Idaho Backways Adventure Trail
Adventure Bike Ride Around the Best of The Idaho Mountains
Travel across Idaho on the famous Idaho BAT
Gary looking to find the way
This is a 7 day adventure bike ride making a big loop around the state. We will be staying in different hotels each night. Some riders may truck their bikes to the start of the ride and then leave their vehicles at the beginning of the ride for the week. We will be eating in restaurants during the week, so no need to bring cooking equipment or food. The riding should be intermediate and scenic, but some days may be long. There are some route choices for those that would like some more challenging options.
Come prepared for the possibility of wet and cold weather. While it is likely that the weather will be great, we will be exploring some high elevations and the weather can turn quickly during the day. Carry rain gear everyday.
Come prepared to have fun and meet great people!
Ride Detail. if you like, you can read a lot about the plans below
Here is an overview map of our entire route, the red are the optional hard routes, and green is easy ways
Zoom in to view the route in fine detail
Self Guided Trail
This ride is designed to be a self guided adventure. Riders install a custom GPS microSD Card into their Garmin GPS unit. The routes are then displayed as the rider travels along. Navigation is made easy. Riders can choose to follow along at times or can choose among hard and easy options. Or riders can simply choose to ride off the routes and return to them later. For many, this allows them to just experience the trail without the burden of getting lost.
Do this ride yourself: Purchase Rider Packet and GPS microSD Card for this ride
Note: A Full Rider Packet consists of printed ride descriptions and paper ride maps and a custom GPS microSD card for your Garmin or BMW GPS unit.
Idaho Backways Adventure Trail Loop Choice (Scroll Down Menu)
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Notes: I suggest you plan and order early. Normally I ship within a week. But sometimes I run out and it can take me several weeks to get new cards and maps. And sometimes I am out riding and building new adventures so that can be hard too. I list the Option for 2 SD cards because many riders like to carry a backup card or a cheap backup GPS in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
How does the ride navigation work?
This is a self-led GPS ride; all riding is on your own. You are responsible for your own riding. You will be given a GPS map file and instructions on how to use your Garmin GPS unit. People will hook up in small groups of less than 6 riders and tend to ride together. You are not encouraged to ride alone. You are responsible for your own riding and yourself.
(see my ride Navigation Video)
Are you right for this ride?
When something goes wrong on a ride, would your riding friends say that you are more likely to need help or more likely to give help? You should be in the more likely to offer help camp. This ride is filled with riders that are more likely to give help, so most of the time the riders never need help. Additionally there is all the normal stuff, come prepared to maintain your bike, fix your bike on the trail, repair flat tires, deal with bad weather and rain and make a joke or two.
How do I make the GPS stuff so easy?
I develop very high quality ride maps custom for our ride. They come from much of what I and others have ridden. I take the best from all my rides and make new ones.
(See my Custom Ride Maps Video)
Note from me, gpsKevin
My goal for this ride is simple: great riding. So you can count on great routes and places to ride.
But in addition, the ride is about discovering new places, meeting new friends, seeing new parts of the Southwest.
Thanks
gpsKevin
FAQ's
Q:What will the weather be like this time of year?
A: In September, the weather is most often nice, could be a little hot in the lower deserts and it can be cold in the morning and in the mountains. But sometimes there can be rain. Wet and muddy routes can force us to change our routes. Come prepared with extra gear for cold and wet.
Q: Would this be a good ride for new riders?
A: No, this ride is for intermediate and experienced riders only. The riding has easy route choices and tough route options. Each evening we will study the following day's choices. You will find lots of supportive people at the ride.
Q: What are motel room arrangements?
A: Rooms are double occupancy, meaning each rider shares a two queen bed room with another rider.
Q: What bikes are right for this ride?
A: Bikes including and in between the Suzuki V-Strom and the KTM990 all can do well by choosing the easy or hard route options.
Q; What do I do if I don't have a Garmin GPS?
A: Buy one, you need it, we will show you how to use it. You can get a great one for under $200 bucks. ( See gpsKevin's gps recommendations)
Q: Is the riding really on my own?
A: Yes, but almost everyone hooks up and rides with a friend, or a new friend or me.