Idaho Road Trip Take 2

Dust billowed behind the truck in front of us as the three cars followed each other
up the winding dirt road. Mountains littered with craggy rocks and moon dust
filled the landscape around us. As we drove past a large boulder, I gazed out
of the passenger window and was immediately taken aback by the beautiful
creature whose black eyes pierced into me. His brown mane danced in the wind as
he stood completely still, never taking his eyes off of me as we slowly drove
past. As quickly as he appeared, the sentinel of the pass was gone – swallowed
up by the boulders and rock walls of the mountain pass.  Andy and I were heading to the Boulder-White
Cloud Mountains with a group of friends. The goal was to shred the legendary
Castle Divide ride… one last time.

In early August of this year, President Obama passed a Wilderness Bill that would
convert over 275,000 acres in the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains into Federally
designated Wilderness. This new designation would still allow hikers and other
non-mechanized sources of travel, but bikers would no longer be able to make
the epic 22-mile ride from 4th of July Creek to the East Fork of the
Salmon River. Knowing that this designation would soon be enforced, Andy and I
made sure that our two-week road trip didn’t end until we had witnessed the
beauty, hardships and insane descents that Castle Divide had to offer. 

 After a night of cold beers, warm
food, and a rather impressively hot campfire (Andy = Pyro) we were ready for
what the mountains had in store for us. We all hopped into 2 cars and made the
few hour trek to 4th of July Creek where our journey would begin.
Backpacks full of food, water and tools we headed up the first climb – 7
friends embracing their last chance to ride a truly unforgettable trail system.
Traversing along cliff sides and pedaling up high alpine single-track, we wove
our way through the mountains. Geode crystals played hide and seek among the
thousands of dark grey rocks that littered the trail and wildflowers danced in
the warm breeze as we rode by. Throughout the 22 miles, there are three intense,
grueling climbs – but the end game is well worth the struggle. The last climb
puts you on top of a saddle that overlooks the most beautiful landscape you can
imagine. Mountains - as far as the eye can see… and a descent that you know
will take your breath away. Dropping in one by one, we made our way down the
meandering alpine single-track, hopping off side hits and rallying around
corners. Moist, tacky hero dirt welcomed us as we plunged into the forest,
winding through trees, plowing through rock gardens and launching off of drops.
At the very end of the ride, the trail shoots you out into the open – fast,
flowy and covered in loose rocks, the red dirt of the desert welcomed us as the
smell of sage filled our nostrils. I will never forget that final descent – the
smile plastered across my face, the laughter that I felt would never end, and
the joy of being able to share it all with my best friend.

The campfire was insanely hot again
that night, but not until we all enjoyed a dip in the hot springs, a bath in
the cool river and another meal of my infamous Duff Pot Camp Stew. Sitting
around the campfire, sipping a cold beer and enjoying the joy radiating off of
the entire crew, I realized that this ride had been much more than an
adventure. You learn a lot about yourself when you are in the wilderness – even
though you are in a group and in the mission together, the constant struggle to
keep pedaling, keep grinding up that hill (even when the altitude makes it hard
to breathe and you feel like your lungs are going to explode), when you feel
like your body can’t make one more pedal stroke, you remember that the word
can’t isn’t in your vocabulary.  Believing in yourself, your skills, your
training and your mental toughness all plays a factor when you are in the
elements. Winning the mental struggle that accompanies the physical ones is
part of life – and needs to be won every single day whether you are in the
mountains or in the office.

As Andy and I drove along the
winding roads through the mountains from Stanley to Boise, we enjoyed our
victory treats that we picked up from the Stanley Bakery. We were on our way
back to Naches from our two-week road trip – and the memories of the adventures
were still fresh in our heads. Sweat, blood, tears, smiles, laughter, new
friends, old friends, epic trails, massive campfires, whiskey, B.O. – This trip
was definitely one for the record books. Every climb that we crushed together,
every scary new drop or knarly, techy trail that we slayed together, every
night that we gazed at a star-filled sky together - Moments and memories like
these make every hardship worth the struggle. Life is full of mistakes, failure
and defeat – but that isn’t what we live for. We live for the feeling after
landing a massive jump, we live for the rosy, but smiling cheeks after pedaling
up a crazy steep mountain pass – we live for the moments that take our breathe away…
especially when in those unforgettable moments, we are standing side by side.