Got together with some of the gals, some I knew and some I didn't for the
infamous Gold Hill switchbacks ride up at Sandpoint today. I had been told,
oh it's not so bad by the gal who was putting it together, and then Ti-man
said, oh you'll really get your butt kicked!! So, what to expect? 2000' in
four miles or so. Seeing as I think I suck on switchbacks, I expect the
worst, pack the armor for the way down and load up and go.
When we get there, Lisa #1 rolls her eyes about the 'butt kicking" and as
she knows Ti-man too we have a good laugh. Since the trail starts up
immediately, Lisa #2, who is a top notch personal trainer, takes us through
a nice parking lot warm-up session. ( gotta love friends) and yes, we
start straight up. It's a long steady grade, good granny gear material, but
whoever built this thing... all I can say is "wow".... they knew how to
build what IMBA calls rolling switch backs, and lots of them. None of the
V shaped nasty pointy things, ( which is what I was expecting) but lovely U
shaped turns that you just power up and around. And another one. And
another one. And another one. This baby butt smooth trails slowly works
it's way across and up the hill, through deep shaded forest. After about 20
switchbacks (??? Are we there yet?) We take a break at one of the overlooks.
http://www.cet.com/~pennys/misc/goldhill.jpg
"almost there" She says. OK... we are all hanging in there, strung out along
the trail, all keeping a moderate but steady climbing pace up this thing..
it's really kind of fun, that hill climbing groove -- you never know when
the traverse will turn into another switchback... push and look around...
and just keep going! At top, we stop for a quick bite, and then down into
forest, on a branch trail, oh-so-smooth and then we get to go down a few
more of these fun rolling turns. Eventually we come out on a logging road
that's either the turn around point, or the way down. If you had a choice...
which would you do, 50+ rolling switchbacks down the hill on baby butt
smooth trail through the shaded forest, or a logging road? That's a no
brainer if I ever heard one.
We have an easy spin back to the top, Lisa #1 makes sure we don't miss the
turn off and then... drop back into the forest for fun, fun, fun. Too bad
my odometer died or I'd tell how fast we were going. It's funny tho...
traversing/blasting down the trail, and due to the vegetation you never knew
where the next downhill switchback was until you were just about on top of
it. So you couldn't go "too" fast. Oh, god, these are a blast... you just
look around the turn and the
bike follows you. There are so many, I decide to really concentrate on my
weak right turn side too... yes, look turn success, look turn success...
all but six of the rt hand turns
were cleaned without a dab. Those others... well, they were pointy and had
edges to them... ;-)
then before ya know it... all done, and the vote is for Mexican food post
ride.
penny