NATE RIOUX: I honestly do it for a selfish reason, and it's because it makes me happy.

In the morning I'm groggy and maybe not myself but after my ride, I'm chipper and aware of what's around me, it's just a nice way to start the day.

LEE WYMAN: Being on a bike, you don't have all that metal around you, so you pay attention to what other people are doing a lot more.

TANTIANA PETERSON: It's a very empowering activity.

Out there, just get in nature and trust your body.

Meet people, see new things that you wouldn't you know, normally stop to see.

It's just a beautiful way to see the world.

EDDIE FREYER: It was a ticket to freedom, and it was a ticket to be able to go out and explore and just go do things on my own.

And I've never had a day in my life since then where I haven't had a bike in my life.

ADAM HAYNES: You're creating where you're going, you're creating your momentum, you're creating that energy, and you're not relying on something else to get you from A to B. JILL BRADLEY: I think it's just that feeling of freedom.

You know as an adult; it makes you feel like kind of a kid again.

I call it moving meditation.

I look at being on a bike as very much the same way that you have to be very present and very in the moment.

WILLA CROMWELL: Just like being outdoors, riding with your friends, being free and just, yeah, riding.

LAUREN MELINK: Humans are complex creatures; we don't always take the easy way and we can't always explain why we do what we do.

And sometimes when we take that less traveled path it's because our hearts are telling us to.

Why?

Well, for the people of Idaho who choose to ride bicycles to get places, the answer is simple, "for joy."

LAURA GUYMON HEINER: I love it.

Or else why would I be doing it?

I don't know.

Maybe I'm crazy.

I love it.

ANNOUNCER: Funding for Outdoor Idaho is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis Family Legacy of building the great state of Idaho by the Friends of Idaho Public Television, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by the Idaho Public Television Endowment.

MELINK: Bicycles are the epitome of human-powered transportation.

Two wheels, the wind on your face and the ability to get to work using your own body's strength to do so.

RIOUX: When I moved to Boise, I was a social worker and had very little money, and my wife was going to college, so I used the bike to get around town and I just fell in love with it.

I wasn't really into cycling culture necessarily, so the clothing and the mystique and the expense.

And then when I started commuting, I realized that there was a whole other side of cycling out there and it was more utilitarian, and it really fit me.

MELINK: These days, Nate Rioux lives in the small town of Filer, Idaho.

Every day he commutes nine country road miles to Twin Falls where he owns a bike shop.

RIOUX: Commuting it's the best.

Initially it can be really hard.

It can be really hot or really cold.

But, after a few minutes you just kind of come into your own and you forget about the temperature and yeah you just get to experience what's around you.

And luckily on my commute, I get to see all sorts of stuff.

It's beautiful.

I see the mountains, I see creeks, I see wildlife.

I also get to see folks in the community that pass me every day and I get to wave to 'em and interact with 'em.

It's pretty special.

It's like all year long.

You're just seeing the growth and then you see all these farm animals getting bigger.

It's interesting.

It's like you experience the circle of life.

Sounds corny, but it's true.

It kind of ties it all, especially commuting in an agricultural area.

It's cool.

You have this awareness or this connectedness that you wouldn't get in any other vehicle.

MELINK: Nate's passion for bicycles doesn't end with his commute.

At his co-owned bike shop, Bull Moose Bicycles, Nate finds joy in breathing new life into old bikes.

RIOUX: We're a repair shop first and foremost and we have the ability to use used parts, which can keep the cost down.

And sometimes you can't find new parts to put on certain models of bikes, so having a used selection is imperative.

And then yeah, we work on new mountain bikes and road bikes and cruisers from the thirties and weird agricultural equipment and golf carts and yeah, we do it all.

And I also really like the ability of being a good mechanic to keep things from getting thrown away.

This idea of fixing stuff, it's really important and I feel like we're kind of losing that.

It's nice being able to fix something or have something that comes in and it's a mess.

And then when it leaves your stand, it works really well and it's an attractive tool again.

NARRATOR: Whether riding or repairing, for Nate, it's all about having a good time.

RIOUX: If you're not smiling when you're riding, you know there's something wrong.

So really just bringing the fun back into it.

You don't have to have all the gear; you don't need to look a certain way.

You just need to get out there and experience it.

And really, any bike should make you feel better.

I think it's good for folks to see a wide array of folks on bikes.

People tend to think of liberals and urban scenes when they think of commuting.

And you can really do it in any situation.

It's an entirely different experience.

And I feel that most people never get to see that.

We live in a beautiful place.

We really do.

Idaho is an amazing state.

MELINK: Nearly 150 miles away in Nampa, Idaho, Lee Wyman prepares a very different kind of commute.

LEE WYMAN: I leave anywhere from 4:30 to 5:30 in the morning.

I did that just to eliminate a little bit of the traffic.

My bike commute to work is a little bit more sketchy.

I think I probably have about six inches of outside the white line that I can ride in and it's pretty rough.

So since I go in so early, I don't have to worry as much about getting over into the road a little bit.

I got a job at St. Luke's and it made it easier to bike commute back and forth to work.

So I did it kind of sparingly here and there and then all of a sudden I was like, you know what?

I'm going to try to do it from October through the end of the year.

And so I did, and then now I'm trying to do it this whole year without stopping.

There's been days when I get up and I'm really tired or something, but I just yeah kind of tell myself I made a commitment and I'm going to stick to it.

I guess it's just, I wanted to kind of challenge myself and just to see if I could do it.

And the longer that I go doing it, the less chance of me not doing it.

I'm on a roll, so it's like I'm just going to keep going.

And so when it's dumping rain or when it's snowing, it's like, oh well this is getting me ready for later goals.

It's definitely an accomplishment for me just because I had never really thought about riding when it's horrible weather and snow.

Yeah, I like it.

I mean, I feel better about doing it.

It's not really a meditation, but kind uh, kind of clears the mind and gets you going for the day.

[Trail cam, spare rope, paracord] MELINK: There's another way to get your blood moving on a bicycle, and that's by using it as a way to reach your honey hole hunting spot.

[Okay, not to make sure I don't get any straps in the spokes] ADAM HAYNES: I'm combining two things I absolutely love.

I love bikes.

They've opened up the world for me and to incorporate bikes and bow hunting together, I mean, it's just so enjoyable.

It's two things I absolutely love and I get to do them simultaneously.

I can't think of anything more enjoyable than that.

MELINK: That's right, Adam Haynes hunts elk by bicycle.

With a bow.

HAYNES: Being in the bike world, having owned a bike shop for 11 years and just enjoying bikes so much and enjoying hunting and seeing where a bike can get me, it's like, why am I not putting these two together?

It's just a natural fit for me.

I can cover so much more ground on a bike.

It opens up just a bigger terrain, a bigger area to incorporate bike and bow together, so why not?

Why not do it?

It just seemed natural for me.

So our ride in today was a little over six miles, which, it was really nice, relatively maintained road.

And then we did find a nice old logging road that definitely hasn't been maintained for probably the last 20 or so years.

We're hanging a couple of trail cameras in an area that I've always wanted to hang trail cameras at, just to get more data for when I am back here, bow hunting, if it's really a good spot or not.

It's got all the makeup for a good elk hunting spot.

[Hopefully, it gets all the good stuff.]

MELINK: A month after setting up the trail cameras, Adam was able to review the footage.

[So, four hours later.}

MELINK: And his instincts were right, his spot had game.

[Cool, we got a bear, we got a bear on scene.]

MELINK: Along with being an avid hunter and bicyclist, Adam is an accomplished photographer and videographer.

So, to ensure a noisy Outdoor Idaho video crew wouldn't scare the elk away, when the season opened, Adam and a few pals went back to their spot, with bikes, bows and video cameras.

HAYNES: As I've been hunting more and more, that's what it's really becoming more enjoyable for me, is to have those close encounters.

Even if I don't harvest, it's not all just about the harvest, it's the whole package.

It's the camp experience, it's the bike ride in, it's the hard hikes with the headlamp.

It's the heavy pack outs and the close encounters are really all part of that package.

HAYNES: Okay.

There was a cow and bull coming across above me and Jason was cow calling.

I was cow calling.

And then I finally saw it was going across.

But after I, cow-called, started to come down, it came down a little ways, had everything all ready to go, I could tell he was definitely coming my way.

So waited for him to come across and cross in front of the right tree at the right time and let one fly.

So now we're going to try and find everything and see if everything worked out, but pretty sure it did see him go down.

So, we're going to find the arrow and hopefully find our elk.

It's good.

It's real good.

It's covered, covered in blood.

It's pretty special because you're creating where you're going, you're creating your momentum, you're creating that energy, and you're not relying on something else to get you from A to B.

You're really relying on yourself.

You can go as far as you physically want to or you don't have to.

You're not reliant on any one specific vehicle to get you there.

It's just you.

How far do I want to go and how much do I want to enjoy it?

MELINK: Biking Idaho's backcountry will undoubtedly build big calves, but it will also build friendship, fierce independence and self-reliance.

LAURA GUYMON HEINER: Oh, we're just outside of Crouch.

We rode our bikes here from Idaho City, so we did about 40 miles today on our bikes.

This is my group.

This is some of the members of my group, Idaho Women's Bikepacking.

I started a bikepacking group and just basically offered to women if they wanted to come out with me once a month, I would show them how to bike pack, so they did it.

Yay!

MELINK: If you hadn't already figured it out, bikepacking is like backpacking but on a bike, using bags strategically placed to ensure your bicycle is appropriately balanced.

Before this trip, Laura explained just how much thought goes into preparing her bicycle for an overnight adventure.

GUYMON HEINER: Okay!

This is the problem, there is so much stuff that is required.

So how you distribute your weight is one of the most important parts of bikepacking.

So, I have placed a lot of my heavier items down here in the triangle in my frame bag.

And then my sleep system and my clothes happen to be lighter items, or I can usually control them being lighter.

So they happen to be on the bars and on the seat, and you could reverse this.

And then any of the bags here on the front side of your handlebars are just for quick grab items, easy access, things you're going to be reaching over and over and over, like sunscreen, snacks.

So the tights and my jacket, which goes on and off a lot.

Okay.

And I like to roll down, so the dust goes off.

All the air out, lock it up, and we're good to go to put that in the harness, which I need to grab the harness.

MELINK: With a good setup, the biker can focus more on enjoying the ride, rather than worrying about the gear.

GUYMON HEINER: It combines the best of both worlds.

There's biking and there's camping and there's exploring.

And it's really, really different to travel through the areas and be on your bike and hear the sounds, see the sights, experience the terrain you're riding through rather than driving to it you know in a car or on a motorcycle.

It's very different to be out on a bike.

What I like best, and the reason I formed this group is I wanted to see more women enter this sport.

And so, whether they're doing it on their own or whether they're doing it to race or whether they're riding with us, that's what I want to see is more women bikepacking and it's happening.

GWÉNAËLLE D'AUMALE: It's my very first time bikepacking and I have definitely found my sport.

I can't wait to go on a bikepacking trip that has single track trails.

And like marry the mountain biking and the camping together.

I need to buy my own gear, I'm borrowing everything today, so I need to get my own gear and then I'll be a lifer.

MELINK: Anywhere between 10 and 30 women will join the monthly rides, driving out to starting locations across southwest and central Idaho to spend two or three days bicycling themselves and their gear up mountains to camp in the woods.

MEREDITH DOLLAGHAN: Oh, it's magical, yes, because it's magical in that the views were stunning, and you know you worked so hard on the trail and just you have the sweet payoff in the descent.

MELINK: The crew rode along the middle fork of the Payette River to a campsite where they enjoyed a cold dip, good company, and decent food.

The next morning the group packed up and rode another 55 miles and 7,000 feet of elevation gain back to Idaho City.

GUYMON HEINER: It's a cool sport.

It's fun.

You can do it your own way.

You don't have to race; you don't have to go really long distances.

You don't have to go to really remote areas.

You can basically do it right out your backdoor, in you know the cool areas that are surrounding you.

So, it can be very simple and it can be your way.

MELINK: Idaho has nearly 14,000 miles of biking and walking paths, paved urban paths cater to cruisers and commuters.

Hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails let you climb and flow.

And a dozen converted railroad lines let riders explore history and scenery at their own speed.

NICK BEATTY: You can get really good views, and then you hit these little pockets of trees.

And there's nature and lots of nature out here, lots of wildlife, birds.

It's a great place to just come in and be part of it all.

BARBARA BELLER: You get to see the mountains.

You see a really cool river and a train trestle.

We saw an elk along the way and so visitors can really enjoy all the scenery in the whole valley on a pretty, very stable but good wide trail.

MELINK: Nick Beatty and Barbara Beller are riding eastern Idaho's Ashton-to-Tetonia Trail, which became the newest addition to Idaho's long-distance bike trails in 2010.

ABBY ROSSMAN: In 1912, the trail was actually built as a railroad.

It was considered the best route to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks transported passengers and freight up until about 1984, when the line was abandoned.

And then after it was abandoned, Idaho Department of Parks and Rec partnered with the Rails to Trails Conservancy, and they created the trail that we have here today.

BEATTY: I've been coming out here with my daughter ever since, before she could walk.

It's just a great place to take kids.

It's a very mellow grade.

Nice flat surface.

And, you know, towing them in the trailer, that's how we started it.

TAYLOR BERENT: This trail definitely ranks high among some of my favorites in the region, just because of where it takes you.

Some of the history of it, the fact that it was a functional railroad line that's now been preserved, for lack of a better word, and is still enjoyable.

And to connect Teton Valley kind of up to the beginning of Island Park, I think is really special as well.

I think the trestles are some of the favorite sections, just because they're so beautiful and quite unique to ride over.

MELINK: Former non-motorized trails coordinator, Leo Hennessy helped convert a number of rails to trails.

HENNESSY: Most of them came along in the 1980s when the railroads wanted to abandon them.

And we found out that these would be great rail trails.

We were lucky that about out of the ten of them that we had, we got four of them and we got some really good ones like the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene's, the Route of the Hiawatha.

And there's so many different kinds of trails.

You've got backcountry singletrack trails all the way to 16-foot-wide paved trails.

And so, there's just a different assortment of trails that we worked on throughout the years.

And the economic impact for these things is unbelievable.

These people coming into these towns are spending money on food, motels.

I mean, they're driving from Seattle and all over the country to come to these world class trails.

MELINK: One way to make sure that people enjoy the trails that Idaho offers is to make sure they have bikes.

Pierre's Pedal Project is one organization that does just that by repairing and giving away hundreds of bicycles each year.

JOHN BELLER: One of our goals is to get kids on bikes because we think every kid needs a bike.

And so, all of our kids bikes go free to kids without question.

Basically any child who comes to us or kid that comes to us that needs a bike, we help them pick out a bike and they sign a waiver, we get them a brand new helmet and make them sign a little card that says they're going to wear their helmet and follow the rules and they head off.

WRAY LANDON: I get pretty excited with some of the kids that, that come through here, they will pick a bike that you know perhaps because of the color of it or something unique about it.

But yeah, they get all excited.

I'll take a bike down the stairs for them and let them try it out in the parking lot.

So, yeah, it's it's, it's kind of a thrill.

I just thought it was a great idea to make biking available to the population here.

There's a lot of people here and everywhere in need, and we're filling a niche.

BELLER: It was started about three years ago and we had kind of observed that there were a lot of bikes being dropped off of the transfer station that look like with a little bit of, you know, love and help that they could be brought back to work.

So, we kind of looked at it as an experiment to see, could we get enough bikes, enough parts to help build decent, good bikes together.

And it was an amazing success.

JOHN NORTON: I grew up on a farm and fixing things is in my blood, and reusing things, bringing new life to old things is just the way of life.

There are a lot of things out there that can be refurbished and renewed and the joy of doing that sometimes, even though it seems a little intimidating, is worth it in the end, even though it may be a little work, you know?

Avoid the new and shiny look for the old and rusty and the journey to bring it back to life.

MELINK: It's easy to see there's community in bicycling, from bike shops to back roads to a Boise home where Rachel Hugens and her husband Patrick have hosted hundreds of bicycle travelers, through a website called "Warm Showers."

RACHEL HUGENS: We have two gals from Alaska.

They're flying in and we're going to pick them up in the airport and they're going to stay here for a day and take off and ride the Idaho Hot Springs loop.

TANTIANA PETERSON: We just arrived in Boise, Idaho.

We got on a plane at 2:30 this morning from Alaska.

I haven't slept yet.

DAISY MOSER: We just kind of have 17 days to play with and we're going to try and have as much fun as we can.

HUGENS: When you're on a road and on a long tour, it's so nice to have the hospitality of people that are local.

Most people are, they're cyclists themselves, and so they kind of know what a cyclist needs on a long tour, which is a nice place to stay and a warm shower.

MOSER: We found Rachel and Patrick through Warm Showers, which is a website that we have hosted a lot of people from all over the world, but we've never actually stayed with someone.

So, this is our first experience and it so far has been really amazing.

HUGENS: I was 42 and decided to go cycle touring.

I hadn't ever done that before.

So, I did my research and got my equipment and took off to New Zealand and I was there for six months when I met my husband, my now husband, Patrick, he was cycling around the world.

We've probably hosted over about 250 people over the years since 2008.

Meeting people and hearing their stories, it's a good feeling.

MELINK: After one night at Rachel and Patrick's house, Daisy and Tantiana hit the road with plans to complete the Idaho Hot Springs Route.

This journey requires real grit.

It's 518 miles and nearly 40,000 feet of elevation.

But the rewards are great, awe-inspiring landscapes and 50 unique hot springs situated along the route.

MOSER: We were in Idaho last summer and really fell in love with it.

There was the hot springs loop and Hot Springs are one of my big-ticket items.

So, when you put that with bikepacking, it was a sure win.

PETERSON: Getting back to survival mode is really nice when you can just stop and be like, okay, all I need to think about is what I'm eating, what I'm drinking.

Do I have enough water?

Where am I sleeping tonight?

And that's it.

And that's really, really wonderful reset for me.

We are at cottonwood creek campground, its 7am, getting a little later start than we hoped for, we got in yesterday at 6pm ish.

We found out it was 93 degrees yesterday, so a little hot coming from Alaska.

Super-hot.

MOSER: I think we were complaining about it being too hot too much, and this is what we get, woo rain!

Day three, leaving Placerville, we had a little mechanical issues with the derailleur, poor Tats had to do 6,000 feet of elevation missing all of her top gears, I think she was down to about what 9 gears, but the wonderful people of Idaho City, very helpful, very accommodating, gave us some shelter to charge up and work on things, now we're doing a little bit better, headed to the Lowman cut-off, really looking forward to some hot springs.

Another beautiful day in Idaho We've officially made it to the first hot springs, labeled campground hot springs.

It was amazing, we got here through 2,000 feet of beautiful descent through forest, smelled incredible, what a way to wake up.

MELINK: For good reason, the Idaho hot springs route attracts cyclists from around the globe.

It showcases some of our state's true highlights.

If ridden counterclockwise, the main route runs along backroads from Idaho City to Featherville, Ketchum, Stanley, McCall, Cascade, Placerville and back to Idaho City.

PETERSON: The dirt riding was amazing.

It's insane how established Idaho is.

We were like coming out of the mountains and we're still many miles from any city, and all of a sudden there's this campsite set up and there's picnic tables and a bathroom, and you're like, where are we right now?

It was awesome.

Just very well established.

MOSER: Coming out of Stanley was drop dead gorgeous hitting those BLM roads with the view of the Sawtooths and the wildflowers and the wildlife.

That was incredible.

But then the highs too are just when you work your butt up these big struggling up hills, you know you're hike-a-biking up these big boulder fields and you finally get to the top and you just get to rattle your way down with that big smile and all the bugs in your teeth and it's just, it's a good high.

I like it.

[Back brake, everybody's brakes working okay? ]

[We will have some pretty fast descents today and our last day, Saturday.]

MELINK: Cycling long distances is not just for adults.

Just ask the girls who spent a few days of their summer bikepacking through Idaho's national forests.

JILL BRADLY: For some of you, this is going to be like the hardest ride you've ever done.

Our longest day is going to be 28 miles and we're going to do 3,000 feet of climbing on the third day.

That's a hard ride.

MELINK: The three-day ride was hosted by Idaho's Interscholastic Cycling League.

This one was called GRIT, which stands for Girls Riding Together.

JILL BRADLEY: It's a national initiative that aims to recruit, retain, and develop women and girls into our program.

Cycling in general is hard.

If it was easy, you'd see tons of people out here doing this.

So, I always when I coach the kids, I always remind them that, hey, you know, if it was easy, everyone would do it.

And this is going to help prepare you for when life gets hard.

You know you've done harder, you've climbed mountains.

It just really helps them develop a real sense of resiliency.

DARYL YOUNGKIN: I kind of got gassed on the last hill, but the downhill was pretty fun and it was pretty good.

It's really nice to keep going and you just feel like you accomplished something when you get to the top.

EDDIE FREYER: We're part of a national organization called NICA, one of 30 leagues across the country, and what we do is we put together youth mountain biking programs for kids sixth to 12th grade.

Part of what we do is really building a passion and empowering kids to, you know, use the bicycle for that ticket to freedom, but also just teaching a lot of life lessons through a bike.

There's a lot to be learned on a bike that these kids can apply to real life when there's a lot of hard obstacles that you might encounter on a bike.

And when you learn how to overcome those obstacles, that translates into things that they might be facing in real life.

MELINK: On this trip, the crew rode about 70 miles from Warm Lake near Cascade to McCall on backcountry dirt roads, camping two nights along the way.

As for why they'd spend their summer days riding hot dusty roads, well they'll tell you.

ELLIANA FACKRELL: Feeling like you're free.

Like no like schoolwork.

You can get away from the house and chores.

You don't have to worry about what's tomorrow or what people think of you.

You're just free.

WILLA CROMWELL: Just being out in the wilderness and meeting new people, sleeping outside, riding my bike.

DARYL YOUNGKIN: I really like the community.

'Cause everyone's nice and always there for you.

And I really like the uphill, the downhill scares me.

SCOTT: It just shows you that you can do hard things and you can look back on it and be like, that's nothing what I'm going through right now.

Oh, that's nothing because you've done something harder.

Yeah.

It shows you what you're really capable of.

MELINK: And the program does more than just teach kids how to ride bikes.

CROMWELL: That's probably my favorite part.

Sleeping outdoors, eating like camp food and playing games with friends FREYER: The idea is, is that through experiential learning, bringing the kids in the outdoors, putting them in an incredible place like this where there's just amazing scenery, and then teaching some of these lessons about stewardship for the outdoors, just how to take care of themselves in the outdoors, independence.

BRADLEY: Along the way, the girls will learn how to filter water.

We'll get to our second camp.

They'll learn how to use a camp stove.

Tomorrow we'll be doing more of a bikepacking simulation where they'll load up their bags and we'll head to the next campground.

[Work smarter, not harder] MELINK: The girls also have plenty of advice for other kids who might be interested in trying a new sport.

EMMERY HEADINGS: Just to have fun.

It's not really that stressful of a sport, just like have fun.

FACKRELL: Even though your legs are burning, what you just got to tell 'em is like, 'shut up legs,' and just keep going.

CROMWELL: Because just being able to go outside and exercise and see beautiful things and make friends.

SCOTT: It will be hard, but you can do it.

You've probably done harder things.

You just got to take it one pedal stroke at a time.

MELINK: For most people, traveling by bicycle is just about getting somewhere, eventually.

For others it's about getting somewhere, in a very timely fashion.

NORB DEKERCHOVE: Well, the Smoke and Fire is a 426 mile self-supported bike packing race that traverses some of the great geography of Idaho.

Hundred percent self-supported, self-sufficient mountain bike race.

And it's challenging.

There's great terrain, there's a lot of climbing and people really love it.

MELINK: Riders take off at 4 AM from Hyde Park in Boise.

[Cheering] MELINK: They make their way down to Lucky Peak State Park, skirt through the Danskin Mountains, on to Prairie, Pine and Featherville, up Dollarhide Mountain and into Ketchum.

Then, up to Stanley, around Deadwood Reservoir, into Garden Valley, Placerville, Bogus Basin and then back to Boise.

ERIK STOEMER: We're like 74 miles in about 7,000 feet of elevation, so pretty smooth ride other than a sidewall tear, they were doing some road maintenance, so they were grading the road, so it's kind of like big chunky rocks and just tore the sidewall.

So had to stitch it and glue it and pump it back up.

DEKERCHOVE: Bikepacking is hard in general, but when you race, you add a whole different element to it because there's sleep deprivation, you're sourcing water, you're trying to find nutrition, just getting out of the elements and dealing with wide swings in temperature from really hot during the day to well below freezing at night in some areas.

So, you really have to be on your toes the entire time.

MELINK: With varying weather and road conditions, riders are constantly having to adapt to the situation in order to safely finish the race, even if that means doing something you'd never do in regular life.

RUSS MILLER: Sleep in a vault toilet.

One I slept in last night was cleaned that day.

All my friends are like, grossed out.

Don't knock it till you try it, because it's like 30 degrees warmer in there.

DEKERCHOVE: You might have a blueprint of how you plan to approach the race, but once it starts and once you're out there, things change.

It happens in all races to all people.

MELINK: In this race, it's all about staying one step ahead when it comes to your mental and physical health.

GRANT SOUCY: We're at Mile 110 on the first day.

It's been a good day.

My goal is to get to Ketchum, so about 30 or so miles to go.

And honestly, the main thing is just taking care of my butt and making sure it feels okay while I'm riding and trying to just keep a steady pace and not overdo it.

DEKERCHOVE: You do have to be mentally tough.

It is probably every bit as important as being physically fit because it is so hard.

So, you've got to pace yourself and be able to go into the pain cave, so to speak, and find joy and happiness there and learn from it.

MELINK: A quarter of the way into the race is Smoky Bar Store, a family run outdoor convenience shop that is a welcome sight for sore eyes.

SOUCY: This is like an absolute gem and is like the best thing to look forward to mid-ride and I ended up losing some of my chamois cream and the shop had all the fixes to make my own.

So little things like that go a long way and the people here are just super nice.

MELINK: When owner Kaylin Dennis opened up shop, she had no idea so many cyclists would use it as a place to fuel up.

KAYLIN DENNIS: Nine years ago, I decided to buy it from my family and reopen the store, which I thought was maybe a crazy idea to do, but it's working and it's pretty awesome.

In fact, my first customers were bikepackers.

They're the nicest people ever and they know that they can stop here and refuel or get a snack or something.

And I've made a lot of friends you know, just by being here.

The first couple years I was stocking like fruits and vegetables and super healthy, because you know, they're a healthy group.

I've never sold so many Twinkies and Coca-Cola and candy bars in my life.

Give me all the sugar.

It's so funny.

Yeah, I think they're crazy.

I think they're tougher than the rest of us.

And if I can help them get on down the trail, that's what I'm going to do because I think it's amazing.

And that's the coolest part of my job, is that everybody that comes here is on vacation or they're checking something off their bucket list.

And it's so cool to be part of that because they're happy.

They're not like commuting to work and they're grumpy or anything.

They're here because they chose to be, and it's so fun to be part of like their joy.

MELINK: Back on the route, riders are struggling.

MILLER: I'm pretty messed up right now.

I'm like borderline, can I keep this food down?

TYLER STEWART: The first day I was doing good until I hit Dollarhide climb, and it just took everything out of me.

And I don't know that I've recovered yet from that.

Just a ton of hike-a-bike and I'd never done that before, and it was quite a challenge.

I'm just spent.

BRIAN RICHARDS: It's been tough, yeah, the mental game is hard.

Sometimes you're feeling on top of the world and other times you're like I don't know why I'm here.

DEKERCHOVE: I've counseled several people on three words, moderate forward progress.

Don't try to kill it the first day.

People do, but just don't try to kill it.

Really manage yourself, manage the route, manage your nutrition.

I mean, if you're just riding consistently with pace, but just consistently and paying attention, you're going to do great.

You're going to get to the finish line.

GUYMON HEINER: I haven't done so great so far.

I'm behind my schedule.

Did it in reverse last year, so I kind of had a general idea of how long that was going to take me and I'm about three quarters of an entire day behind my schedule.

But I feel okay now that I'm here in Stanley, I've done all this.

I know what's ahead of me.

I can just blaze through it.

So, I'm going to get it done.

MELINK: Despite the sufferfest Smoke 'n' Fire truly is, the beauty of Idaho is evident around every corner.

[Music, cheering] SOUCY: This race is really cool to meet new people.

I think endurance sports are interesting because to do them, you have to be an absolute addict in that sport.

You gotta love it so much because you're spending so much time doing it.

So I think one of the coolest things is just meeting people who share that interest and are just full 110% into biking.

DEKERCHOVE: I think the common theme would be people who like adventures.

It crosses all socioeconomic backgrounds.

There's doctors, lawyers, bike mechanics, van lifers.

It attracts everyone from all strata's.

And I think the key is just adventure and pushing yourself.

And I've just seen the grit and the perseverance of people that are just going to grind it out and those folks who make it across the finish line, it can be a life-changing experience.

So, I think it does empower people to maybe take another look at their life and take another step up in some capacity.

MELINK; There's another bikepacking race in Idaho that seems all but impossible.

A race with an added element of survival because of the inhospitable environment.

[Talking] JAY PETERVARY: We're all here pursuing something.

I don't, it could be many things.

It may or may not be the finish, but it's something, it's growth.

It's a particular individual.

It's not for everyone, but I think a lot of people have interest in it.

They look at it and think it's neat and amazing, but it might not be for them.

And yeah, it's a special person for sure that wants to be out here and, and do this.

[Shouting] MELINK: The Fat Pursuit is a 124-mile fat tire bike race that takes place in Island Park, Idaho during January, the coldest month of the year.

It takes riders anywhere from 20 to 60 hours to finish.

To compete, competitors are required to carry survival gear, including a below zero sleeping bag and stove to boil water.

[Sleeping pad is in the bag, Okay, map, is it downloaded?

Yep, awesome.

When in doubt air down.

Running tubeless?

Yep.]

STAFFORD MARQUARDT: I'm gonna read the conditions, I'm gonna read my body, I'm gonna do what I have to do to get to that finish line.

MELINK: The event also requires a special bike.

A fat tire bike is an off-road bicycle that has close to 4-inch tires.

This kind of bike is necessary for a racecourse that's covered in several feet of snow.

[You're not tracking!

Jonathan Black!

You're not tracking! ]

[Are we watching Dada ride a bike race, yeah.

Yeah, you don't normally wake up this early.]

[Take care of yourselves, do your work.

Party on people, let's go! ]

[Sirens] JENNIFER HANSON: Yeah, it's like slow getting going and then you get going and then if you hit a hill, it's like hard.

Sometimes you're getting off and you're pushing.

Or wind, if you hit a headwind, it's just like you're pushing a dump truck.

MARQUARDT: So, the snow, even in good conditions, it sort of compresses as you ride, right?

So, you're putting all this power into compressing the snow.

You're also working with tires that are pretty aired down.

So, it's like if you've ever pushed a wheelbarrow with a flat tire, it's kind of like that.

But doing it with your legs for like 125 miles.

MELINK: While skill will get you to the winner's podium, it's grit and determination that are needed to just get to the finish line.

MARQUARDT: I'm not there to win.

I'm not like a pro cyclist.

I'm there to have an adventure and I sign up for races that are always like slightly above my limit and I just wanna finish.

Like, I don't wanna bail out, like I'm not gonna bailout, right?

Um, you're not gonna come find me hitchhiking on the way back and interview me there.

I'm gonna finish this race.

PETERVARY: It's not just about being good at your discipline, but you also have to be kind of a outdoors person, because you have to manage in this weather, so in the long distance event, they have to manage their sleep, their food, and just taking care of themselves.

[Talking] MELINK: The first big climb of the race is Mt.

Two Top, over 8,000 feet, the riders ascend a tree lined path before the skies open up to reveal a snow blown summit.

ZACH STONE: Two Top is traditionally like kind of a cloudy, mysterious place and it was wide open and sunny and so that was beautiful to see.

Two Top just covered, covered in snow.

All the trees just flocked to the, to the max and that was the high.

MARQUARDT: It's amazing it's just so cool to be out here, like no one else is out here, you know, like it's a, it's a stampede at the start and then a few miles, like you're kind of on your own.

Just kind of get in your head, spend a few days just being you.

Looking around, like you see the animal prints, you're like, what's that?

Maybe that looks like a fox or whatever.

Um, it is so just peaceful and restorative, and it's also a lot of work, right?

You're pushing, you're pushing, you're, you're setting limits that, that you don't think is possible.

PETERVARY: You go through highs and lows and you're going to have some amazing highs that nobody else gets to experience and you can't even explain it to your friends.

But it's special and it's in the moment type stuff, and it's really important for the people to absorb that and recognize that because they are going to hit the low bottoms.

[What's up dude, you up for a PB&J? ]

MELINK: The race offers a few aid stations and some of those race highs come at the first station, as riders pull into cheers and lots of snacks.

[I know what I'm going to do, couple of these bad boys, breakfast of champions right there.]

MELINK: While some riders will choose to push through to the finish, many will stop in the wee hours of the second day of riding, to get a couple hours of sleep, turning their tail light on for safety and crawling inside their tent or bivy for some much needed rest.

HANSON: I'll sleep because I do like to lay down and rest.

I'm not usually a go keep going, so I'm hoping to maybe, uh, maybe be a little bit faster, but it, you know, trail conditions are better and get a little farther before I have to sleep, like, farther down the trail.

But probably like that 3:00 AM, sleep for a couple hours.

MELINK: The last aid station sits ten miles from the finish, riders are coming in exhausted barely able to eat but somehow with good attitudes.

[Really good.

I haven't slept yet, so I'm exhausted.

I've been up for a little over 24 hours now.

Ten miles to go!

STONE: I kind of had some dark periods in the middle of the race, so I backed off and kind of just collected myself and tried to make sure I felt good the rest of the way, the entire time.

Just focused on feeling good too, to finish.

Yeah.

Get, get around the loop.

[Fat Pursuit! ]

MARQUARDT: You don't need to be like a lifelong cyclist to do this sort of thing.

You just need to be like, kind of crazy and determined and be in it for what it is.

HANSON: I like the challenge.

I like the challenge of it and, and I like being out there.

I mean, it's hard but I like doing hard things.

I mean, I like doing challenging hard things, so I guess it's just <laugh>.

I, yeah.

I dunno.

I like it.

MARQUARDT: I like to think my mental game is stronger than my physical game.

Like my physical game is, that's not my biggest asset here.

I'm often the caboose in these sorts of events, but I will finish.

I might finish last, I might finish Monday, but I'll get it done.

MELINK: As you can see, bicycling is not just a hobby or just a mode of transportation, it's a way of feeling unbridled joy.

PETERVARY: I love the speed of a bicycle.

There's just something about it.

MOSER: It's just a little bit more intimate way to travel, but still fast enough pace that you're changing the landscape.

HAYNES: You take in more of your surroundings versus just kind of hitting autopilot in your car.

It's like I want to get there as quickly as I can.

On a bike, I'm stopping, I'm taking it in, I'm looking at everything around me.

BRADLY: It's all about kind of clearing your mind and coming back to center.

And I look at being on a bike as very much the same way that you have to be very present and very in the moment.

SCOTT: It brought a community to me that's, we're all weirdos, but we can all fit in together.

and it showed me who I am, and I don't need to apologize or change who I am.

It makes me very happy.

LAURA GUYMON HEINER: I love it.

Or else why would I be doing it?

I don't know.

Maybe I'm crazy.

I love it.

ANNOUNCER: Funding for Outdoor Idaho is made possible by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation committed to fulfilling the Moore and Bettis Family Legacy of building the great state of Idaho, by the Friends of Idaho Public Television, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

To find more information about these shows visit us at IdahoPTV dot org.