Bicycling the Boise Front in the Fall 2022

Because Texas tycoons who own adjoining land wrongly closed the public road for a couple of years, and because I'd recently failed to get friends to join me, I hadn't bicycled the Boise Front since 2015. I'd talked Tom and Ken into it the last two years, but failed to find a date that worked in those very hot years. They'd both agreed to ride it this year, but when my Waterford hardtail was returned from tour on 18 Oct and the weatherman predicted winter would arrive suddenly on 22 Oct, I gave the hard sell to my ridding buddies to accompany me on  this ride on 21 Oct, the day before the first winter storm was to arrive.

Tom was in California and Ken thought he wasn't in adequate shape. Cathy agreed to ride the front until the Orchard Trail rejoins it and maybe farther if she felt strong enough. That gave me company for the toughest part of the ride, so we decided to go. Christine agree to accompany us for a short ways. 

Cathy apparently thought we wouldn't have enough climbing for the day, so she started by leading us over Eagle's Ridge adding about 175 ft of unnecessary climbing.  Maybe to make up for that she led us over Shane's the reverse way (clockwise- the easier way), but come to think of it, that also added to our elevation gain as it goes to the highest point of Shane's and back down to the turn off to Shaw Mtn Rd. Christine turned off here and safely completed Shane's Loop.

Cathy on Central Ridge

 

Christine nearing the top of Shane's Loop

Cathy and I took a break at Aldape Summit where three young cyclists in their 20's briefly talked to us before heading down to Robie Creek. We then headed up the steepest part of the ride.

Cathy starting up the hill after our break at Aldape Summit

 

Cathy where the road moderates slightly above Aldape Summit

The photographer was about 2 seconds late with this photo of Cathy

 

I think we waited too long for lunch at 2:30 as we had both been hungry for a while violating the "eat before you're hungry, rest before you're tired" rule for long rides, and that mistake likely made us weaker for the rest of the day. Right after lunch those 3 young riders caught us having ridden down to Robie Creek and back up to the Front giving them considerably more elevation gain than we had, and they quickly left us behind.  By this time Cathy was having leg cramps, but she made it on to Hard Guy where she turned off with 4,803 ft of climbing, and by the time she'd finished on Hard Guy had 5,032 ft of elevation gain in 30.4 miles. She knew the layout of the road well, and before departing she wrongly assured me I'd have no issue with remaining daylight. My estimates were putting me home about dark- assuming no problems. I'd brought lights but no warm clothing except a windbreaker, and cold weather was forecast to arrive that evening.

Cathy as she prepares to ride down Hard Guy

 At the Hard Guy turn off fall colors immediately improved although any plant near the road was covered in gray road dust subduing its colors.

The road just above the Hard Guy intersection

 

Fall colors above Hard Guy

The road near the top

I followed the road but gave no consideration to riding up to the very top of Deer Point which I would usually do. I was spent; I'd run out of food - but not water; the wind had come up; it was cold at 48°; I had brought no leggings; I had a lot of descending awaiting me; and I was now expecting dark to fall before I reached home on Boise's Upper Bench. I never got to the point of my shivering causing the bike to shake, and temps warmed to 58° by the time I hit the valley's bottom. I rode up to my garage just as dusk was turning to dark. No blood was spilt, and there were no mechanical problems. I recommend this ride in the spring (May) as soon as the snow is gone when spring's green makes it more scenic, the sand and rocks are still embedded in the soft sand, and the wash outs are deep enough to discourage motorized traffic.

Total miles: 52.6, riding time 7:27, elevation gain 6,499

 2015 ride on the Boise Front

2012 ride on the Boise Front