Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Earlier this month, the Idaho Women’s Bikepacking group set off on a group ride in preparation for the Smoke’n’Fire 400 in September. Find a reflection from Cassidy Howard here, alongside photos from Laura Heiner and Dean Bradley…
Words by Cassidy Howard, photos by Laura Heiner (@surly.girlie) and Dean Bradley (@drbphotosports)
This past weekend, I joined Idaho Women’s Bikepacking (IWBP) on the Mores Mountain Overnighter, an 85-mile/10,000-foot, one-night trip intended to prepare riders for fall Idaho bikepacking races.
About a year ago, I learned about the Smoke ‘n’ Fire, a local bikepacking race that starts just a couple of miles from where I live. I was intrigued and wanted to know more. I have never bikepacked or participated in a race, and my experience was limited to casual mountain biking in the Boise foothills, but I had been feeling ready to take on a new challenge. I was excited to discover IWBP, a community group specifically focused on teaching women bikepacking and setting them up to race in the fall. I started joining their monthly overnight trips in March. This Mores Mountain trip marks my fourth trip with this group and the final before race season. I felt fully confident in my kit and abilities thanks to the guidance from these knowledgeable women.
The ride started in the late summer heat with a climb up Rocky Canyon Road, one of my go-to training rides. I felt strong riding a familiar road and replicated my quick pace from my training. However, my first hurdle came not long after the summit. I was looking forward to filling up from my regular stream on the other side of the descent, but the creek had dried up in the summer heat. I had brought 3.5 liters of water, the most I could carry, and I was already down to less than one, so the sight of a dry creek bed was not pleasant. We had to press on.
Thankfully, riding with a group, I knew there was never truly a risk of running out – plenty of people had extra and would lend some in a desperate situation. Fortunately, we came across another creek a bit further down the road. This was a valuable lesson in water management and to not rely on seasonal creeks. A few hours later, we hit the final summit of the day, and I started to feel the effects of multiple hours of riding. I was no longer able to maintain the pace I had started with and had to slow down. The fatigue reminded me that I should have had a slower pace on that first climb of the day, and I need to work on pacing for future rides.
Seven sweltering hours and 6,000 feet of elevation later, we arrived in Placerville and made camp under a large picnic shelter. I set my pad down in the middle of the shelter and settled in for some much-needed rest. Unfortunately, due to bright lights and an early morning activation of the park’s sprinkler system, I only slept for about two hours.
By 7 a.m. on day two, we were on our way out of Placerville and up Harris Creek Summit, quickly followed by Mores Mountain. The consistent gravel grade was familiar terrain, but after a poor night of sleep, it was more difficult than I anticipated. I walked when I needed to, took breaks, ate snacks, and continued on. When we finally hit the singletrack that winds around Bogus Basin and into Boise, I was happy to be on one of my favorite trails, but the technical bits were more challenging in my tired and hungry state. My food was gone, and all I could think about was getting home. I appreciated the morale boost provided by the group sticking together through the final push. At last, we hit the last singletrack descent into Boise. The feeling of victory took over as I flew down the trail, proud of the 85 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing behind me.
After this Mores Mountain ride, I feel confident and prepared for the challenge of a longer bikepacking race. If not for the IWBP community, I would have had to learn many mistakes the hard way. It has been such an encouraging experience to learn from welcoming and knowledgeable bikepackers, and I’m thankful that such a wonderful community exists. I’m so happy I got into bikepacking this year, and I’m already dreaming of places to take my bike next year and beyond!
Keep an eye on the Idaho Women’s Bikepacking Instagram account for more stories and stay tuned for the Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400 event, which takes off from Boise, Idaho, on September 7th.
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