We tried some mountain biking trails today … we have professional mountain biking expertise in the family, so one might think that I have some mountain biking skills … not. Ponderosa State Park is on a peninsula jutting into Payette Lake. The park has developed a mountain bike and trail hike system that essentially circumnavigated the peninsula … trails paralleling the shoreline and then climbing a rocky prominence toward the tip of the peninsula to give one a view of the entirety of the lake.
The “mellow” green trails were a piece of cake, even paved, running along the shoreline, building my fledgling confidence. The “intermediate” blue trails less so as we added single track trails with obstacles and elevation. I’ve learned some new lessons (don’t laugh) … the wrong choice of gear going up a hill can stop forward momentum … roots and sharp rocks can stop forward momentum … and when forward momentum stops, I turn into a mountain bike walker … and I walked up a couple of hills … and then down some hills. I don’t think that walking a mountain bike is the same as mountain biking. Paul was more successful than I was, but we both turned around before the “advanced” dark purple trails were reached. I think that I prefer the security of my own hiking feet … but, I must admit, one certainly covers more of the trail on a bike … and going downhill is exhilarating … I just couldn’t see much of it because I was watching for those momentum-stopping, bike walking, large roots and sharp rocks. More to learn …
McCall called to us … we took our bikes into McCall, Idaho both to explore the town and to get some groceries.
Later, we headed back to town to have dinner once it cooled off … dinner at Salmon River Brewery … local beer and and exceptionally tasty Thai beef salad while sitting on a open deck watching the breezes rattle the leaves on the trees below and the sunset over the lake… life is good.
Then on to Ice Cream Alley, where life is even better. Ice cream is a major aspect of life in the land of the L.D.S. Church … the treat that had seemingly everyone in the town lined up to get. A cheerful young woman took our order after we patiently waited in a long, but fast moving line, and was delighted to know that we had come all the way from Tucson to visit McCall. After placing our order, we waited briefly for the “mountain” of ice cream to be delivered to us and sat in the alley patio as we ate our “single scoop” cones that each must have been a half pint of ice cream and watching the world of McCall converge on Ice Cream Alley and enjoy all forms of ice cream treats (the sundaes were almost pornographic …)
Bambi wanted to know why we didn’t bring any ice cream back for him … Fritz was stoic, as usual …
Shout-Out to Hillary: Our daughter-in-law, Hillary, is a professional mountain bike racer and a mountain bike coach. She has a big birthday tomorrow and we send her our best wishes for a wonderful birthday and great year to come. And, I know who can help me with mountain biking skills …
2 comments:
Clarissa, you make me feel confirmed! I don't think I would call it mountain biking, but I was off-road biking with my granddaughter when I hit one of those tree roots, stopping very abruptly, and flying over the bars to land with my leg through the frame - and requiring Isabella to extract me. I tried to keep face by explaining that I was demonstrating why we wear helmets, but the blood on my arms and the punctured front tire betrayed me! We subsequently decided that ice skating, roller skating, and off-road biking are now in my past...
Thanks for the Birthday wishes! I would be happy to give some safety pointer for mountain biking if you would like! I enjoy
seeing these pictures, my first big trip as an "adult" of 18 brought me to Couer D Alene on the train with a road bike. Beautiful area, I somehow managed not to get killed on that trip multiple times!
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