Bike Touring News is growing and we are looking for passionate bike travelers to join the team!  If you enjoy helping folks solve problems and break down barriers so they can get out and explore their world on two wheels we want to hear from you!

Mostly, we need help with the daily operations of our Boise, Idaho retail store.  Some places might refer to such a person as a Retail Associate or Customer Service Representative but we’d rather think of this team member as an Adventure Consultant.

Actual touring/bikepacking experience is required, as are excellent communication skills (mostly listening), kindness, patience and a sense of humor.  Previous experience in outdoor/bicycle retail is an asset but is not required.  Must love bikes, people and dogs.

We are dedicated to building a fun-loving, adventurous, inclusive culture and providing a workplace that reflects those values.  If you want to be part of that process and help us grow the bike travel community here in Idaho and around the world, we encourage you to apply!  Know someone who would be a great fit?  Send them a link to this post!

Read on below for the Job Description and Application Instructions!  Please read the entire post (especially the How to Apply section) and follow the instructions if you intend to submit an application.

Job Description

Position Title:

Adventure Consultant

Location:

Bike Touring News HQ – Boise, Idaho

Start Date:

ASAP (Late July 2021)

Schedule:

Highly Flexible.  ~20 hrs/week to start.  Potential to transition to full-time once fully trained.  Normal shop hours are 11 – 6, Tuesday – Friday.  Some work may be available outside of retail hours.

Wages:

Hourly rate is negotiable based on demonstrated skill and experience.  Wage increase after six weeks training is completed and every six months thereafter pending performance review.  Potential for bonuses/perks based on performance.

Benefits:

Flexible schedule with ample time off for holidays, riding and travel.

Opportunities to participate in, lead, guide, and organize rides, events, campouts, etc.

Access to employee pricing on bikes and gear.

Bike commuting incentives.

Opportunity to be part of building and evolving a culture, brand and company based in the power of bike travel.

Role and Responsibilities:

The Adventure Consultant is on the front lines of our mission to empower the bicycle traveler.  This person will be laser focused on customers’ needs and experience, helping find solutions, solve problems and break down barriers so they are able to live their pedal-powered dreams.  Our customers are family and we treat them as such.

Typical daily responsibilities will include merchandising, cleaning and organizing retail space and backstock, facilitating bicycle test rides, providing assistance choosing bags, racks or other gear, answering phones, scheduling appointments and other common retail tasks.

There are a multitude of potential areas for growth depending on the individual’s skill set and aptitudes.  These may include but are not limited to mechanical work, content creation for web, blog or social media, shipping/receiving, inventory management, web order fulfillment and other e-commerce tasks.  We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic about sharing the joy and wonder of bike travel with all kinds of people and who is ready to grow with us!

Required Skills/Experience:

Bike travel experience is mandatory.

Excellent communication skills (mostly listening), kindness, patience and a sense of humor.

Friendly, helpful and professional demeanor in person, over the phone and in written communication.

Strong code of personal ethics and the ability to treat all people with dignity and respect.

Fundamental understanding of bike fit and sizing.

Fundamental understanding of mechanical concepts relevant to bicycle design, assembly and maintenance.

High level of organizational skill and fine attention to detail.

Must love people, bikes and dogs.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

Retail experience (merchandising, point of sale, inventory management, etc.) is a massive plus.

Hands on experience with the key brands/products/services BTN offers.

Knowledge and understanding of relevant trends in the bicycle and outdoor industries.

E-commerce/web design experience.

Event/ride planning, promotion and leadership.

Content creation skills – photography, graphic design, social media, etc.

First Aid certification, Leave No Trace training or other outdoor leadership training.

About Bike Touring News

Bike Touring News was founded in 2011 with the mission of Empowering the Bicycle Traveler.  Many things have changed since those early days but the mission remains the same.  We are dedicated to providing our customers with the goods, services and information they need to ride and use their bicycle more of the time, whether that means riding to the corner store, to work, on an overnight camping trip or across a continent.

To that end, we operate a web store that ships goods all over the world along with a physical retail location and full-service bike shop in our Boise, Idaho headquarters.  We also strive to provide helpful, informative and entertaining content via our social media and blog platforms.  We leverage our knowledge, experience and passion to provide the best possible customer service and share the stoke of bike travel with our current and future customers, here in Boise and around the world.

While our mission and goals may be large and lofty, we’re actually quite a small business.  Our retail showroom is less than 300 square feet and we are currently a team of five, including Cheddar the shop dog.

How to Apply

Your application should include the following components:

1. Your resumé (no more than two pages) outlining relevant skills, abilities and experience.
2. A cover letter (no more than 1000 words) describing what got you hooked on bike travel and what motivates you to share that passion with others.
3. Three brief descriptions (may be incorporated into resumé or cover letter) of bike trips you’ve taken in the past.
4. Three references who can speak to your stated skills, abilities and experience.

You may deliver these documents via email, USPS or in person.  Primary consideration will be given to applications received by July 16.  Send your application to:

[email protected]

-or-

Bike Touring News – 3853 N. Garden Center Way, Boise, ID 83703

Thanks for your interest!  We look forward to hearing from you!

The Owyhee Pedal Patrol Story

The Owyhee Pedal Patrol is a group of volunteers assembled to explore, share and contribute to the responsible management of the amazing region that is defined by the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness Area.  This rugged landscape in southwest Idaho contains six individual wilderness areas totaling over a half-million acres, encompassing some of the deepest canyons and wildest rivers in the world.  Our friend and co-conspirator Evan Worthington is the BLM’s field ranger in charge of patrolling this vast expanse.  That’s one lone ranger tasked with covering a half-million acres of territory!  The Owyhee Pedal Patrol was formed in 2014 as a force multiplier for Evan and the BLM.  We are not enforcement officers.  Our mission is to ride the boundaries, cherrystem routes and occasionally venture on foot into the wilderness areas to make a record of what we find so that these special places can be managed using accurate, up-to-date information.

Our goal for the coming year is to have at least one group of volunteers on an OPP ride every month.  In order to accomplish this goal, we need to deepen the pool of riders.  Hopefully that is why you’re reading this post!  If you enjoy rugged landscapes, challenging riding, self-supported bike travel and want an opportunity to experience all of the above via a free shuttle from the BLM, OPP WANTS YOU!

Volunteer Requirements

Owyhee Pedal Patrol riders must meet two primary requirements to be cleared to volunteer through the BLM:  1) Participation in a Leave No Trace training program and  2) a BLM-approved First Aid certification, both within the last year.  We strive to offer annual or bi-annual trainings (usually in the fall or winter months) through the OPP to keep those certifications up to date.  This North Fork Campout will check both boxes – clearing new volunteers to join the OPP ranks.

Please note that the First Aid training provided at this event is not sanctioned by the Red Cross or any other medical agency.  It is only valid as clearance to volunteer for OPP.  If you discover an interest and want to take your training to the next level, we highly recommend signing up for a Wilderness First Responder course via the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) or a similar course focused on providing emergency care in remote areas.

You’ll also need to provide your own bike, gear and supplies for each trip.  Most riders would agree that the ideal bike for the rugged, unmaintained terrain of the Canyonlands is a wide-tired off-road touring bike like the Surly ECR.  However, riders have participated on everything from pavement touring bikes to full-on fatbikes, full-sus MTBs and even longtail cargo bikes.  If a bike and/or gear is a barrier to participation please email [email protected] and we’ll see how we can help!

Daily mileage and route difficulty is highly variable and can be tuned to the needs of a given group.  Base camping with unloaded day rides is an option but this region is best experienced via a self-contained through-ride or loop.  We’ll always err on the shorter/easier side if in doubt as conditions can change rapidly and “desert miles” often feel much longer!  As is the case with the North Fork Campout, we’ll typically shoot to depart from BLM HQ in Boise on Friday afternoon to shuttle out.  A Friday afternoon departure helps keep the ratio of truck time to saddle time reasonable, allows two nights of camping and all of Saturday to ride before reaching the pickup location for the return to town on Sunday.

Benefits of Volunteering

• Free shuttle from the BLM to ride bikes in one of the most beautiful and remote places you’ll ever see.
• Additional safety via BLM-provided SPOT tracking devices, satellite phone, trauma/first aid kits, etc.
• Access to the best maps, routing information and current condition updates.
• Good times riding bikes with a fun group of folks!

Ready to get on board?  Join us October 11-23 at the North Fork Campground!  This free event is a great opportunity to experience the Canyonlands without the commitment of an overnight bike ride.  We’ll base camp out of the North Fork CG, knock out 4 hours of training in the mornings and have the afternoons free to ride and explore.  Attendees will leave cleared to volunteer through next October.  If you’re able to depart on Friday afternoon (see timeline below) you’ll have the option to use BLM-provided transportation.  If you choose to drive yourself please share rides as much as possible.

Link to Registration Form:  Register for the October OPP Campout here.

Please register even if you do not plan to attend the training sessions.

What to Bring

• Water for the weekend or means to filter!  There is no potable water at the campground though water can be readily filtered from the North Fork Owyhee River.
• Camping Gear – The main group will base at the campground but the option to camp off the bike is available.  Just be back in time for Sunday training at 9am!
• Warm Layers!  Especially important for chilly morning training sessions.  Keep an eye on the weather in Jordan Valley for the best indication of expected conditions.
• Food and Snacks!  BTN will provide a chili dinner Saturday evening.  You are on your own for all other meals and snacks.
• Bike!  Any good MTB or dirt touring bike will be fine for this trip.  Lacking an appropriate bike?  Email [email protected] and we’ll see what we can do.

OPP North Fork Campout Timeline

Friday, Oct. 11

• 3pm : Meet at BLM HQ (3948 Development Ave, Boise, ID 83705.  Near Boise Airport) to Carpool Up
• 4pm : Roll Out to North Fork Campground – https://www.blm.gov/visit/north-fork-campground
• Expect about 3 hours drive time.
• Please carpool if you’ll be providing your own transportation!

Saturday, Oct. 12

• 9am – 1pm : First Aid Clinic
• 1pm – 7pm : Ride Time!  Fishing potential also.
• 7:30pm : Chili Dinner p/b Bike Touring News (Vegan/Vegetarian and Carnivore options.  Please note your preference upon registration.)

Sunday, Oct. 13

• 9 – 10:30am : Leave No Trace Clinic
• 11am – 1pm : First Aid Scenarios
• 1pm – 4pm : Ride Time or Add’nl First Aid Training if needed

Questions?  Concerns?  Email [email protected].  See you on the North Fork!

Saddle up, hearty souls!  It’s time for the 5th running of the Boise Ridge Road Randonnee!  Join us for this challenging – potentially brutal at times – ride over some of the rugged dirt roads, moto trails and singletracks that criss-cross the Boise Ridge.  If you’re looking to test your climbing legs, take in some iconic views and explore some little-traveled zones in your big backyard you should come along!

UPDATE:  We’ve altered the route slightly for 2019 to include the Cobb Trail and Lucky Peak Trail, both part of the Boise Trails Challenge.  Follow the link to learn more and register if you’d like.  Other than our route up Lucky Peak we’ll follow the same track as in years past.  Of course, you’re under no obligation to stick to our suggested route.

Ride Details

This is not a race or event – this is an unsupported, unsanctioned, informal bike ride with friends.  You are 100% responsible for your own safety and enjoyment.  We are providing a route suggestion and nothing more.  Plan Ahead and Prepare!  Arrive at the start with good legs, a well-maintained bike, plenty of food and lots of water.  Finish times average around 8 hours for the complete route.

• START:  Boise Co-Op, 9th and Fort.  Arrive no later than 8:45.  Ride departs promptly at 9:00am.
• FINISH:  Sun Ray Cafe, 13th and Eastman.
• 48 Miles, ~7,200 feet of elevation gain.
• https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30292076

Route Details

Many sections of the route are unmaintained and conditions are unpredictable.  After this past winter’s heavy snow and an unusually wet spring we expect even more ruts, loose rock, sandy washes, etc than in years past.  Keep your wits about you!  Much of the route is also very exposed to the sun, so protect yourself and be sure to start hydrated!  Here’s that route link again:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30292076

Bike/Tire Selection

Wide tires (2.2″/56mm or wider) and low gears are highly recommended.  Suspension won’t hurt (especially on the rough-and-tumble descent from the Eagleson Summit) but isn’t strictly necessary.  Any good mountain bike or dirt touring bike should be adequate.  Road, cyclocross or pavement touring bikes are not a good option.

Resupply Notes

There are no resupply options en route with the exception of the Ranch Market at mile 6.5.  Water may be filtered from Robie Creek between mile 30 and 33.  Be prepared to carry all food, water and supplies you will need to complete the route.

Questions?  Comments?  Call, email or stop by the shop.  Don’t forget to tag your photos:  #RidgeRoadRandonnee #RidgeRoadRandonneurs #BikeTouringNews.

Let’s Ride!

We’re really excited about this event and the chance to share the excitement and camaraderie of self-supported riding with friends!  In honor of this once-a-year event, Bike Touring News HQ will be CLOSED on Friday, May 31!

Watch this page for updates as the event approaches!  Questions?  Call, email or stop by the shop!

We hope you’ll join us for the 2019 Featherville Freakout, May 31 – June 2!  We want this to be an opportunity for riders of all ages and abilities to get out and sample a little slice of the spectacular riding here in Idaho, so rather than prescribing a route and setting the agenda we’re nailing down a meetup point and encouraging folks to plan their own adventures.  You can organize your own ride, invite your friends and tell us all about it at the campground on the South Fork of the Boise River!  We’d love to see riders from all across the state come together for a weekend gathering of the bike travel tribe!  Here’s how it’s gonna go down:

Our destination will be the Chapparal campground on the South Fork of the Boise – just upstream from the town of Featherville – for Friday and Saturday nights.  Nestled in the hills just south of the mighty Sawtooth Mountains, this stretch of road will be familiar to veterans of the Smoke ‘N’ Fire 400 or Idaho Hot Springs MTB Route.  There are ample opportunities for day riding, hiking, fishing, hot spring soaking, barstool rodeo, slingshot biathlon or any other outdoor games you want to play!

Route options to Chaparral could range from the seriously strenuous to super relaxed depending on your style and preference.  Make it as easy or challenging as you want!  No rules, no restrictions.  Just get your crew together, draw some lines on a map and come meet us riverside!

Want to host your own ride to the Featherville Freakout?  We hope you do!  Register your ride with the ACA so that other folks in your area can find it and join in!  You can also register as a private event if you’d rather pick and choose your riding companions.

Want to let someone else handle the route planning and join in a ride?  Check out the list below.  We’ll update this list with more rides as they are added.  Click the link to find more information and to register your participation.  You’ll get an sweepstakes entry for your trouble!  You can also contact the ride leader with any questions you might have.

Featherville Freakout Ride Listing (5/30/19 update)

Departing Boise on Friday – 87 miles, 7,400 ft climbing

Departing Boise on Friday, splitting the route into two days.

Departing Prairie on Saturday – 38 miles, 2,600 ft climbing

Departing Lowman on Friday – 73 miles, 8,640 ft climbing.  Cancelled due to excessive snow on route.

5/24/19:  Road Closure Update

For those planning to connect through Prairie to Pine, be aware that a road closure is in effect on NF 128, the Prairie-Pine Road.  See the closure maps below.  You can find more information on the Boise NF’s alerts and closures page via this link.  Read the press release here.

The good news is that the closure is limited to motorized vehicles, so bicycles should be fine.  The closure may have also already been lifted.  The ranger on duty at the Mountain Home ranger district confirmed that the Prairie-Pine road is clear and gave the go-ahead for bike travel.  Be aware of forest management activity through this corridor and be safe!

Other Ride Options:

Ride from the Pine boat launch!  This is definitely the easiest option with around 15 miles and 800 feet of climbing on mostly-paved roads.  No significant climbs, just a gradual uphill at river grade.  This is a great option for folks on road touring bikes, new bike travelers or anyone looking for an easier, low-risk option.  Last year we had a handful of kids in trailers, on cargo bikes, etc riding from Pine, so this a great family-friendly option.

Ride from the Elk Creek boat launch!  This is probably the second-easiest option with 31 miles and 2,300 feet of climbing.  The start location doesn’t require a ton of drive time from the Treasure Valley, so this might be a good alternative for folks that want a little more of a ride but don’t want to drive to Prairie.  Much more dirt and some sustained climbing here, so consider this an intermediate level ride.

Friday Boise Departure Details:

Want to ride from Boise on Friday?  A group will depart Fort Boise/Military Reserve Park (main parking lot between ballfields and Mtn Cove Rd) promptly at 9am and ride to Featherville via this route.   Here’s a brief description of the ride to whet your appetite!

Terrain varies from a nasty hike-a-bike out of Lydle Gulch to smooth pavement near Pine.  Mostly, we’ll be on maintained dirt roads that will vary from smooth and hardpacked to loose, sandy, rocky and/or washboarded.  Any competent dirt touring bike with ~2″ tires will do fine.

This track (more or less) follows the route of the Smoke ‘N’ Fire 400, taking in a variety of southern Idaho landscapes and a moderate amount of climbing – for Idaho that is.  We’ll roll eastbound out of town through Lydle Gulch to Black’s Creek Road and follow the tailwater of the South Fork through some stunning scenery.

After climbing out of the South Fork, we’ll pass through the town of Prairie and take advantage of resupply options at the Y-Stop and Prairie Store.

We’ll cruise across the open plain before climbing into the hills south of the Trinity Mountains in the Boise National Forest.  Stretch your legs, take in plenty of sustenance and get ready to climb!

[NOTE: A portion of the route takes us through a forest service road closure.  See Road Closure Update above for more info.]

We’ll summit the high point of the ride right around 6,000 feet before descending to the Anderson Ranch Reservoir section of the South Fork.  The route turns back to the north and passes through the town of Pine.  Pine Cafe and Cocktails will tempt us with hot food and cold beverages while the Nitz Pine Store provides convenience store essentials.

From Pine, we’re in the home stretch!  FR 114 will carry us along the east bank of the South Fork as we climb at a mellow river grade toward Featherville.  12 miles past Pine, we’ll have arrived!

We expect the 87-mile ride will require 7-8 hours of ride time, so a 9am departure should get us into the campground with plenty of time to make camp, prepare food and maybe even get some fishing in before dark.

Saturday will be a free day with ample opportunity for all kinds of outdoor recreation.  We’ll return to Boise on Sunday via the same route or a variation.  If you want to ride with us, don’t forget to register your participation here for an entry in the sweepstakes and to join the ranks of bike travelers across the world!

Regardless of your route choice, we hope you’ll join us and thousands of people across the world for the Featherville Freakout, part of Bike Travel Weekend 2018!  See you on the South Fork!

#rideloaded #feathervillefreakout #biketravelweekend #biketouringnews

3/25/19 UPDATE:

This ride is only a few days away!  Looking forward to riding bikes and sleeping outside!  Here are a few key updates for those making the trip:

1. WEATHER:  The forecast calls for a significant chance of rain all week leading up to departure.  Johnson Creek Road has the potential to get very muddy if it is saturated.  This portion of the route should be avoided if significant wet conditions are present.  The heavy clay mud will foul all manner of moving parts and could create a dangerous situation.  Most of the other dirt roads will be fine with some added moisture – they’re well-graveled with porous material, drain well and shouldn’t get muddy.  Here’s a link to an alternate version of the route that avoids Johnson Creek:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29560824   This option adds around 10 additional miles and a couple of mid-size climbs, so be sure to allow extra time for your trip over the hill if we have a rainy week.  The wet weather is forecast to move out late in the week (sunny and 60 on Saturday!) but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pack a tarp if you have one to help create some sheltered space for cooking and hanging out in camp.
2. CAMPING:  The folks at the Bureau of Reclamation gave us the all-clear to camp at Montour but there are a couple of things to keep in mind if we want to be welcomed in the future.  Please be respectful of nearby residents and KEEP NOISE LEVELS DOWN in the campground, especially in the evening.  There are other places to go if you want to get rowdy.  The land managers typically send groups (Boy Scout troops, etc.) elsewhere when Montour is closed to provide peace and quiet for the folks who live adjacent to the campground.  Also, let’s leave the place cleaner than we found it.  Be prepared to spend a few minutes picking up trash, sticks, or other debris.  There is a dumpster on site to deposit refuse.  Leave No Trace, y’all!

3/7/19

Spring is nigh here in the City of Trees!  Time to head for the hills on our first o’nighter of the year – March 29-31st!  Join us for a challenging climb out of the Treasure Valley on a mix of pavement and dirt followed by an unmaintained dirt road descent to the banks of the Payette.  Nestled in the Sweet Valley, the Montour WMA campground will be our destination.  This is one of our favorite overnight trips from town and has become something of a springtime tradition.  The route is great for new bike travelers but still offers enough of a challenge to keep the experienced on their toes.  Longer route options also abound for those looking for more miles.  All people and bikes are welcome!  However, some people and bikes will have more fun than others!

Bike Selection

Any sturdy bikepacking/dirt touring bike will handle the terrain just fine.  Wider tires and low gears are highly recommended.  Plus-tired rigs or suspended MTBs will be overkill for much of the route but will certainly make the descent more fun!  Allroad or cyclocross bikes (similar to Zach’s ride in the below photo) will also get you by if you pack light.  Variable road conditions can make life difficult if you’re under-tired, overgeared and overloaded.  The climbs over the Eagle foothills are steep in spots and the Johnson Creek descent can be pretty dodgy with deep ruts and stream overflow (see photos) but this is definitely one of the easier, more accessible overnight trips from Boise.  Just enough challenge to be satisfying!  Distance from downtown/north Boise will be around 30 miles and less than 2,000ft of climbing via our route.  3/25/19 UPDATE:  See WEATHER notes above!

Take Note!  This is not a bike event!  This is a self-supported, weekend bike ride with a group of friends.  We are offering a route suggestion, some potentially useful (or potentially inaccurate) information and nothing more.  All riders are responsible for their own safety and enjoyment, should come prepared to be 100% self-sufficient and have their own self-rescue or bailout plans in place.  Do not count on cell phone service.  That said, riding bikes is fun, overnight rides are even more fun and both are best when shared.  We welcome any and all riders who want to join in for any portion of the weekend’s journey!

Rides will depart from Bike Touring News HQ at:

• 4:00pm Friday, March 29 (Shop CLOSING EARLY!)
  
• 11:00am Saturday, March 30
• Here’s the route we’re likely to follow:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29430331

Departure Notes

No need to register, sign up or RSVP.  Just show up ready to ride!  Times above are departure times, so please arrive a few minutes early if you need to make final preparations before rolling out.  The shop will close at 4pm for Friday’s departure, so we will not be available for last minute purchases on Saturday.  Plan ahead and prepare!

If you’re planning to leave a vehicle overnight, please park in the main parking lot off 36th Street rather than the parallel parking spaces along Garden Center Way.  Better yet, ride your bike to the start!  See parking lot map below:

Camping

The Montour campground will still be closed for the season but toilets have been open and water flowing in springs past.  No promises!  If the campground is open, the fee for tent camping in the grassy area at back (east) of the campground is $3/night.  If the campground is closed there is no required payment but we like to try and leave a few bucks in the pay slot to (hopefully) help maintain this little gem of a campground.  We’ll also do a little cleanup and leave the place cleaner than we found it.  3/25/19 UPDATE: See CAMPING notes up top!

Services

With the exception of the Chevron at the corner of Beacon Light and Hwy 55, there are no services on the route.  Bring plenty of water to get you through the exposed, shadeless roads over the Eagle foothills, especially if the sun is bright and temperatures high.  Johnson Creek will be a (mostly) reliable water source for filtering but at that point you’re nearly to the campground.

After arriving at Montour, you’ve got a handful of options for food and beverages.  The Montour Country Store is about 2.5 miles northbound with snacks, beverages and other convenience store goods.  The Triangle Restaurant and bar is equidistant, serving up a diverse menu with a small bar to wet your whistle.  The Ola Inn Cafe lies 19 miles north via the nicely paved and rolling highway.  Horseshoe Bend to the east and Emmett to the west each have a range of stores, restaurants, etc.  Hours may vary at each of these locations, so do your homework if you’re relying heavily on any of these services.  There are plenty more paved and unpaved roads to explore in the Sweet/Ola Valley, so folks looking for a longer ride or more miles can have their fill.

Route Notes

The descent down the Johnson Creek road hasn’t received any maintenance (that we know of) at least since 2017, maybe longer.  It is likely to be in poor shape and may not be 100% rideable.  Muddy conditions may require a reroute but we expect mostly dry conditions.  3/25/19 UPDATE:  See WEATHER notes up top!  Ruts will likely be quite deep with rideable lines in between.  Use caution and don’t risk a nasty crash!  There is one extended section where the creek has overflowed the road.  This mile-ish stretch will likely be running with at least a couple inches of water and is paved with round, loose babyhead rocks.  Be prepared to walk/carry your bike if the going gets rough along this streambed section.  See photos and captions below for illustration of the conditions.

We’re looking forward to this first overnighter of the season and many more to come in 2019!  Questions?  Concerns?  Stop by the shop, call or email.  Can’t wait to see who shows up to camp!

208-806-2111  |   [email protected]

@biketouringnews  |  #bikeovernights  #rideloaded  #aprilfoolserrand

Fall has arrived in Idaho and this is arguably the best time of year for fishing by bike!  In addition, Saturday, September 29 is the Adventure Cycling Association’s Bike Your Park Day, an annual celebration of our public lands.  Let’s enjoy one special slice of Idaho’s wealth of public land with a day of fishing by bike along the Big Wood River!

No registration, fee or RSVP is required. All ages, abilities, fishing styles and bike types are welcome.  Just load up your rig with your fishing gear and let’s go in search of trout!

The Plan

We’ll meet at the North Fork Campground trailhead (southeast end of the Harriman Trail) at 11am on Saturday, September 29.  From there we’ll pedal upstream, probing the waters at fishy-looking spots along the Big Wood River and (potentially) its tributaries.  The warmest part of the day is likely to deliver the most productive (and most comfortable) fishing, so we’ll try our luck and test our skills until late afternoon before pedaling back to the trailhead.

All ages, abilities, bikes and tackle are welcome!  Invite your friends, RSVP or plan rides via the Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2147476645473230/

To sweeten the deal, the Adventure Cycling Association is giving away a Co-Motion Cycles Divide touring bike and two Amtrak tickets to Glacier National Park, so register your participation via this link for a chance to win!

What to Bring

• Bike – The Harriman Trail is (mostly) a well-maintained gravel two-track with moderate grades.  Any mountain bike or dirt touring bike will do fine.
• Fishing Gear – All legal tackle and techniques are welcome.  We’ll have tenkara outfits from Tenkara USA and DRAGONtail Tenkara available for folks to try out this simple method of fly fishing.
• Idaho Fishing License – Available from local outfitters or online at https://idfg.idaho.gov/
• Appropriate Clothing/Wading Gear – Be sure to bring a dry change of clothes, especially if you plan on wading.  Hypothermia happens fast in cold water!  Temperatures are highly variable and will swing widely throughout the day, so dress in layers and be prepared for anything.  Rain is not highly likely but is always a possibility.  See NOAA’s forecast page for weather updates.
• Food and/or Beverages – Don’t forget to pack any snacks or drinks you’ll need to stay fueled and hydrated throughout the day.

Questions?  Concerns?  Call the shop (208-806-2111), send us an email ([email protected]) or stop by any time!  Like our Facebook page and follow @biketouringnews on Instagram for updates.

Hope to see you out on the Big Wood for a great day of fishing by bike!

#bikeyourparkday #fishbybike #rideloaded #biketouringnews