When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this
When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this – Van Morrison

Ride to Henry’s Lake, Idaho

I will be combining 3 riding days into one due to lack of internet coverage and being too tired to write up the blog story each night. Sitting cross-legged in your tent after riding 6 or more hours can be a pain also enough light can be problematic.

The ride to Red Rock Idaho was our first state Passage and was a day of rolling climbs not unlike my home state of Missouri. The ride was about 77 miles and with about 3000 feet of climbing spread evenly over the route.

The day started out as usual very cool and the ride would be almost entirely on dirt roads. We started out in what I’d describe as High Desert terrain with very few trees and quite a bit of scrub brush and grass. There were some beautiful vistas as we went past a dam and several lakes.

The biggest downside for me was the quality of the roads. While the prior day was very good, today was extremely bumpy. It also became almost unbearably hot. I drank all of my 100-liter camel back by lunch and after lunch I ran out of water, but still had Gatorade. I find myself drinking a lot more water from the camelback than reaching for Gatorade in the bottles.

We also had a very steep (but short climb) near the end and I needed to walk. The van was passing me as I summitted the climb and I stopped Ride to Henry’s Lake, Idaho he van and asked for more water. Jim replied that everyone was asking for water. From that point one, the ride was easy but I did come up on a mini-cattle drive on the road. Four horsemen (not of the were driving about 30 head of cattle. My riding speed was quite a bit faster than the cattle drive so I stopped to take a few pictures. When they noticed me, they told me to ride on through that the cattle would get out of the way. My bike did seem to make the horses nervous though and one seemed like he was going to kick. One of the horsemen joked that the cattle would move out of the way better than the horses.

Upon arriving in =camp, I felt drained. May have been some what dehydrated and was very sore. I was contemplating taking the van the next day if I didn’t feel any better but I recuperated with lots and water and felt ready for the next day’s ride. All in all, it was a very demanding day physically especially due to the heat, dehydration and very rough surface.

Ride to Warm River, Idaho

Rob gave us two alternatives to ride. The primary Great Divide official route, had a considerable amount of sand on the trail. Sand is somewhat difficult to navigate especially if one has not done enough riding on it. The alternative route was 17 miles longer but missed most of the sand. I elected to attempt the sand route but it was a decision that I’d soon regret. The day prior was one of the more physically demanding days and the sand would prove to be the most mentally challenging day for me.

We started off on pavement but quickly left the pavement for some beautiful single-track through the woods. It might also be helpful to point out the yesterday’s ride transitioned from high desert back to evergreen /aspen forest. The single-track was the type that I was accustomed to and although I wasn’t as fast as many others, I rode it comfortable. We the transitioned to some pavement for a few miles.

The pavement gave way to the sand. Initially, the sand was of a pumice nature and 6 or more inches deep. I did quite well on this for a spell. I was riding with a group of mid-speed riders: Luca, Patrick, Patrick and Brad all of whom seemed to do a little better with the sand than I did. The pumice-like sand gave way to more the traditional type that covered a double track route with lots of rough, wavy surface. This created a somewhat double dilemma for me, if I wandered a bit in the track and hit more sand, I lost stability and the bumpiness of the surface masked by sand made it tough on the posterior as well as corresponding stability issues.

Ultimately, my choice of the wood chipper handlebars probably created more stability issues in the sand than the traditional MTB wide bars.  Maybe a mile or two into the sand, I had crash number 1 and landed on the same hand that took the brunt of a crash several days before. At first it was excruciating but then after I took some Advil, the pain abated. Patrick came back and rode with me for a spell, but I insisted that he rejoin the group and that I’d do some walking.

The sand went on for well over 12 miles and it was like a bad dream like running through quicksand. I found the mental concentration to keep my balance very stressful. I had several mini-crashes and one than sent me flying and rolling. I took to cycling with one foot clipped in and the other just resting on the pedal. This saved me from some full crashes, but was still painful and caused more abrasions. I walked a lot.

Everyone and I mean everyone passed me. There were also quite a few RTV’s and motorcycles on the route. They were usually respectful and waited for me to pass but a caravan of 10 or more RTV’s created a bit of wait time and more stress. Rob was riding sweep and he waited for me along the route. I bypassed lunch because I wanted to get the day over.

The last 6 or seven miles was along the Warm River with beautiful cliffs and vistas. Sometimes, the trail bordered steep drop-offs and although scenic was stressful for one who was expecting more crashes. It was a day that I contemplated going home more than once and the thought kept entering my mind that The Divide had beat me.

Upon arriving at Warm Winter Camp, the thought evaporated as most of the riders knew of my travails and did things to help me. My bike had quite shifting for a spell and I had only two gears (rear was not functioning) and at times the wheel made awful noises especially after the bad crash. Chris, the mechanic checked over my bike and so much sand had entered the apparatus that the shifter no longer functioned. In camp though, I was greeted with quite a bit of concern, encouragement and offers of assistance. My spirit soared because I was surrounded by such an awesome group of cyclists. AT dinner, I received an ovation and though I would ultimately like to be remembered for other things, it was heart-warming. I was physically and mentally battered but still motivated. Rob asked me to be careful in stances like the sand though. He remarked that sometimes I came in with the leaders and other days I struggled. He was right, one the less technical days, I usually did well as I had a great base of speed, distance and hill work. However, I lack good technical MTB skills especially in certain types of terrain. I think my choice of bike was driven by having a bike that could handle any situation. The Divide provides for lots of variety. What my training lacked though was riding more in difficult terrain.

Every other rider handled the ride today much better than I did, but there were plenty of other crashes and many riders said it was stressful. Ray, the 68-year-old Australian racer said he enjoyed the ride, but he also rode down the very loose and rocky 40% downhill.

I still feel strong but I have some physical issues such as saddle sores, bruises, cuts, sore / stiff muscles and joints from the crashes that I need to be mindful. I know there will be more good days and some bad days. Rob assures me that there are hard days ahead but we are through most of the technical days.

Ride to Grand Teton N. P., Wyoming

This was a short and easy day overall. It was about 50 miles with 3300 feet of climbing. While it got hotter in the afternoon, I took it easy and didn’t push, knowing that it would augment the rest day.

It was a beautiful riding day as we transitioned from Idaho to Wyoming. There was no state line signage but the boundary was the Targhee National Forest and the John D. Rockefeller National Park . Lots of scenic vistas, mountains, forests and lakes. The road condition was ok but with some wash boards that kept you on your toes.

We are camping at Flagg Ranch and almost no internet and very few places to go. I am taking a day of rest and caught up with the blog and some chores. I am hoping for better connectivity in the next few days. Overall, this upcoming week will be the most challenging with high mileage and a lot of climbing. Taking it a day at a time.

I would be remiss if I did not add that we said a sad farewell to Pat from Mississippi who was a lot of fun and a great riding partner. He had perhaps the best crash , tumble and roll that we have seen as well. Pat and his wife will be touring the west with his wife before he returns home. We also welcomed 2 new riders Tim from Australia and Chris (female) from California who is an extremely strong rider who regularly competes in 200 mile races. Alos thanks to David and his wife Linda who carted a ton of bile parts from Steamboat. David is always a big help to me with suggestions on riding, camping and many other aspects. He rides a big fat tire bike and is a fantastic rider and a retired pediatric cardiologist.

Thanks for reading!

Tailwinds

Chuck Hardesty – Riding for Backstoppers.ORG