Again, if I go too many days without updating the blog, I can't remember half the stuff we did. Based on the pictures, we curled up with the Kindles in the early morning hours while the dogs slept...
I highly doubt most dogs are this spoiled...
We eventually got moving, loaded the bikes, geared up and hit the Stanley Lake Trailhead area for the Elk Mountain Loop we wanted to ride. The ride started out climbing right from the beginning - a terrible warm up. It was not difficult riding as it was a F.S. road, but it was a very long and steady climb. I think it was 3 miles or so. Part of the way up, the trees opened to a nice view of Stanley Lake (difficult to make out in the pics).
Stupid mosquito jacked up my picture...
We continued on and finally reached the Elk Mountain Trail. Singletrack. Sweet! It started out with some rocks...and then became progressively rockier.
I was getting a little nervous thinking "I am SO not prepared for 8 miles of cat heads and rock gardens". There used to be a time when I wouldn't have blinked at this. Now, I'm apparently getting old and turning into a sissy. :) If we keep biking out here, I'm sure I'll get over it. I'll have to - you don't have a lot of choice. It's just that I am many years removed from the insanity of riding my rigid through the rock gardens at Gambrill and the Watershed and only being happy if I was moments away from a crash that would have seriously injured me. I've GOT to get my skills back.
The trail eventually turned into some nice, fast, hard packed singletrack a la Schaeffer Farms but with some kickin' downhills. The beauty of climbing and all that ridiculous, boring EXERCISE-type work that occurs in the beginning is that the downhill payoffs are awesome. :0)
After some fast downhill, we popped out into a beautiful meadow with some amazing views of the surrounding mountains.
It's spectacular here. I'm not well traveled compared to most, but I've seen a fair amount of the mountain ranges this great nation has to offer. While I haven't made it to the Northwest corner (yet), I have to say that the Sawtooth Mountains/Stanley area is by far the most amazing place I've ever been. I could really see us spending a lot of time here.
We headed out of the meadows and back into the lodgepole pine forests. The singletrack continued and was a little hairy in some areas. Not rocky, just steep and off-camber. Still fun though. There were some fun jumps and then as we climbed the last bit of singletrack, we hit more of the doubletrack and F.S. roads which also resulted in some fun downhills with jumps. I love jumps. :)
The trail popped out on the road and we had to ride the last mile on wretched pavement to get back to the truck. I just don't think I'll ever cross over to becoming a road rider. Too much like boring exercise and no fun at all. Where are the jumps? Where are the rocky downhills? Asphalt = BOOORING.
We came back to the trailer and took the Boys for a walk and had an early dinner...I think. Again, seems like forever ago. :)
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