Topping off with fuel in Idaho City is a necessary stop for the Z as we have a few more miles to consider as we plan the next leg of our ride over Trinity Ridge and back to Boise. The mighty 690 Super Tanker is good to go …. no splashing needed.
A quick run up Hwy 21 and we jump of on Rd 327, Rabbit Creek Road. To let the dust settle John and I separate with a plan to meet at Rabbit Creek Summit. I recall a single track short cut from my Enduro days and decide to see if I can beat John to the top ….
The lower half was flowy and fun … the upper half was nothing but cupped out braking/acceleration bumps and sucked, just as I remembered.
John beat me …
We took this opportunity to stretch the legs and eat a quick snack.
Refreshed and refueled we point the bikes towards Barber Flat.
Rd 327 drops down the East side of Rabbit Creek Summit and follows a drainage down towards the North Fork of the Boise River.
The North Fork of the Boise River originates within the western edge of the Sawtooth Wilderness. A popular stretch for fishing and in some case floating, the N Fork Boise deposits into the Middle Fork of the Boise before dropping into Arrowrock Reservoir.
376 going right …
50″ …. (word on the street is that the bridge has since been repaired and reopened to full size traffic)
There is an unmaintained track that runs over the ridge from Barber Flat to Alexander Flat. Rd 376 has deteriorated to a large extent over the last few years with large ruts and washouts.
Looking east towards Atlanta and the beginnings of the Sawtooth Wilderness…
Down river ….
We drop down into Alexander Flat and the Middle Fork Road 268.
The Middle Fork drainage has been impacted quite heavily the last ten years with devastating wildfires as evidence of remaining burned timber is visible in all directions. A necessary natural process of rejuvenation, but sad none the less as we will never see it back to it’s past glory within our life time.
Now headed up stream without a paddle, just a twist of a throttle …..