Idaho Backroads One

One of the fav workout rides for roadies in Ketchum, Idaho (Sun Valley area) is to grunt up Highway 75 from Ketchum (5,000 ft. elevation) up the 25 miles to Galena Lodge (8,500 Elevation). It’s a very gradual… tho constant… climb going thru some beautiful country.

The road has little traffic altho it’s the only road thru Wood River Valley. The first 10 miles takes you by some rather large homes (15 bedrooms, used once or twice a year) belonging to Hollywood types (Schwarzenagers, Hanks, Willis, Shields, Hemmingway, etc). Then you enter the SNRA (Sawtooth National Recreation Area). So no more houses or commercial buiidings from there on. Also the Harriman Trail starts here and goes 34k up to Galena. This is a mountain bike/hiking trail in the summer and a groomed classic/skating ski trail in the winter. Our fav for that trail is to get dumped at the top and slowly work our way down on mountain bikes. But today I am on the road.

When you get to Galena Lodge you can grab lunch and get bike repairs if necessary. They have a wrench on duty as they rent bikes there.

At last, the ride back is a blast. It takes about half the time to get back. I noted a fairly constant speed of 26-28 for most of the 25 miles. BTW: it’s best to go in the mornings as the wind can pick up (there was a 10 mph head wind going up as it was) and it can get pretty toasty… it is high desert, after all.