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20162.jpg

In the aspens that line the track almost all the way to the abandonded
Aztech Mine, at 9,000 feet:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20164.jpg

After climbing this service road for a few miles, I feel the
elevation, last night's hard ride, my age, and lack of sleep:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20165.jpg

Toward the top of the climb, Bid D & I are hurting. The gal amazed
us! We knew she was strong from lots of rides together this summer,
but she was at the top of her game, what with new britches, new spd
shoes and pedals, and enough attitude to keep her out rocking the guys
all day!

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20169.jpg

At the top, she signs us in while I rest and adjust something:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20170.jpg

Big D and the gal. She doesn't even look winded. Not fair:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20174.jpg

Not sure what Big D is doing here, at the top of the climb:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20178.jpg

The female: http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20179.jpg

The menfolk, for a photo stop on the fastest singletrack imaginable.
Even the old SUB Paladin (Sport Utiltiy Beater) was taking jumps and
hauling a$$:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20182.jpg

Shot of the south side of a north bound woman, and guess who:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20185.jpg

We finally get an action shot. The gal coming down something steeper
than it looks:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/00FW2(1).jpg

Big D coming down a drop. Note how buffed these trails are. Here's
how it worked. You've got a long tough climb up 2,000 feet over about
6 miles. Then you've got a 2 miled downhill, a 2 mile climb, a 3 mile
downhill, a short climb, and another couple miles downhill. Just too
much fun.
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/we...mages/00FW.jpg

The peacock setting up to jump the water hazard:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20166.jpg

Big D takes a shot of us finishing up:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20188.jpg

Nice view from the bars as we prepare to wake up:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/BikeonFisherWilliams(1).jpg

Th-th-that's all, folks!

Paladin
Have bike, will travel.

"Paladin" wrote in message
om...
Part 2 from RR: the consolation.

It's late Monday night, I've ridden hard, and now I'm scrambling to
keep my original commitment to lead this little group up into the
high-country to ride Fisher Creek/Williams Creek Loop in the
Whitecloud and Sawtooth Mountains. Yep, an 18 mile loop in 2 mountain
ranges. Folks come from all o

ver the world to ride this hombre, it's just that good.

To make a long story short, Big D picks me up at 6am Tuesday. Not
even my patented Turkish mudd can clear the cobwebs after 4 hours
sleep and a hard ride last night.

So I stumble into the back seat of his blazer and we go pick the gal
up.
Gas up, coffee up, but still no wake up. So we're heading up to
Stanley, a tiny mo untain town on the north side of the Sawtooth
range, about 40 miles north of Sun Valley.

On the way, I roll down the window to photograph a low lying cloud:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20146.jpg


Big D takes a shot of Sleeping Beauty, who snoozed the whole way. You
know the mandatory abuse of companions who snooze on a road trip. We
restrained ourselves:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20152.jpg

So we roll into Stanley, recycle some coffee, and note that its
35degf, fairly clear, and should be a perfect day. 14 miles south
toward Sun Valley is our trail-head. I'm getting jacked.

Hit the trailhead, and big D tries out the remote on his camera:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20154.jpg

Looks like the gay roadie lookalike is the only one ready to ride:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20155.jpg

I swear, this was the slowest start I've ever seen, and I've been on
lots of group rides. You name it, we did. adjusted everything under
the sun, lubed everything, and the gal and Big D even swapped rear
wheels. I handed out some provisions, checked everybody's air and
brakes, and we're still farting around.

Is this guy the only peacock ready to ride today?

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20156.jpg

Our female sits down to fiddle with something. Maybe her new shoes,
as this was her first trip on clipless pedals!

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20158.jpg

OK, I give up! Take your time, because as a matter of fact, I do have
all day:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20159.jpg

3 miles into it, and we stop for more adjustments. Big D wrestles
with his sweatshirt and Camelback for 20 minutes. I tell him to hang
it from a tree and we'll get it when we finish. I offer him a
tourniquet strap that he finally secures that thing with. Geezo, good
thing we're patient people raised on Barney songs:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20161.jpg

So the gal and I take off, with Big D following with the camera. We
got painfully few action shots, due to the fact that it was Big D, our
downhiller who carried the camera. He was always shooting way out
ahead and then waiting for us:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20162.jpg

In the aspens that line the track almost all the way to the abandonded
Aztech Mine, at 9,000 feet:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20164.jpg

After climbing this service road for a few miles, I feel the
elevation, last night's hard ride, my age, and lack of sleep:

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20165.jpg

Toward the top of the climb, Bid D & I are hurting. The gal amazed
us! We knew she was strong from lots of rides together this summer,
but she was at the top of her game, what with new britches, new spd
shoes and pedals, and enough attitude to keep her out rocking the guys
all day!

http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20169.jpg

At the top, she signs us in while I rest and adjust something:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20170.jpg

Big D and the gal. She doesn't even look winded. Not fair:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20174.jpg

Not sure what Big D is doing here, at the top of the climb:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20178.jpg

The female: http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20179.jpg

The menfolk, for a photo stop on the fastest singletrack imaginable.
Even the old SUB Paladin (Sport Utiltiy Beater) was taking jumps and
hauling a$$:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20182.jpg

Shot of the south side of a north bound woman, and guess who:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20185.jpg

We finally get an action shot. The gal coming down something steeper
than it looks:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/00FW2(1).jpg

Big D coming down a drop. Note how buffed these trails are. Here's
how it worked. You've got a long tough climb up 2,000 feet over about
6 miles. Then you've got a 2 miled downhill, a 2 mile climb, a 3 mile
downhill, a short climb, and another couple miles downhill. Just too
much fun.
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/we...mages/00FW.jpg

The peacock setting up to jump the water hazard:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20166.jpg

Big D takes a shot of us finishing up:
http://myweb.cableone.net/skeets20/p...-7-3%20188.jpg

Nice view from the bars as we prepare to wake up:

http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/BikeonFisherWilliams(1)
..jpg

Th-th-that's all, folks!

Paladin
Have bike, will travel.




nice man....looks like a nice ride. Where is it?

Mark
--Ride On--Ride Hard--

Mark Hainsworth wrote:

snip

Thanks for quoting 150 lines of text for a 7 word reply.

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

a.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

"Mark Hainsworth" wrote in message ble.rogers.com...
"Paladin" wrote in message
om...

Part 2 from RR: the consolation.



nice man....looks like a nice ride. Where is it?

Mark
--Ride On--Ride Hard--

Between Sun Valley and Stanley, Idaho, at the confluence of the
Whiteclouds and Sawtooths. IMBA brass came out to ride it a couple
years back and couldn't believe how fast the trail is, and how you can
climb for 6 miles, and descend for what feels like 10, with a couple
misc miles thrown in.

The photos are just teasers, since our downhiller with the camera
never slowed down on the 8 miles of awesome singletrack, with views of
both mtn ranges, etc. We just snapped a few at the breaks. I have
lots more from prior excursions, though.

This'll tell you some more, cut n pasted from my earlier RR, "the
consolation" which is part 1 to this one:

http://www.mtbreview.com/trails/Idaho/FisherCreek.html
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...spamuswest.net
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...B%40uswest.net
http://www.mtnbikerider.com/ketchum_idaho.htm

Paladin

"Paladin" wrote in message
om...
Part 2 from RR: the consolation.

snip sweet RR

That looks really nice. It reminds me a lot of some of the stuff around
here.

Cute gal, too. I always like to see a cute, strong female rider. Not that
I'm shopping for one (got one already) but I can't help but appreciate such
a pleasant sight. Lots of demand for such a creature as well.

Glad you got it together, it looks worth some logistical overhead.

Matt

On 11 Sep 2003 06:20:07 -0700, Paladin wrote:

The photos are just teasers, since our downhiller with the camera
never slowed down on the 8 miles of awesome singletrack, with views of
both mtn ranges, etc. We just snapped a few at the breaks. I have
lots more from prior excursions, though.

I know the feeling; sometimes its just too much fun to stop, even though
you brought the camera.

Nice pics!

--
-BB-
To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

"Paladin" wrote in
SNIP Excellent RR
Th-th-that's all, folks!

Paladin
Have bike, will travel.

Nice one Paladin. I'm jealous.

my bad

"MattB" wrote in message ...
"Paladin" wrote in message
om...
Part 2 from RR: the consolation.

snip sweet RR

That looks really nice. It reminds me a lot of some of the stuff around
here.

Cute gal, too. I always like to see a cute, strong female rider. Not that
I'm shopping for one (got one already) but I can't help but appreciate such
a pleasant sight. Lots of demand for such a creature as well.

She's all that, alright.


Glad you got it together, it looks worth some logistical overhead.

Like that great Greek philosopher Nike said, sometimes you "Just Do
It."

I have about 220 days/yr to go to work. This was likely the only day
to ride my favorite trail.

Paladin

"Paladin" wrote in message
m...
snip

I have about 220 days/yr to go to work. This was likely the only day
to ride my favorite trail.


Glad you've got your priorities straight!

Matt