Collaboratively planned a trip with my best friend (and
spouse) to Sun Valley ID for mountain biking.
She came up with the location and it was certainly intended to be
different than Sun River / Bend
OR -- a usual routine for the
summer.
Driving to Sun Valley
takes a long time, about 2 days for a more relaxed mode. We planned our trip to occur at the tail end
of the USA Mountain Bike National Championships and intentionally rented and
stayed at a beautiful house located in Hailey, ID; a short 10 miles apart. Hailey was nearly half the cost of housing as
Sun Valley rentals.
Our first mountain bike ride was at the Croy Creek Trails
network of 14 miles of newly built trails within 1-2 miles of Hailey. The
altitude of the area is 5,000 up to 6,220 feet which makes the ride makes one
feel like you're out of shape.
Summary: A great "Best Date
Ride" and local favorite. (Although
we only saw three other people there for the 2.5 hours of riding.)
The second and next day's ride was more difficult (or
"Gonzo") at the Adams Gulch Area rated as "Strenuous" and
"More Advanced". This is one
of the classic trail systems in the area with some more technical climbing
pitches for 3 miles then quick roller coaster of a ride winding through trees
(read roots and baby-head rocks). This
started out great but at 1.4 miles up, Naomi hit a root or rock on a steep and
slanting trail that pitched the bike with her over a 8-10' steep
embankment. She hit hard. Two riders on
a parallel trail across a river and line of trees heard her yell out
"help". They raced up to
another trail head, met me (because I was ahead waiting for her) and the three
of us rocketed down a quarter mile.
Spouse was trying to crawl up 40-50 degree embankment -- left arm
hanging loose, bloody knees, dripping bloody elbow, dirtied face, and bloodied
lip. She was nauseous with spells of fainting yet "Woman'd up" and
hobbled out 1.4 miles and quasi-collapsed in a shade of white. I immediately drove her to the hospital where
she was X-rayed, scrubbed with a surgical brush to remove dirt and rock
particles, stitched up at the elbow, and received news and consultation on fracturing
her "humerus" bone (not a funny name for this break) just below the
shoulder joint. They gave her a pain
shot plus pain pills and an initial consultation that immobilization for 3-5
weeks is far likely better than surgery -- unless the fracture and a bone chip
shifts in the next few days.
She rested up the next three days, and I was able to get a
few rides in.
Came home a day early, driving 13 hours straight back to
Oly, WA. Purpose: Get injured spouse
back to comfort, doctor's care, and additional icing of bruised and damaged
body parts. She sees the local Orthopedic Monday. This is what my marriage
means to me. I love my best friend . . . and, wife.
Summary:
She stated a number of times that she wants (as well as
I) to go back to Sun Valley area next
year. It's very quaint, and manageable,
has rivers meandering all over the place, and miles and miles of single track
through wilderness areas. The people we
came upon were extremely hospitable and reached out. One even provided dinner
and lunches for us.
Recommendation:
A definite place to go back to again and one is better
off flying from SeaTac and renting bikes than driving the 2 days. We will both return again. Next:
Two very strenuous rides while the significant other recovered.
