Mountain Biking the Tarbell Trail; Recap by Sean McCarthy

The morning started with coffee in hand and a windy drive to the beginning of our snowshoe trip. . Wait . . . weren�t we suppose to be going mountain biking ?!? See this is the thing with mountain biking. As the term�mountain biking� states you are biking on a mountain. And this time of year there is still a lot of snow on the mountains in particular with the low snow levels we had just a week or so ago.
Anyway, Todd and I took off from the Rock Creek campground on our bikes and started a nice climb to the top. The weather was pleasant enough so we had our mtn bike shorts on and long sleeve shirts. We were in good spirits and looking forward to an early spring ride.
As I begin writing this I think this story could be very long and it will be difficult to describe the emotions Todd and I went through.
The first hour we climbed and winded easily up a logging road to the trail. We joked a lot and hooped and hollered as we raced ahead. There were several downed trees that slowed our progress but we continued along. An hour later we started to run into some patches of snow but mostly we could ride through it with no problems. The weather became overcast and we even had some light snow falling.
Into our third hour the snow became deeper and more frequent on the trail. Not from the snowfall but just from the increase in our elevation. We were about half way done as far as distance so we just kept plodding along towards the top and the other side down.

Soon, there was no more riding or bare trail but only snow. This side of the mountain come to find out did not lose its snow so easily. Todd and I kidded each other about how we were trekking through a foot of snow and how we would have to post a recap of our arduous training when we got back.
Another hour passed by and the snow wasn�t pretty any more and we were wading through snow 2 to 3 feet deep. Our conversations became less frequent as we dredged ahead. I could see the sun dipping closer and closer to the horizon. Our pace became indescribably slow. Stepping through the snow and then back out was exhausting. We could only manage a few steps at a time before having to stop and rest. We took turns in the front. Our feet would momentarily hold on the surface of the snow only then to crash through. The top layer of glassy ice would slash at our bare ankles and calves.
Somewhere along the way the sole of my mountain bike shoe came completely off and left me with just a smartwool sock for protection on my right foot.
Darkness came and we used our blinky bike lights and a small light Todd had brought to see our way. We had both run out of water by now and finished the last of the beef jerky Todd had. I was beginning to shiver which I knew as a bad sign. When we would rest we would hang our heads in sheer exhaustion, frustration, and worry. I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep.
We knew to keep moving and we did so in silence. I thought about many things. I thought so very much about my fiancé� Jill. I knew by now that she would be in a state of panic. I am not a religious person these days but I found myself repeating the Our Father several times as one of the few prayers I could remember. And I asked for God�s help to get us out of the snow and home safely.
I was afraid to even think about how bad my feet were. My legs from the knees down just felt like two huge frozen masses. They were hard and swollen and glazed over in red from the repeated grating of the snow and ice.
I wasn�t sure what Todd was thinking about. He was now leading most of the time as my foot without its shoe was becoming more and more useless. It was difficult anymore to follow in his steps with the lack of light. I think we both thought about the worse, what if we can�t keep going or make it out? Death did cross my mind, briefly. We kept moving ever so slowly.
We had been out almost 12 hours now inching our way to somewhere. We still dragged our bikes along with us. We considered a couple times to abandon the bikes but I think we saw that as giving in. Eventually the trail crossed to a logging road that we agreed to follow down. Down was good. The snow was still past our knees and sometimes we would plunge through to our waists only to struggle back to the surface. How did we ever get to this point?
At almost 11pm we spotted a Clark county officer driving up the logging road, his vehicle barely able to make it in the deep snow. He got out and said , �You must be Todd and Sean.�
I staggered forward and mustered a grin, �Yes we are.�
Todd and I both made trips to the Emergency room later. Todd�s doctor has asked him to stay off his feet for a week and my doctor recommended that I see a vascular surgeon for possible nerve and tissue damage. Believe me when I say our lower legs and feet are not pretty and still have that sensation of pins and needles.
I�m thankful to many people including Shane who Jill had called during the ordeal for help. I look forward to sitting down with my brother and talking about the whole experience over a couple beers. I can�t really think of a good way to end this other than to say that I am both thankful and sorry for the experience.