Quality:
Distance: 16.4-17.7 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate and up
Riding time: 1-3 hours
Trail: 2WD road, 4WD Road, single track
Season: May-October
Topo maps: Boise North, Shafer Butte, Robie Creek

Getting there: From the corner of Bogus Basin Road and Curling Drive, ride your bike or drive about 13 miles up Bogus Basin Road to a pullout and parking area on the right side of the road. Mileage for the ride starts here.

The Ride: The "Banzai" concept was first developed by Idaho Mountain Touring as a cool, end-of-the-season race, starting from the top of the Deer Point Chairlift and finishing in Hyde Park. I'm including it here with several downhill options off the Boise Ridge Road because it's such a kick to experience a massive descent of 4,000 vertical feet (6,800 feet to 2,750 in Boise). Many riders simply don't have the endurance to climb to the Boise Ridge, but most can handle a two-mile climb -- even if you have to walk some of it -- knowing there's a one-of-a-kind experience ahead. This ride gives everyone who tries it a sense of the magic, to realize we have a mountain trail system of this breadth and magnitude right here in our backyard. Try this ride and fly like an eagle -- extend your wings and swoop down with the force of gravity to your home. To begin, pedal out of the pullout area and take an immediate right on the service road to Deer Point and the Boise Ridge Road. It's a continuous uphill climb of 2.1 miles to the ridge road junction. Turn right and begin the flight down the Boise Ridge Road to either the Hard Guy Trail #33 (mile 7.8), a challenging single-track descent for advanced and expert riders, or pedal on to 8th Street (mile 9.6), which is the original Banzai route and the preferred route for intermediate riders. Regardless of which route you choose, be sure to bear right at the first two-way junction to stay on the ridge road. Don't miss that turn. The 8th Street route involves a 1.8-mile climb over "The Big Hill" from the junction with Hard Guy to the top of Eagleson Summit. But the downhill involves no technical aspects, even though it may shake your teeth loose. Be sure to keep your speed down on both trails to avoid injury.

A couple tips for 8th Street riders: Follow the sign for 8th Street at the Crooked Summit junction. Bear right at a major three-way junction at mile 9.4. The turnoff for 8th Street is marked by a junction of Trail B and D. Turn right on Trail B.