Don't forget your spare tubes

Talking to campground host in the morning…many stories…we were luckily interrupted by two athletic vixens running towards the three of us then asked which way the running path was. Campy campground host showed them the way and told us to hurry along and offer them a ride…scored a jailbreak…off to breakfast now.

Big breakfast at Perry’s restaurant in Ketchum. Sat next to a father son team with matching pressed silk blue polo shirts tucked tightly into their plaid khaki shorts while checking stocks on their blackberry’s. “T-time in 15 minutes Junior…smashing…” They glanced over at us and then looking back at each other as if to say, “You smell something?” Breakfast was really tasty.

Headed to laundry mat to do a load. Laundry woman appeared to not be one into sports but surprisingly started chatting my ear off about Kevin Garnett after she noticed my Celtic’s shirt. She advised me not to use drier no. 3 as it had been ‘acting finicky’. I used drier no. 4.

Headed to Bald Mountain (not Little Bald Mountain) to buy our lift passes…the deal is you can take the ski lift (w/bikes) up the top and ride down.

The chair lift workers were composed of the last remaining members of Hitler’s SS. We soon realized the ski resort was run by foreign exchange students. Chad was visually nervous as Gunter quickly manhandled Silver Suzy and put her on the chair lift. “Putting your hand a little high on that wheel, eh buddy?”

20 minutes later, 360 degree view from the top at elevation 9000ft. Let’s descend. First run was Cold Springs Trail, constant downhill along narrow mountain edge trails over some loose rocky stuff. Long winding switchbacks at the top and slick singletrack at the bottom. Lots of speed. Brakes working hard. Constantly torn between concentrating on the views and falling off a cliff. Mike ate some tree near the bottom to the sound of Chad laughing…and taking a pic.

Second run was Warm Springs Trail similar to Cold Springs but an additional 2 miles and tough 600ft climb thrown in for good measure. This trail brought us through fire ravaged forests from last year’s fires. Stopped a bunch for pics. Halfway down was stopped and waiting for Chad for a saaawweeeettt pic opportunity when I heard some hissing…I jumped of course thinking it was a rattlesnake seething at its fangs and ready to uncoil with great speed launching deadly venom just below the epidermis….

I popped my front tire…hisssss…

We always remember to bring spare tubes. While changing out the tube, Mike asks Chad for his bike pump, he grabs it and belts out an ‘ooooahahahaaa…gross’. Mike looks over and sees Chad hold what once was considered a solid banana about a week passed its prime…muusshh…somebody had effectively shat on the bike pump. Cleanup added 10 mins to the change out. Pump was lose and we had to screw together to get working properly.

Guy drives by on his bike…barely slows down…barely turns his head to ask if we need help. 15 minutes later we find him on the side changing out his own flat. We stop and ask if he needs help…he does not appear to want us there. He does say, ‘you know I am having trouble with this dam pump’…we of course tell him to screw it together…’man you just saved me an hour, I never would have figured that out’. No you wouldn’t have.

Each trail took about 2.5 hours to get down. Hot brake rotors!

Headed to local car wash, drove our bikes in and washed them down. Dam these bikes get bathed more than we do.

Hit the town for some coffee and dinner. Created a little blog action at dinner and the waitress was very inquisitive about our travels and didn’t even make any Brokeback jokes…she will get a good tip!