Trail Notes: Eagle Bike Park

Today I want to share why I think Eagle Bike Park is one of the best places in the Treasure Valley to work on your bike skills. On the surface, it might not look like much because the loops are short, the biggest climb barely breaks 280 feet, and if you're used to bigger days in the saddle, it can feel hard to squeeze out even 10 miles out there. But if you’re looking to learn and get intentional about a skill you’ve been avoiding (looking at you, drops), Eagle Bike Park has a lot to offer. It’s become my personal practice playground lately, and I’m loving it. I want to stay true to my Filthy Casual nature, but I also want to ride smart and safe and Eagle has become my go-to spot for both.

Fine-Tuning Skills

I have never really been one to stop and session a feature, unless I had extra time on my ride. Most of my rides have either been solo loops or bigger group efforts, and stopping to dial in a corner or jump often breaks the flow. But lately, I’ve been finding real value in slowing down and paying attention to how I’m riding, not just how it feels, but what my body is actually doing. That shift has led me to certain sections of trail at Eagle Bike Park that challenge me or give me the chance to repeat a skill over and over.

And let’s be honest, there’s a lot of fun to be found here. It reminds me of being a kid, getting lost in play and I am embracing that spirit again. My end goal is not speed; it is form. It’s about noticing how I move on the bike, what might need work, and letting the repetition build good muscle memory. Lately, I’ve been fixated on cornering. Learning to lean the bike, keeping my chin over the bars, and putting my trust in those tire sidewalls. Eagle Bike Park has tons of corners that let you explore all kinds of techniques and I'm loving it.

Cardio Gains

Everyone knows how quickly your cardio drops after taking time off the bike and for me, it always shows up in my segment times. This summer was no different. I took a break, and the grind to rebuild that engine has been real. If you follow me on Strava, you’ve probably seen the VO2Max sessions, Zone 2 rides, and cardio loops I’ve been logging. What surprised me most is how effective Eagle Bike Park has been for this kind of training.

I’m able to stack quick punchy climbs (think Rabbit Run), mix in some flow to catch my breath (like down Junk Yard), and throw in a few corners to stay sharp on form. I even created a new segment on Junk Yard to serve as my baseline for progress. For me it’s the perfect cardio loop with some climbing, some downhill, a little flow, a few bump jumps. I love that it holds so many micro-segments inside it, so I can track both small climbing improvements, downhill improvements and overall improvement.

Right now, one lap on that segment and I'm cooked. My goal is to build up to doing it two or three times in a session by the end of the year. Slow gains are still gains and I’m having a lot of fun chasing them.

Ride, Play, Repeat

What I’m really saying is make riding fun however you can. Give yourself permission to play on the bike. Not every ride has to be a grind or a workout. Sometimes it’s just about finding that one silly little feature that makes you giggle like a kid and sessioning it until your legs are toast. That’s what keeps me coming back to Eagle Bike Park and what keeps me on the bike.

I’m not chasing speed on these new segments, but it’s been cool to look back at my first attempts and see how far I’ve come in such a short time. Especially on the climbs, which, honestly, I never thought I’d enjoy. And while I’m not about to say grinding uphill is fun, I am learning to see it as a challenge worth tackling. One that makes the rest of the ride that much more rewarding.

Forever Two Wheels!

-Myles