- September 8, 2018
- 28 photos
“Not all who wander are lost,” says the Tolkien poem, the same clarification I offer Brenna when I admit I’m unsure which is the right road. Taking the direct route is overrated.
- July 21, 2018
- 40 photos
The time has arrived: our first camping trip together off the motorcycle. Brenna and I ride together from Boise on back roads to Prairie then up and over Trinity Mountain.
- June 17, 2018
- 17 photos
My first trail ride on a new motorcycle along Lava Mountain ridge goes about as well as expected. I should be healed in time for the annual ride with my brothers.
- September 27, 2017
- 23 photos
Our motorcycles maybe thought we’d retired but no, the hiatus is over. My neighbor Tony and I pull out the bikes to spend a day riding narrow trails through evergreen Idaho mountains.
- September 16, 2017
- 26 photos
Somehow it’s me and four ladies camping high in the Idaho mountains, two of them for the first time.
- August 30, 2017
- 32 photos and a video
On the third and fourth days of our annual Brother Ride, we leave the beautiful campsite along the shore of high mountain Big Trinity Lake with plans to descend to historic Atlanta, Idaho, then venture on trails unknown to camp along the North Fork of the Boise River before returning home.
- August 29, 2017
- 29 photos and a video
On the second day of our tenth annual ride, my brothers and I descend from Lava Mountain for gas before heading deeper into the mountains. At least that’s the plan. Mountains have a way of messing with plans.
- August 28, 2017
- 40 photos and a video
The four of us — my brothers minus Jesse, Kayla’s boyfriend Nick and I — ride northeast from Boise to rise above the desert in search of solitude along narrow mountain paths.
- August 6, 2017
- 28 photos
Finally. I’ve been telling Kayla’s Polish boyfriend Nick that we’d ride for more than a year now. This may be his last summer in America for a while so it had to happen. We did the quick, sort of standard loop along the backside of the Boise Ridge, Humpty and Daggett. It was a nice workout.
- June 18, 2017
- 29 photos
Wherein we finally demonstrate for Alexis that Boise is French and that not all of my shortcuts are … oh, wait, nevermind.
- May 3, 2015
- 22 photos
You can’t keep us indoors with their mom once again away. I let the kids vote (probably a mistake) on an hour drive or three with our resulting sights set on an overnight among the trees overlooking Boise. At least we won’t end up stuck in big mountain snow. Or will we?
- April 19, 2015
- 50 photos and a video
An idea to ride overnight in the Upper Reynolds Creek area gave way to a simpler day ride to check on my old friend Lava Mountain and see if I could connect from there across Bear Gulch for a half-day of riding single track by myself.
- April 11, 2015
- 28 photos
Brenna’s mom is out of town. You know what that calls for! Camping. Since she’ll have the Jeep, we’ll make due with campground camping we can reach with the baby hippo car. I’ve always liked the look of a few spots above Arrowrock Reservoir so we set our heading accordingly. Engage!
- November 25, 2014
- 57 photos
It was down to the wire whether our Thanksgiving with Heather, Eric and kids could be at their cabin in Atlanta, Idaho. Record breaking November snowfall left the sixty mile mountain dirt road impassable. But a quick melt has things back on track. Or so it seems.
- August 29, 2014
- 31 photos and a video
The first day of our seventh annual Abbott Brother Ride, this time, for the first time, in South Central Idaho. We stage at my house then head over the Boise Ridge, from desert to forest, on our way to high mountains.
- July 19, 2014
- 56 photos and a video
Michael and I ride from Boise through Prairie and across the mountains to Pine and Featherville before turning north to camp around a high mountain lake. We cover highway, gravel, dirt roads, ATV and singletrack, a real dual sport adventure.
- October 5, 2013
- 37 photos and a video
Michael and I make a loop between Idaho City, Rocky Bar and Atlanta, Idaho, down forest roads, through a bit of snow, and finally ridge-top single track. It was a good thing he brought a saw or we might have missed “whoopty hell.”
- September 14, 2013
- 50 photos and a video
I am led by some guy I haven’t met before, Michael, down hours of mountain single track around Deadwood Reservoir. We start up to Bogus, through Placerville and Crouch before hitting narrow mountain trails I’d never ridden before — adventure as usual.
- June 22, 2013
- 54 photos and a video
I go alone to follow narrow trails along unexplored Lava and perhaps Rattlesnake Mountains. I hope to reach North Star and Smith Creek Lakes seen on the map. The scenery is the best I know this close to home even as aches and pains remind me of my age.
- June 2, 2013
- 29 photos and a video
Hunter and I trailer to the Eighth Street trailhead then ride the rest of the way to the ridge and Eagleson for his first overnight trip off the motorcycle. We see a skink, sit around a fire, sleep and ride home through some difficult mental terrain.
- May 18, 2013
- 27 photos and a video
I explore the hills next to town, up Trail 4, down Humpty and back on Eagleson and Rocky Canyon, looking for a place Hunter and I might do a quick overnight ride.
- April 28, 2013
- 9 photos and a video
I ride over the hills to the Danskin area for my first overnight trip of the year and first time camping from the KTM. Luggage woes and difficult trails keep me from getting as far as planned but morning along Willow Creek makes it all worth it.
- January 20, 2013
- 24 photos
The kids and I try to get above the winter haze for some sledding and find a little more than we bargained for.
- November 22, 2012
- 46 photos
Heather and Eric invite us up to the cabin in Atlanta, Idaho we’ve heard so much about while under construction these past many months. We are excited to see it and spend Thanksgiving together.
- October 30, 2012
- 56 photos
A long loop with unknown impediments requires an early departure. Snow and fire kept us out of the Trinity Recreation area this year. I’m curious to see what remains. Some effort is required to push the GS uphill through snowdrifts.
- September 22, 2012
- 41 photos
- September 17, 2012
- 52 photos
- June 4, 2012
- 22 photos
Where will the Oregon Trail lead? Back to Missouri, obviously, but before getting that far, I found a few interesting things within an easy day’s ride of home.
- June 5, 2011
- 35 photos
- September 19, 2009
- 29 photos
I ride with a few of the Idaho Motorcycle Club crew to Pilot Peak, Sunset Mountain summit and Jackson Peak, then take off on my own for a little exploration, discovering one of the rare Idaho Moai.
- May 15, 2010
- 34 photos
I meet again with some thirty fine members of the Idaho Adventure Motorcycle Club for breakfast at Rockies Diner before being led by Sam by Bonneville Point past Mayfield and Skull Rock for lunch in Pine, Idaho. From there we split up to return by different routes.
- October 19, 2008
- 9 photos
Hunter joins me on the GS for a short ride to the Boise Ridge, including the top of Trail Four, and back.
- September 14, 2008
- 11 photos
After two failed attempts, I finally make it to Trinity Lookout, a fairly short ride from home, and find it worth the effort.
- August 31, 2008
- 8 photos
My oldest daughter Laura and I ride together on the GS1200 through Smith Prairie for Trinity Lookout only to be yelled at when we arrive. We return through Featherville, not getting home until late at night.
- August 10, 2008
- 23 photos
I ride with a club I just learned about up Blacks Creek to the Y-Stop, over to Arrowrock then up to Thorn Creek Butte before an ice cream stop (thanks Sam) in Idaho City.
- June 8, 2008
- 17 photos
My first time riding into the Danskin trail system is rewarded with beautiful sights and surprises.
- August 16, 2007
- 8 photos
My daughter Laura rides along on the XR 650L while we seek the elusive southern route from Aldape to Lucky Peak. We also try to make our way to an old mine I once encountered near Highway 21.
- August 4, 2007
- 19 photos and a video
My daughter Laura and I ride together on my XR 650L up Rocky Canyon Road, across the Boise Ridge for a small loop around the top of Trail 4, above Hulls Gulch, then return the same way as the sun sets. Along the way we encounter our old friend, the ostentatious Mormon Cricket.
- September 9, 2007
- 32 photos
I join Ely from work and a couple of his riding buddies for a dirt loop around the Boise Ridge. A few obstacles along the way ensure entertainment.
- May 13, 2007
- 15 photos
I take advantage of a bluebird day to run the usual ridge loop and discover something new about caterpillar life-cycles.
- October 7, 2006
- 8 photos
I set out to reconnoiter a trail I noticed last time I rode the Boise Ridge and find a lovely creek meander down the other side of the mountains.