STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
Two Swiss Valais sheep sporting rainbow colors joined Sun Valley’s first ever Pride Ride Saturday.
Curly and Lambert wo sported crowns of color above their curled horns trotted out along the Sun Valley Road bike path, stopping to pose for pictures with the dozens of families on the path. Then they stopped to check out the draft horses who came galloping up to get nose to nose with them.
“I take them out on a number of occasions during the year,” said Deida Runswick, who runs the animal rescue ranch in Hailey that the sheep reside at. “This seemed to be like a good cause.”
More than 50 adults and children showed up for the ride, which went from Sun Valley’s Horseman’s Center to River Run Lodge and back.
They were led by national champion mountain biker Rebecca Rusch, who established a non-binary category in Rebecca’s Private Idaho gravel ride atop Trail Creek Summit last year.
“Rebecca’s going street speed today,” Pride Ride organizer Jen Smith boomed through her megaphone. “And she’s going through Ketchum, not over Trail Creek.”
Rusch told the riders that Rebecca’s Private Idaho and her Be Good Foundation, which uses the bicycle to create opportunities for personal discovery and humanitarian service, was excited to be part of the inaugural Pride Ride in Sun Valley.
“Riding is about movement. Riding is about community. Riding is for everyone. It’s all about using the bicycle for healing, empowerment and evolution,” she said.
Stella St. George and Brooke Vagias won T-shirts and other prizes for affixing rainbow-colored pom poms and crepe paper to their bicycles, while wearing colorful tie-dyed shirt, tights and ribbons in their hair.
Others tied colorful balloons to their bikes and kiddie carts and waved small rainbow-colored flags as they rode through the streets of Ketchum escorted by two Blaine County Sheriff’s cars. Numerous motorists honked horns, while pedestrians waved and whipped out their phones to take pictures.
One of the participants, who grew up in Burley and has a second home in Sun Valley was riding a tandem bike with a toddler.
“This is great,” he said. “It’s nice to see something like this in Sun Valley.”
“It’s fun to see everyone showing up,” added Toni Bogue.
The group enjoyed pina colada, blue raspberry and bubblegum snow cones from the big yellow Snowie Shaved Ice truck when the ride was over, while Rusch handed out Miir insulated food cans that fund water and health projects.
The Pride Ride was the final event of four days of Pride events in Sun Valley and was one of two events supported by Sun Valley Company.
The resort’s participation stemmed from a survey of employees who were asked what would make them feel more included and happier in their work, said Bridget Higgins, director of public relations for Sun Valley Company. Employees identified support for the LGBTQ community, women in leadership conferences and a focus on people with different abilities as being among the things they’d like to see the company support.
Stella St. George said she liked seeing the participants dress up.
“It felt good to be part of a group of people who were united for a purpose,” added Brooke Vagias.