A New Meadows Weekend with the Riddles

Mike and Nicki invited the club down to New Meadows to join them for three days of cycling.  Christy and I arrived Friday evening for an excellent supper and Sean and Carol joined us Saturday morning for the first ride of the weekend. The weather was perfect Friday and Saturday.  Sunday morning's rain was intimidating but relented just in time for the trails at Bear Basin near McCall.

Fat Tire Ride  Friday
34.1 miles, 3:41 riding time    2,674 elevation gain
Mike led the six of us south of town, east of town, and finally North of town on some excellent back roads (unpaved mostly).  There's a mountain just north and slightly west of New Meadows that Mike wanted us to climb.  Nicki and Carol decided to stay on the Valley floor while Mike, Christy, Sean, and I rode to the top on the gravel roads. There were a few hunters driving around but otherwise almost no traffic. The descent, like all descents, was fun with one big rise in the middle of the descent, then down off the mountain, across hwy 95, and back to New Meadows from the South.

Sean, Mike, and Christy near the top looking down toward New Meadows

Secesh Summit Ride Saturday  long version 
61.4 miles  4:21 Riding Time   2,343 ft elevation gain      
Our numbers grew to 10 for the main event- a road ride from McCall to Secesh Summit as Corrie, Linda, Steve, and Dave joined us. Just as everyone was ready to pull out of McCall's downtown parking lot, Christy noticed she didn't have the right shoes for this bike's pedals.  We could see a look of panic on her face as she thought about her options (basically two)  1) drive back to the Riddles, get the pedals, and then chase down the pack in her car or 2) skip the highlight ride of the weekend for which she'd driven down to New Meadows.  Then "someone" (many seem to claim the credit for this idea) suggested, "why not buy a cheap pair of pedals at Gravity Sports".  She nabbed Sean, and they were almost immediately in Gravity Sports.  About five minutes later Christy reappeared all smiles with her bike in tow only $5 poorer.  They installed and rented her a set of good pedals for $5 though she'd have to be back by 1700 hours to return the pedals.

Christy reappears with pedals that match her shoes- photo by Nicki

The route was through town and up the West side of the lake.  The pavement on the West side of the lake is in fair condition, but its flaws were disguised by dappled shade, so I hit several small potholes.  That problem seemed to end before we got to the North end of the lake though and the pavement was either smoother or I could see its flaws better as I hit no more pot holes.

Steve, Dave, Christy, Sean, Carol, Steve, Corrie, Linda, Nicki, and Mike at the North end of the Payette Lake

View of Upper Payette Lake as we passed it - photo by Nicki

Steve, Linda, and Christy at the top

Corrie at the top

Everyone made it to the goal of Secesh Summit riding strong and within a couple minutes of each other.  Here Dave, Christy, Sean, and I decided to ride on down to the end of the pavement - 2 miles short of Burgdorf. The pavement down the other side of Secesh is excellent allowing speed without potholes or other hazards.  I decided to have my apple here at the bottom and offered Sean a bite.  When I handed the apple to Sean, the basketball player, he must have thought he was blocking a basketball, and slapped it hard; up and over my head it flew to loud laughter from Christy and Dave who were watching as the apple flew over my head and down into the creek.

Sean retrieves Steve's apple

Sean pulled Christy and me into the headwind and up the hill where we regrouped with Dave at the top.  We sailed down the hill into McCall and met the rest of the group at a local brew pub.for snacks and brew.  Christy was early returning those rented pedals.

The main group on the way back down to McCall - photo by Nicki

Dave and Steve left us, but the rest of us returned to the Riddle's for dinner.

Dinner at the Riddle's - Nicki, Carol, Sean, Christy, Steve, Linda, and Corrie - photo by Mike

Sunday Bear Basin Mountain Bike ride 
8.6 miles  1:34 riding time
Carol had a call Saturday night letting her know she had company, so the Ellis' left early Sunday morning for Lewiston.  Rain which fell most of Saturday night kept falling intermittently, so Christy decided to wait until 0930 to decide whether to do the day's ride.  My legs felt tired from Saturday's ride which was speedier than my legs liked.  I think  sitting around Sunday morning with tired legs (in my case anyway) started producing a desire in me to do nothing, but Mike remained optimistic.  Christy headed back to Lewiston shortly after 0930, and Mike and I headed to McCall in a  real downpour - of a few minutes.  I had to turn my windshield wipers to high a couple times on the way to Bear Basin, but the rain had turned into a light drizzle by the time we got there.  The plan was to stay close to the vehicles, and quit if real rain returned.  The drizzle stopped while my windbreaker was just damp; soon it was dry, and then we were in shorts in T shirts despite the 51° temp. There was enough uphill to keep us warm, and the downhills were brief enough we didn't chill!  After only about 2 miles, the lactic acid seemed flushed from my legs, and my "do nothing" attitude was gone.  The ride was fun!  The trails were damp- not wet- with no puddles, no mud, and the trails were wide.  Christy, they weren't technical unless you call one spot where the pedals might hit a rock if not rotated correctly "technical".  You'd have had a great time there!  I'm sure my speed was a little slower than Mike's used to, but it was a great final act to the weekend! I wouldn't go here without a map or Mike to guide me, but I think with a lunch in my trunk rack, I could enjoy a day here!

Mike on the Bear Basin Loop

On behalf of everyone, thanks Mike and Nicki for a great weekend!

The rest of my photos

Happy Cycling for fun, fitness, and transportation!

Steve