Fizzy's Adventure on the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route

trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
Leaving Placervillle, we travel a stretch of paved backroad along granite creek. It was clearly evident that this area was mined as the stream banks had random piles of dirt. The land appears to be preserved now, no mining, and new trees are established. Sherri is treated to a wild surprise, a moose cow with two calves, in good view as they retreat into the forest. We top out to what appears to be a good clearing for a view, only to find it is the town dump. The road heading down the dreaded "moon dust" and we wait for it to settle after a caravan of forest service trucks pass through. After a few downhill miles, we roll into Idaho City with a cloud of dust behind us. A hoot and holler from Sherri and we roll up the dirt main street. Once one of the largest in the west, Idaho City now appears to be but a small outpost. Having burnt down 4 times, only a few original building remain, but they have kept the spirit of the wild west alive with many buildings retaining the "False Front" architecture and wood sidewalks. It remains the county seat, and also has some very nice and well kept municipal buildings.
Very dry and parched, we head for the Saloon...……………………...but it is closed.:confused:
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Harleys Pub and Spirits is open though...….:)
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There is a bouncer at the door, a big yellow dog, and after a sniff we are let in and seated. There is group of older fellers at the bar we eventually find out to be from Florida. We discuss our trip and theirs, and when Sherri leaves to visit the necessary, one of them suggests I watch my step with a tough lady like her. After our cold beer we head back outside into the bright sun and heat in search of food. We find it at Season restaurant, where we sit outside and watch the goings on in town, some of which I find to be entertaining and a bit peculiar. For one thing, the teenagers freely travel through town on ATV's and motorcycles. They seem to be making the rounds at various stops, only to circle past us again every 10 minutes or so. Then there is the blue pickup with tinted windows also regularly driving past. At one point a wind whipped up fairly good sized dirt devil and it traveled right past us. We were lucky the awning we were under held up, because it was strong enough to bring down some tree branches. Within minutes, the blue pickup cleanup up the fallen branches. After lunch we check into our roof for a night, the old Idaho City Lodge. We get an upstairs room facing the wooded back, where we keep our bikes overnight.

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After we wash off the road, we head out into town and do "touristy" things.
The museum was very good, and had a full time curator.

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In the evening, we head back to Harley's to play shuffleboard and watch the wildlife.....
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28mi 2863ft
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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
I was good to get out for some entertainment at Harleys's, but apparently smoking is still permitted inside and so all our clothes reek. Before hitting the pillow, we wash them and hang to dry. It's good to be in a bed again.

7/18/18
We got a big day ahead as we are going to climb 4000 feet to get over Bald Mountain and re-connect with the Boise spur. We are up and out by 0630, the quaint coffee shop is not open, so we go to the convenience store next to the town park. They are busy inside making sandwiches for the forest service crews which will be fighting the fire near Crouch. The is a large forest service camp in town with on site housing. We get breakfast and supplies for our last night on trail and eat alongside the duck pond. Always more to discover, we roll out on 21 North to find a rec trail that leads to the town pump track and dispersed camping.

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It is cool with a little humidity, as we get back on the dirt of NF-304 and immediately start climbing. There are many side trails, some of which are single track, and appear to be mostly used by motorcycles. All the trails are identified by number, clearly marked with standard USFS signage. The grade starts out very moderate with many switchbacks under the cover of tall pines.

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Views start to appear....
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and after awhile, we reach a "false" summit where there is a campground. Its way too early to stay here overnight, and would probably be very cold if we did. So we take a break for a little while.

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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
The grade gets much steeper, the road more eroded, and we are now working real hard to keep rolling.

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We think we topped out, so have a brief cheer.........
But with the temps and exposure decide not to do the additional climb to the Thorn Butte loop.
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as it turns out, Bald Mountain has a very broad top, it flattens out for awhile, only to climb more....and more...
At an intersection for a single track trail, we come across a van that had passed us much earlier. With the sound of many power tools running in the background, it was obviously a work crew. What was a surprise, it that the van was from a correctional facility and apparently they use inmates for trailwork.

As we now start to descend the south side, towards the Arrowrock, it is very noticeable how much the landscape changes. We are leaving the comfort of pines trees for the more arid, and somewhat barren hills of the basin.

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The trail get much more eroded, and we have to be careful while descending with loaded bikes..

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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
The descent is very long, and fast, and as we reach reach the bottom need to make a decision. There is the Cottonwood campsite, but the stream is only a trickle and we would really like to swim. As uncomfortable and strenuous as it might be, we opt to head back out 5 miles, to the Willowcreek campground we stopped at on Day 1. This means going back out along the Arrowrock, into the full sun.....and through the carnivorous crickets.

It is worth it though, and soon we are at the campground, and swimming once again in the crisp clear Boise river.

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36.4mi, 4105 ft

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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
Bicycle touring provides you with a boundless sense of freedom. To travel as you may, without a protective shell to inhibit your connection with the wilderness or the people who appreciate your ambition. It can however, at times, leave you vulnerable.........................
 
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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
Willowcreek campground has designated sites with a picnic table, cook stand and fire ring at each. We opted for a campsite not accessible by car, as we have none, and thus provides more privacy. The main area is a turn around with two very nice sites on the bluff overlooking the river. When we arrived at the campground, the first to do so, there was litter left on the rocky beach. A self standing pop-up tent was shredded and half burned, and left with other trash. I dragged the remains of the tent up to the parking area and piled it under the signage. There was also a cooler left behind which was covered with flies. I thought twice, cause you never know, but did peek inside to see left over chicken packs. It had probably been there since the weekend, so the 3rd day. Maybe since it is the first nice campsite along an otherwise barren Arrowrock, this a popular spot, being only 40 miles from downtown Boise.

We settled in, setup the tent, and spent the late afternoon swimming, hiding from the sun, and playing cards. For a Wednesday, there was a surprising amount of visitors. A young lady with three kids, an infant, and boy about 3 and another girl about 12 setup camp on the bluff. The 12 year old was friendly and chatty when we were all together at the beach. A good big sister looking after the 3 year old. Later, a young guy I would estimate to be in his twenties drove up separately and joined them.

As we played cards, I observed other folks come and go. The first site for the campground had a separate entrance directly off the main road, and so got a lot is sight seers. It was about 450 feet away from ours with a gulch between and a path for access to the river and the rest of the campground. As an observer, you recognize common campground behavior. People planning to stay start to unload, put up tents, string hammocks, setup the kitchen etc. The last visitor however, was not common...……..
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
All these dot dot dots leaving me on a cliff hanger..... And haha my gutter mind first read the "bluff" as "buff" and thought your had stumbled into a nudist camp..... Looking forward to reading the rest.
 

trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
So this guy in a pickup pulling a flatbed trailer pulls into the first site. Instead the usual behavior though, he is focused on throwing knives at a tree. His general movements are hurried, back and forth.
I'm unsettled by the presence of this guy, but he appears completely self absorbed, has a medium sized black dog, and the truck looks fairly well kept. After a while, his activity changes to something involving 5 gallon buckets, so I think maybe he is a miner, a common activity in the back country. He has not setup camp, so maybe not staying. I notice a jeep with a camper pulls in the main area of the campground.

It's been a long day, and not much after the sun sets below the mountain peaks we pack it in for the night.
 
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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
Some time around midnight, we are sound asleep, but suddenly woken by screams....very real, extremely intense screams. It takes a few more before we fully wake and can locate ourselves and from what direction they are coming.

It's the guy in the first site and it sounds like he is being totured. The screams are a series of unintelligible sounds and we don't know what to think. Then, out of the jibberish, we hear him say "Lucifer, you are the king".

We sit full upright in the tent, figure that this guy is on some crazy trip. We can tell from the direction and level, he is at his site but frantically pacing around.
Now realize, while this is starting to make sense to me, Sherri has no idea of the knife throwing I saw earlier in the day.
 
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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
We discuss packing up and leaving, but first, how do we do that without drawing attention to ourselves, and second, we have to pass his campsite to head for town.

One thing for sure, we are not staying here. So I suggest Sherri stay while I go explore the campground for options. This is taking into consideration, that most everyone in Idaho is armed, except us, and just venturing around the campground while everyone else is in a heightened state is risky, unto itself. She will stay, but wants the pocket knife from the bike first. During all this, the guy is still screaming and so I have a bearing on his location, which is still in his campsite. There is no fire burning, except the one in his head.

I walk into the main area of the campground and with my flashlight shining on the ground, approach the jeep / camper setup.
"Is anyone there? ".
A voice answers from the darkness, "Yeah I'm here", and I make out a faint figure sitting in a chair.
"Do you hear that?"
"Yeah I sure do"
I explain we are in the adjacent campsite, really freaked out, and about my observation of the knife throwing.
He was concerned too, but more so now.
I ask him if he is armed, and he confirms that he was.
The whole time we can hear the guy screaming.
He offers that we move our camp adjacent to his.

So I rush back to our tent, Sherri is dressed, shoes on and ready to go.
We pull the stakes on the tent, and carry it whole, out of our site and to the new one, all without using any flashlights.
We setup the tent and make introductions, "B" is camping with his daughter and her friend, which are in a tent behind the trailer too.
I make a few more trips back to get all our gear and the bikes.

He plans to maintain guard, so I stay up with him while Sherri lays down in the tent.
And so we sit, listening to the guy scream over and over.
The lady with three kids never emerge, nor does the guy, but there are lights on inside the tent at times.
I think of how terrified those kids must be.

Eventually, around 3am, the screams subside, then stop.
He must have finally passed out, we assume.
We stay up a little while longer, and after sufficiently convinced so, pack it in once again.
The rest of the night is quiet and uneventful.
 
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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
7/19/18
In the morning, before we emerged from our tent, "B" was already up and had surveyed the situation at the first campsite. He saw the dog, the knives, an empty bottle of Wild Turkey and the trailer which looks to have all manner of possessions, but no sign of the guy. He didn't inspect the truck, so we suspect the guy was sleeping in it.

After a quick cup of coffee, packed up and ready to roll, "B" offered to drive us past the first campsite, but we thought that not necessary as there was clear view from his site to the road. He suggested we inform authorities if we see any as he was planning to stay more nights. So we head off down the road, passed the first campsite where we see the dog, but no person. We felt sorry for the dog, who had probably not been fed and was probably upset at all the screaming as well. A lingering concern, was that this guy might wake up and decide to take the wheel, in which case he will surely come up behind us.

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trailhead

JORBA: Wildcat/Splitrock
JORBA.ORG
A later start that we would have preferred, and the sun was already above the peaks and heating up the road. We pass through several colonies of the carnivorous crickets which yields screeches from Sherri. Before reaching civilization, we see a park service truck and explain the overnight experience at Willowcreek to the ranger.
We emerge onto the highway for our long climb of the day.

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Once back in Boise, we head straight for the FedEx store, where we strip our bikes of all unneeded items, box them up in the air conditioned store, and make arrangements for shipping back home. I donate my almost full, fuel canister, to the Boise Outdoor Gear Exchange which is next door. This is also an opportunity to talk about the IHSMBR route with like minded bicycle fanatics who appreciate the latest trail report. Afterwards, we hop on our bikes, which now unloaded feel very strange, and make our way back to the Oasis of the Riverside and Yardarm, where we have a beer and reflect on the completion of our tour.
Questions and feedback welcome: trailhead2 at verizon dot net

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