#jointherusch

Stage 1 was our favorite featuring 44 miles. After a not-much-above-freezing kind of start, we got underway.

Eventually the sun rose up over the mountains, and it both brightened up and warmed up, treating us to some fine views.

The first part of stage 1 featured flowy, fast singletrack which was a hoot to ride on a gravel bike.

Eventually the course mellowed out to some more wide open doubletrack featuring more spectacular views of the Boulder mountains.

The first stage started and finished at the famous Galena Lodge - a great place to visit on your next bike adventure to Sun Valley.

Stage 2 brought more gravel, all road this time on an out and back course right from downtown Ketchum.

We pedaled at a social pace on the way out to what would be a 4.5-mile uphill time trial. Our very own Steve Thorne rolls out for the TT below.

The women put on a spectacular race with tight competition at the front. Among the top contenders were the always smiling Kaysee Armstrong and Karen Jarchow. What was remarkable about this event was that 40% of stage race participants were women - no doubt a testament to Rebecca Rusch’s longstanding efforts to encourage women’s cyclists.

Once at the top with the clock stopped, we were treated to a more leisurely decent. A 20mph speed limit to keep everyone coming up safe just gave us more opportunities to stop and take photos on the way back down!

We rode back to town with Rebecca Rusch and the organizers of the Dirty Kanza race. Rebecca told us that she got the motivation for her race from the famous Kansas gravel event. Without Dirty Kanza, there never would have been an RPI. Rebecca and the Dirty Kanza organizers are pictured below.

Day 3 of RPI was a much needed rest day including a morning social group ride. We appreciated the break after a few days in a row of riding and racing at altitude.

We spiced up the return with a bit more singletrack riding. Alcorn flies down Trail Creek below.

Then it was time to get ready for the final day’s 92-mile Big Potato. There were also 50-mile Small Fry and 20-mile Tater Tot options for those not feeling like they wanted to pedal quite so far.

The lollipop course started and finished with a big climb/descent out of town.

Then we were off for a loop through the sparsely populated Copper Basin.

The course was blazing fast with the gravel roads in relatively good condition - fortunately there were not a lot of stutter bumps. But it sure was dusty out there.

Bill, Steve and Sue all finished well enough in their respective men’s and women’s categories to earn the coveted commemorative bolo ties awarded to the faster portion of the field.

All in all, it was a great event - super well organized and fun to ride, and we enjoyed the chance to meet lots of riders for whom we shipped their bikes to and from the event. If Rebecca’s Private Idaho isn’t already on your bucket list for next year, it should be!