Boneshakerbike

Author: Bill

  • Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 3

    Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 3

    I got up and a storm chased me in. Then I got up and made a quick coffee … then a storm chased me in. Then I made Mo a coffee … and a storm chased me in. This went on for the majority of the morning. But by noon the skies had cleared. And so did all the people. Again we were the last ones out. The good news is that I recovered all the things I lost on the way up two days prior. The nuts at the first nights camp spot. And the Kind bar someone found and left on our car window. But that is not the best part. Oh yea … and then there was the ripping downhill to the parking lot. Still not the best part. The best part is that we found a big patch of raspberries in which was included in out home made frozen cream of olive oil last night.

    The new tent
    Morning view of our camp site
    This dragonfly did not make it through the storm
    Morning sun gave way to storms for the rest of the evening
    The back yard of our camp site
    Our camp to the right and the rest of the scene
    Storms putting out the sun
    Us
    The decent down from the upper lakes was a little trickey
    … I could of rode that … but I didn’t
    Trail just above the parking area
  • Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 2

    Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 2

    We woke up to a half coffee due to our lack of water. Camping on a ridge has it’s drawbacks. As we packed up hikers started to walk by. And then I remembered the parking lot. It was full of cars. Could this really be a big destination? With the roughest road to a trail head ever? Yea, all that expansion of Big Sky and all the people hired to run things. This is now visited often. Great! other people. we feared that we wouldn’t find a spot to camp.

    At first it looked like we would have to settle for a sub par camp site tucked away in the woods. But then a walk to the farthest of the lakes proved to be fruitful. After scoring a massively cool tent spot on a rock ledge overlooking the lake I took a preparation nap for a evening adventure. We hiked the rim above our lake. The usual walk about. Took some photos. And then retreated back to camp for a quickie supper.

    The rains came and the thunder rolled. I went to bed early without knowing that I would be stuck in the new tent for 14 hours. But we had the coolest camp site this year. Strikes and gutters … right?

    Climbing around the rim of the ridge above the lake
    Did anyone see Lewis or Clark?
    Hiking the ridge-line and looking down on camp
    Can you see the skull?
  • Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 1

    Hidden Lakes Adventure Day 1

    Left work but realized I forgot my butter. No worries right? Just stop by Big Sky. Holy Shit! Unbelievable! The place has exploded. There’s like a Main Street and even in Ace Hardware. Movie theaters and the lot. I would say almost 50 to 100 new places. Has it been that long? So that is why we got to the trail-head late. And why only 45 minutes up the trail we stopped to set up camp. Just in time too. The sun set and we hung our food in the dark. Which is why I fell down a slope and cut my hand.

    Interestingly enough all the while I kept thinking that I would rather be at home. Is that what happens when you adventure too much? Come home and before you unpack it is time to repack. Getting to the trail-heads late. Working 40 hours in a stress tank. Is this what happens? You start to wish you were home. An unusual feeling for me.

    The next morning I was glad to be right where I was and all the end of week work slog bull crap was gone. Ahead lay an adventure.

    As the sun sets we decide to camp along the trail.
    Mo stands in the middle of our set up for the night with a setting sun behind.
    … did not end well
  • Changes

    Changes

    Remember Sheryl Crow’s song “A Change Will Do You Good”? How about “Time to Change” which I remember from the Brady Bunch show.  Yes, I AM that old. My partner will always lean to her man Micheal Jackson who sang “Man in the Mirror” … something like if you want change in the world you must first change yourself. What ever! Will I change into a gravel path bike rider? No. Will I enjoy the afternoon scenery along the Hyalite sports path … well, YEA. But I am always going to miss the single track.

    I will miss the singletrack
    The 213 has been taken out in favor of a gravel path
    Dropping into Hyalite via the 436
  • Ramshorn Adventure Day 3

    Ramshorn Adventure Day 3

    Removing oneself from the wilds of the Gallatin is hard. Hard because no one wants to leave. You carved a life for yourself out there. And you come to terms with the hardships or in my case FUN. And even though you lost your water filter and killed a baby bird by accident … well … you feel lucky. No one wants to admit what waits for them when they return to the valley and finally home base. Yep, the 40 hour work week.

    So we savored every last part of the day long decent past Fortress Peak and down Porcupine Creek. I actually ripped a sidewall and had to endure barbarian horse flies on a trail side fix. But even then I felt lucky and happy. I just did not want it to end. But finally it did and we hauled our asses and bikes back to home base. And back to reality. Until next weekend folks … to Hidden Lakes.

    Sunday morning camp
    Part of Fortress Peak
    Packing Out
  • Ramshorn Adventure Day 2

    Ramshorn Adventure Day 2

    The good luck day. We woke up expecting to pack up all our gear and ride until we found water. This is what you get when camping up on a ridge and needing tons of water for last nights dinner and the new day’s coffee party. I wandered off into the trees and there was a spring. Score!

    So after a coffee party high on a ridge we set forth for Ramshorn Lake. Descending, climbing another ridge called Blizzard and resting. Then another big decent, and steep too. We ran into a retreating horse person who said she was turned back by a grizzly mother and two cubs. Maybe our luck has run out.

    Likely story … we continued. The day was spent climbing in the sunshine. No doubt the valley, our home, would be melting in heat. We were comfy except for the relentless climb. OK, I enjoyed it, I will admit that. Today I am a lucky person.

    We arrived at the lake with time to spare. Another adventure maybe. But not yet. The thunder rolled and the rains started to fall. Spent the evening in the new tent listening to podcasts. That night we fell asleep to boulders being rolled off towering cliffs around us. Either a bear digging a den or rolling rocks looking for grub. Maybe a pirate trying to scare us away from their treasure high up on Ramshorn Peak. In any case we are lucky to live this life.

    Looking across the valley to Big Sky and Lone Peak
    Mo follows the recharge wagon
    Blizzard Ridge
    The setup
    Ramshorn Peak
    Ramshorn Lake with Ramshorn and Fortress Peaks
  • Ramshorn Adventure Day 1

    Ramshorn Adventure Day 1

    Again the 40 hour work week sucks in such a big way. We do the best we can to battle the propaganda-america-is-great bullshit in every way we can. One way is to make a simple weekend seem like a big holiday. Adventure right after work on a Friday and just not show up for work on Monday citing sickness or mishap. And then take sick days to keep ourselves from hanging ourselves. Right? By the time you show up to pretend to be doing something it seems like coming off of a big holiday. Or in other countries a simple time off.

    We left work and went right to the trail and proceeded to climb over a thousand feet into the wilds before giving up the ghost to plop down a camp. The sun set over Lone Peak and we enjoyed a little hot dinner. A quick food hang over a pile of griz shit and we were off to our new tent to break it in.

     

  • Mid Week Adventure

    Mid Week Adventure

    Had some intervals to do anyway. Um, longevity intervals,  maintenance of cardiovascular fitness. And we are gone every weekend so we must get out. A shame to live by some great trails and not get to do them. It is so hard in the 40 hour work week to squeeze out a ride. But we did. And Mo collected berries while I went for the saddle. On the way down we met another couple doing the same.

  • Adventure Choices

    Adventure Choices

    After dinner I was reminiscing about our recent backpack to Hilgard. Lots of people do it. Kind of boring right? The boring part being that everyone backpacks. I looked at our aspen grove and noticed that they are changing color. Holy shit I expressed to my partner. We better get out and do a bikepack this weekend. The summer is almost over. We are lucky that we have so many choices. We love backpacking and car camping but that is something everyone does. We actually have the option to bikepack and most people don’t. For one you need the gear … and I don’t mean a bob trailer. What we do is single-track hike-a-bike-remote bikepacking. Tons of friends are thinking … duh. But to most this is a freakish fantasy that they really have not come to terms with. And its fun. Just get out there and be where everyone is not. And stop doing the boring things.

  • We Ran Through It

    We Ran Through It

    We just got back from a trip back from the homeland.  It was a new baby trip so while my partner held down the “baby time” front I snuck away for some trail revisits. All in all about 50 miles worth of smooth groomed butter soft trail. Really fun. We even got out to the Blackfoot with the kids. Miss this place.

    Spent a nice summer afternoon with some friends at this place
  • Moose Creek Adventure

    Moose Creek Adventure

    We checked out the Swan Creek Campground but found it full but then I remembered a place I used to camp when I traveled around racing. When I came to Bozeman I found a place to sleep up Moose Creek. In fact many of my race partners experienced this free camping area. But Moose Creek was full. So we climbed … and climbed until we found a closed gate. Perfect! We camped there.

    Relaxing at camp
    Sweeping views of the moose creek drainage
    Hope to use this road in a future bike-pack
  • Checkin the Tom Miner out

    Checkin the Tom Miner out

    Tom Miner Basin is just down the valley from us so we decided to take a look and see. Did a little biking but mostly ended up hiking, well, because trails are closed to bikes. we biked what we could. For the other stuff we turned to foot power. It’s your standard fare up there. Cool terrain and surprisingly a lot of petrified trees. And rain … which is why I am going to get a car camping canopy.

    Us
    Panoramic with MO
    Reaching White
    Petrified tree
    Wind shelter
    Through a field of flowers
    Hiking the crest
  • Adventure vs Sick

    Adventure vs Sick

    To ride somewhere new. Or hike … whatever. That is adventure. Not sitting home with vertigo. I mean you have a map so you know just about what to expect. Like being home sick. Lay there and try to watch movies. But adventure is better because even though you kind of know where you are going it is so much larger in life. And all the variables. Like what you need to push up, what you can ride, or finding out it is further then expected. Being sick is a mystery too but you have faith it will be over. Well, sometimes it is not and the adventure ends.

    In view
    The fatty totally approporate
    Saddle
    Side Hill
    With Ross Peak In The Background
  • Hillgard Basin Day 5

    Hillgard Basin Day 5

    The exodus. Day 5 was a business day. We clocked in and after the chores went to work packing up camp. The hike out a 12 mile 6 hour gruel fest. To top it off I had a mishap getting out of my hammock and tore a hip muscle. Thus … gruel fest. Left our remote lives behind and headed back to the world of work. Which I may add, sucks far more then hiking 12 miles with a load with a torn muscle. At least I was living.

    Mo walking away from camp
    Goodbye, Comet Lake , our camp for the week
    Creek crossing
    All packed up and ready to rock
  • Hillgard Basin Day 4

    Hillgard Basin Day 4

    The day before was a rest day. And now we go big. As we gained Echo Peak Ridge I was asked if we were going up to the top. I remarked that it was not my cup of tea. I am too nervous with exposure. Then what turned out to be a small walk over to peek over the edge turned into a adventure to see if we could find Expedition Pass from the West. And it did turn out … finally. We had our moments. High Winds and storms. Feeling totally lost. Feeling like a small ant in a big area. Snow and almost falling off a drift. Stumbling down scree. Looking for grizzly. And finally victory with a big feast back at camp.  I slept well. It was good … very good indeed.

    Flowers … right?
    Mo surfs down the scree
    Basin after basin, we were hoping that around the next bend would be the pass
    10938 foot unnamed peak
    Comming off of the Echo Peak Ridge
    Summer snow
    10,000 foot plateau
    Over the next ridge we go
    Looking back to Thunderbolt Lake
    Unnamed Peak in a unnamed valley
    Mo above Thunderbolt Lake
    Thunderbolt Falls
    Mo hiking above Hilgard Basin
    Calving
    Echo Peak Ridge
    Thunderbolt Lake
    Hilgard Basin
    Comet Lake
    Looking into the Moose Creek drainage
  • Hillgard Basin Day 3

    Hillgard Basin Day 3

    I got up early and hiked up to where we hung the food. Walking back to camp I was struck in the face by beauty. We must of picked the most beautiful spot on the planet to camp … right?

    I re hung the food and walked around our lake. Comet Lake tucked against Echo Peak. Enough of the photos I thought to myself. I want some coffee. I pulled down the food and walked to our eating area about 70 yards from a sleeping Mo.Too bad she was not a morning person. I sipped my brew and let the sun soak over my body. I hung my hammock and vegged.

    Once my partner woke up we were off for an adventure. We took a non-traditional route up to the Hilgard Plateau and took a look at the crown of rugged peaks. Then the rain came and chased us off the mountain. We skedaddled back to camp and proceeded to take naps and hang around camp the rest of the day. Unpackaged. Unstressed. And finally REALLY in the high country, both body and soul.

    On top of Hilgard Plateau looking at the range
    Evening showers producing magnificent effects o the lake, little sparkles and drips from a evergreen
    Hiking back to camp and wondering if we are going to get wet
    Blue Paradise Lake
    Evening sun setting over the peaks
    Looking over into Gnome and Painted lakes
    The pass into the Hilgard Lake Basin
    Scree
    Sunset at camp, the tent in the trees to the right and our kitchen area to the left
    Comet Lake
    Us
    Looking at Hilgard and it’s Lake
    Snuggles on the plateau
    Sunrise at camp as I hike up to our bear hang
    Blue Paradise Lake below as we scramble the plateau
    Hiking up to get our food from the bear hang in the morning
    Comet Lake in the morning
    Sunrise over Comet Lake
  • Hillgard Basin Day 2

    Hillgard Basin Day 2

    My mood was much much better on day two. Explains why working a full day, driving to a trailhead, then hiking to find a place to camp is such a bad idea. But then the weekends seem much more full and long … right?  The packs heavy yes, but the scenery hiking up the basin was magnificent. We ran into a couple forest service employees and they said that there were bears upon the ridges the night before. We expected that.

    We even expected mosquitoes. But as we set up camp in the basin it became evident that these little monsters where going to be a problem.

    There was a bit of an issue to find a camp spot as well. All the main lakes were taken by others camping. One even controlled by a group of horseman.  OK, I will let that go.

    We climbed high and found a secluded lake called Comet. We set up camp in a hurry as the clouds of little vampires buzzed above. But this is a special place and we are tired of hiking.

    We fell asleep to the sound of the pitter patter of rain drops on our tent and the trickle of a brook just 10 feet to our South. My back hurt from the monstrous load I packed up. I feel asleep anyway.

    Ahhh … finally in the backcountry.

  • Hillgard Basin Day 1

    Hillgard Basin Day 1

    To start out there was work. And all the bullshit things that come with it. After that we headed for the trailhead. It was about 7 o’clock when we headed out on foot. We figured we could get an hour up the trail and pitch camp. A great head start, right?

    The trail wasn’t  very accommodating unless you were riding a four legged mammal that could stumble around the dried mosh pits. Horses destroy wilderness, I am convinced of that now. Spring months must of been a mud bath. Very disappointing.

    And the pack was heavy. Very very heavy. I thought to myself that maybe we should have done a couple hikes before we set out on foot for a 4 day adventure.