HAILEY
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KETCHUM
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SUN VALLEY
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BELLEVUE
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CAREY
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S TA N L E Y • FA I R F I E L D • S H O S H O N E • P I C A B O
Independence Day Parade PAGE 3
CHOPPER HAULS LIFTS OFF BALDY READ ABOUT IT ON PAGE 23
Rescue At Magic Reservoir PAGE 15
R4 Alliance Benefits Vets PAGE 24
J u l y 2 , 2 0 1 4 • V o l . 7 • N o . 2 9 • w w w .T h e W e e k l y S u n . c o m
BIKE FEST
DEEMED SUCCESS
Chasing gravity
Liz Roquet and Muffy Ritz fuel themselves with espresso before the big race. STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
T
he Vamps pulled on their fishnet stockings, hot pink go-go boots, sparkling wigs and doll glasses. Then they went out and raced—on an old Schwinn Stingray Muffy Ritz had found on eBay. And when the criterium through Ketchum’s downtown was over, they cheered because they hadn’t finished last. “The key was learning to slide off the bike on the left so the next racer could get on the other side in the hand-off,” said Ritz, whose team was pitted against Lizzy’s Coffee racers fueled by four shots of espresso, a Coors beer team fueled by you know what, and others. The criterium was one of the more fun events in a week-long Smith Optics Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival, which ends Saturday with the U.S. Marathon MTB National Championships on Bald Mountain. On Saturday and Sunday racers tackled one of the longest enduro races in North America riding 24 miles and descending 9,000 vertical feet across Bald Mountain. Aaron Bradford took first among men, followed by Kyle Warner, Sun Valley’s Adam Greene, Mason Bond and Cody Kelley. Margaret Gregory took first among women followed by Mallory Burda, Beth Roberts, Ileana Anderson and Madi McQueen. “It was a really fun weekend and definitely one of the more well-put-on events,” said Gregory, who will now head for Park City—the final stop in the Scott Enduro Cup. “It was a tough yet balanced race with a lot of pedaling and technical sections.”
This Criterium racer was about to lose his packages.
MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 19
Julian Tyo says his favorite trail is the Adams Gulch Loop ending on Harper’s Trail: “It’s a short punching climb to a pretty high elevation with incredible views.” STORY AND PHOTOS lead in building new trails, with the help of International Mountain BY KAREN BOSSICK Bicycling Association’s Trail Solutions. “Julian is a young, passionate, energetic mountain biker who has played an integral role in the new mountain bike experience in Sun ulian Tyo fell for gravity when he was 10. And he never Valley,” said Greg Randolph, longtime “Bike” magazine advice colgot over it. Now he’s a grown-up boy who still thrills to the feel of umnist and Olympic bike racer who spearheaded the Ride Sun Valley Bike Festival. the wind hitting his face as he heads his grey Kona EntouTodd Byle, of Sturtos bike shop in Hailey, said you can’t help but rage mountain bike downhill. have fun when you ride with Julian, as his passion for riding is And this young ripper is introducing others to the thrill contagious: “He’s not a mountain bike racer. He’s more focused on the that feeds his soul as he helps change the face of downhill flow, how it feels—kind of like a surfer.” mountain biking in Sun Valley. The Portland, Ore., native was introduced to mountain biking at It was Tyo who suggested to the City of Ketchum that age 10 by his mother, a schoolteacher who had summers free to share they build a bike pump park in Ketchum shortly after pump her love of the outdoors with her brood. He was quickly hooked, seekparks began appearing on the bike scene. It was Tyo who, ing out trails near Bend, Hood River, Ashland and Salem. with Brendan Coyle, established the Idaho Pump Track Tyo had his first big crash at 13, veering 50 feet off the side of an State Championships, now in its fifth year. unfamiliar downhill course. And Tyo has been the face of mountain biking for Sun “It was getting dark. I was going too fast. I lost control. Amazingly, Valley Compa“It was getting dark. I was ny as the resort all I did was break my arm and my bike. But even with the broken arm, all I wanted to do was keep on riding. That’s how I came to realBaldy into a going too fast. I lost control. turns ize how much I like it,” said Tyo, who is now 30. mountain-biking “It’s a great way to experience the outdoors—adrenalin and adAmazingly, all I did was playground. venture and get exercise, all at the same time. Going downhill is so Tyo has taken break my arm and my bike. the lead in orgaexciting—a way to detach from the real world, from everyday life, to be in the moment. I ride uphill to go downhill.” nizing the national But even with the broken mountain bike Improving “heaven” arm, all I wanted to do was races Sun Valley has hosted the Tyo followed Kate—the girl who would later become his wife—to keep on riding.” past three years. Sun Valley in 2007 And he’s taken the and found himself CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
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