Mellow gravel roads, secluded natural hot springs, the scenic beauty of the Boise River as it winds through the Sawtooth National Forest – all of this drew nine of us to ride bikes, camp and soak together over the long Fourth of July weekend last year.

Sean rallied the group — Dylan, Eric and Oso, Jeremy, Lauren, Maya, Zach, Roberto and myself — for a fun adventure that spanned around 122 miles, just over 4100 feet of climbing and stops at several hot springs, rivers and lakes along our out-and-back route. Highlights also included Sean’s pancakes, tater tots at Beaver Creek Lodge, cold beer and ice cream in Twin Springs Resort, riverside lunch breaks followed by a refreshingly cold swim and top notch campfire storytelling. We had some pesky encounters with mosquitoes, ticks and even a poison ivy scare, plus a momentous rainstorm at the end of our journey which required us to retreat to a hotel on our last evening … but all in all, we had a fantastic time — thanks, Sean!

Would highly recommend as a beginner multi-day bikepacking tour as the roads are chill and the gorgeous views and hot springs get five stars.

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