Moab - Road Trippin '& mountain biking

MOAB

The following story has a few goals in mind. First, we want you to fit the road. Road trip is simple, often much easier than you think. Second, each around Moab. There are a lot of different terrain there. Three is the place of a visit. Riding around each blind spot, I thought I wanted to see Jim Morrison around in a daze, jeans, no shirt, and some leaflets. Needless to say, I wish I had discovered 15 years younger Just psychedelic journey through life ... in Moab.

Our trip consisted of a Volvo station wagon, some shelves Rescue Yakima, some camping gear and three good friends. Adam works in the gaming industry, Fanny is working on a resort as a massage therapist and I work at a computer between rides, try to put out newspapers. The reason for the introduction, I want everyone to know that media are only 3 men, none of us are superstars in the saddle. We're just your average team that loves to rideBicycles. I set out deliberately with the aim not to tell anyone who was the editor for MB. I just wanted the dirt (sand or stone, in this case) to Moab. No sponsor. There are one-sided information. The real Moab.

PORCUPINE RIM

After 22 hours of travel, a fight between a couple and a lot of pressure off me to get in order to have a shuttle service to begin late Porcupine Rim, we were there. I had a dream of my return to Moab for almost 3 years. Previously, I had a fullTurning to another trip and got into a tailspin Porc Rim. On this trip we have shown by three in the afternoon and managed to take a bus late. I knew if we pushed, we had the chance to ride our first day.

As we pulled into Moab was a little 'disappointed, they had changed the sign of Moab, a well-placed to the old "I Love BJ's" sticker on the "O" The new logo was green and had lost its charm. We have moved to Moab Cyclery went to a team in a dazeYahoo and the nice lady at the desk said the shuttle for the day ... were carried out too bad. But within a second, "said a young man named Mat add it to us. We were thrilled! It turned out that Mat was the key to our stay. He gave us a lot of information on the trail we would go later, and places to stay cheap, which is exactly what we were looking for. He also mentioned stories crushing La Salle on his snowboard last week that I have raised more, because this is a different mission, Ion my list of things to do before I'm done.

You can pick Porc Rim or you can ride from the city. the desert heat with a little 'knotty suggest the shuttle if you start too late. She still has a little 'climb to the top and there are a lot of kicks on the way to the bottom. The first three quarters of the trail is mostly double-track jeep road. A lot of people bag on double track, but here is damn funny. Most are drop-it-yourself adventure with RockDishes and many loose ends. Your mind and technology are constantly under discussion, is not only a senseless pedal on dirt roads.

The road was fire and everyone was excited, until it happens again. I took my chain (the last time here I had a similar mechanical). After digging through my bag I realized I've changed my bags and moved to my last minute switch chain. After half an hour of unsuccessful attempts to MacGyver, I was rolling the track without chain. About ten minutes later,I declined. I was going to throw my throat in my bike off a cliff. I was taking the exit as fast as I could, but with the single-wall tires, it was inevitable that I too flat wrong with sharp edges and often rocky. After a short fit of anger I have fixed and chosen my words a bit 'more closely. I knew I had to overcome a couple of climbs and eventually I would "single track" sign that was in my dreams over the last three years to see.

Past, the charactersis to compare my brains all broken, tears packed buff street side of a spectacular gorge edge. E 'up to the driver, how to interpret a trace of it, my interpretation is quick to ride, rail transfers from the corners and pop charts and all the natural hip. To me, this is the mountain bike. The fact that not only chain I thought I should dig deeper and carry more speed. I, and my hunger has been filled. I had the Spur End-to-ear to ear Adam smiled."I'm sorry, I could not just wait," he said. "Once I saw that sign. I had to look too far into the area, wait." I was not too fussed.

It 's a bit of a pedal back to town and it's even more still trying to skate your bike. Adam and Fanny went to the car, how do I stop my bike started on a dark country road. I tried to hitchhike, which would happen if a vehicle, but there was no one to stop. I gave up hitchhiking when a random man in a big truck to slow down and take the time to laugh, decidedme. What a guy! In the end I did it again, got a greasy hamburger Denny's and called it a night in a motel room.

Moab Travel Note 1: Most restaurants stop serving food at 10-ish. If you want to call them food gnarl eat at Denny's best to plan accordingly. Note 2: Do not drive with more than one spare tube, a switch-chain, pump, levers, and hex wrench. Moab had a way to beat light tourer and is a long way to go!

AmasaBACK

We woke up the next day watching unpleasant rulers us down (not cold). Our project was another classic Moab Amasa Back in the street. We wanted to ensure a campsite for the rest of the week. On the advice of the kind folks at the Moab Cyclery, we decided to camp just west of the city bounded on the Colorado River in an area shaded by trees and along Kane Creek Road. The field is essential for camping (no showers and no running water). At five dollars a nightcould not wait. On the opposite side of the road is another place, Camping Moonflower, an 8-area, the less the opposite of our choice. Moonflower format is set in a typical Moab, light-colored sandstone formations and a lunar landscape. I would very much prefer this place to our place, especially because it was free. However, it did not have much in terms of protection from the sun and was not lucky enough to be along the River. Way out of the sun in Moab proved to be a missionTimes. Our position is well shaded and has given us a jump into the river after a long hot race. I highly recommend this place if, like us, you are Moab on the budget.

The Amasa Back is a way to 'out and back "type ride. This area was on the western edge of the continent 200 million years old, so it is loaded with ball and bizarre sandstone rock formations. We were from a different route out of Amaseno called 'Jackson', we decided to seek advice. After an hour of technical advanceChallenge is to maintain two tracks laced with more "whoa seen as a camera card, you will eventually pass through a pipeline. While the interrupt the natural line of travel, so do a good sign. You hang a right, a small handful crest and a greeting Overview of the Colorado River. We did not know who may at the time, but if you look on the right side you see where the road ends. In retrospect it was a very far away. The crazy thing is that, if we consider thatKilometers of rock wall, cross is the true path. Before falling, however, returns to double track, keep your legs moving and get off at the top. It can be a bit 'hard to stay on track, but worth the confusion. At the end of the road is a cliff lookout. The observation tower is at the top, probably a few hundred meters from the cliff straight down with a spectacular valley. It 's a good place to eat and drink in you and take minutes to reachphilosophical with your life (whoa buddy, we are all so small ...). Time to shake their heads and return to Jackson Trail.

Jackson is one for the dreamers like me. If you have always wanted to be scared, and near one of the most enduring and breathtaking views of how this dream for you, a photographer. We started to run during the day, with the idea Irie sunsets and the light, changes in lifestyles. When we pulled up, the Jackson starting point, theGolden Hour kicks (Ed note: the end of the day will make your trip a hundred times more epic). The road is dancing on the side of a canyon wall. This makes it a true spirit of F # ck. Pardon my language, but there are a lot of technical sections on the track. While only a few would be very challenging, most are just a bunch of rocks with a mean random drive-line can pass through. The problem here is this seemingly "average" cut an oscillation in a tumble hundreds of feetThe drink called Big Brown the Colorado River. I must admit I was more than a few sections of this course and in retrospect I regret a bit, but whatever, at least I can look back and I'm not dead floating down the river ... right?

After some more ridiculous curve, line ends with a long exposure wide open single track vehicles, you could really only be described as ... perfect. On the trail of late have we "Haulin 'Oats", when we suddenly surprised to find a flowCrossing. I think that if the flow is guaranteed a low point in the wake of flooding. After many "can not be?" and "How low can it?" Adam said it was for them. The river was deep at least alive and with a Camelback full of photographic equipment was not discover, for sure. While Adam for a wet crossing, I wandered desperately ready for a dry track. The banks of the river were steep and are mostly accessible, but can only turn around if I wanted, I saw four dogs Prancingaround the banks. I yelled to the dog owners and their hoping that she appears. While we have given enough information to arrange for me to think that we can skirt the edge of the banks here, she was a mysterious woman! She left me really puzzled. For every question I asked gave me a sort of puzzle to understand. What a tripper ... but it is nice and helpful.

After our less than graceful exit disk take Kane Creek Road and a road quickly and easily darkness before us the lead,our campsite. This was our first night in the elements and Fanny gave us some of the gourmet salads I've seen for a long time. It 'was a perfect cap to a long day of adventure.

Slick Rock

No trip to Moab would be without riding the famous "Slick Rock" completely. Of course, it was next to go on the list of classics. This is the way to Moab on the map, so we were pretty excited to ride and see what the law should be. Once again, the day turned out to bemore than a mini-adventure as only going for a ride. The Sand Flats Recreation Area is a large raised platform made of sandstone cliffs, gorges and massive rock formations surrounded. Ancient wind blown dunes of this unique jewel created. In a nutshell, is like going to the moon.

We paid our $ 5 parking fee, was the starting point and started to connect the pedals. That cycle has seen a practice, if on it, "they're taking me to believe that I was a long day. We decided tothe warm-up and marched on. The same path is well marked with colored markers and then. At first I was not so enthusiastic about the brand, but later realized that they are needed. It is not only easy to walk off the road and lost, but also keeps all traffic on the track, the rest undisturbed. The true way is difficult in short climbs, followed by flowing ridges littered. If I say it's like going to the moon, really. Although I personally do not findhis journey on my list of all time, Fanny liked it. I think the race is probably a tip for those who love steep climbs. This does not mean old slacker with a time to scream, just do not stack up to the "single track" on Porc asshole, that my brain uses as a benchmark.

The cycle is about 13 miles, which is short enough for standard Moab. It can be driven in 2 1 / 2 to 3 hours, but you must consider the heat and the challenge for some of'Up' sections. By the time we arrived at half-time bad weather was starting to move in. We could see lightning in the distance on glorious La Salle Mountains. While some may think that this is a sign to hurry up and go back outside, I found a good opportunity, one of the greatest shows mother nature to absorb the storm. I was in Moab, cycling on the legendary circuit Slick Rock, while a great storm, how is everythingmore epic? The haunting dark purple sky was raging on canyon walls of pink and white snow-capped peaks, it was a damn sight. But perhaps I enjoyed it too long. As we returned to the car the rain started, which was nice because we were ready and in the car. We decided that it was really nice if you have clearly left the canvas of the tent, 20 minutes away. By the time we returned to camp, the storm was over, it was fast and on time. I opened thetent to find a healthy size puddle had formed on my sleeping bag. I zipped the door again and said. "I'm ready to cut my losses here, go to room" Everyone agreed and soon we arrived, we were out of there.

Moab Travel Tip 3: We rushed to the Ramada Inn that night. The writer was blunt with us and told us, is during the week and need to fill the rooms. They have reduced the rate of $ 79 for a double room, asked for more elsewhere. I think it was a fair price for her in the citystrip, and it was a nice room to boot.

We were hungry! So we went to a place where all you can eat pizza. different type of bus boys do their best Jerry Seinfeld pants walk the personification of 8 meters tall man with a foot "party in the back" mullet action named Billy Bob, this place was a bit 'less glamorous. The pizza was a bait for hungry fools like us. Lucky though the beers were huge and rinsed my memories of bad overpriced cakeremoved.

SOVEREIGN

The next morning we had smoothies at our new favorite stop in Moab, Peace Tree Café. If you're into organic food and treats I highly recommend this place to attend. According to our smoothies, we returned to camp the night before survey damage. With a side trip to the laundry for 24 hours and the hot sun to dry things and we were ready for the next adventure. We stopped off at the Cyclery and after talking to some participants experiencedWhistler (who would later discover, was the family McSkimming - Rob has an important role in the development of Whistler Bike Park) we decided on our next trip would be Sovereign, a new single track north of the city in relatively low mesas of the Klondike Bluffs.

The race is less of an all-day Ride 'epic' Like Porc Rim and Amasa back, but still super fun. He gave us a buff singletrack on rolling terrain, to climb some nice features and sandstone rip twisty singletrack. We drove10 miles from the town, turned right on Willow Springs Road and found the parking lot. E 'was covered when we started in the late afternoon, but still very hot, because the area in the desert. A short sandy two-track brought us to the path that goes through a series of Mesa started on some steep shale. The road is good with blue paint on the rocks, the case is sealed. Sovereign is highlighted by a few strenuous climbs and over again, having the largest. And 'generallyfairly flat with not much in terms of proportion, but each time thinking, "When this migration is desired to take?" came to me, I would like to be treated at a high speed singletrack section, rib, and I love the single track, so yes, I loved that ride too!

Just before the turn around point will take you to reach a ridge. You'll see, admire some of the views that really make you wonder what's going on in this world. After completing the path drops of deep thought and is a good rough-andbumpy ride is down with too many curves, deep inside The only problem, you must return to this section you will find easy to get ripped. For me, stealing a little 'charm of the race. Not a big deal, but I think I Zonked to increase my energy. Then there's that oh too familiar crackle of thunder. Just as we back our asses kicked, the sky has changed. I have never seen the sky change as he did that night. The rich dark purple hues quickly filledHorizon, the bottom of the clouds, the aqueous rinse yellow rain were out of his bowels. It 'was a beautiful sight against the colored rock and vegetation to protect, which was opposite to the edge of our precious way. We did not wet. I took it and was pleased with him, especially since we only had about 5 miles to go and I remembered the sheet over the tent.

What I mentioned earlier, the first 5 Miles was on a small hill was mostly rocks and mixed upsandy singletrack. 5 miles I can still some of my mojo rising, but as a good mojo, was there for me when I needed him. The rain on the rocks discovered what looked like a giraffe's coat. Finally, the track and move the rocks and that mojo thief would climb down the most refreshing section of my year in turn be covered. Honestly, I felt so alive, the bombing of the runway and then makes the most beautiful corner of my season. You know the feeling when you turn at a glanceCorner, as it was an attractive woman, looking for just the past and has had the good fortune to come into contact with the eyes? Here's how it was ... so excited! After what seemed like half an hour we rolled the car park. We admired the red mud caked dirt, our bicycles and bicycle frames. On the way back we were in a clearing sky and a rainbow over three times in Moab treated. Do this at all? It 'was on this day in Moab.

Moab Travel Tip 4: The weekend is busy in Moab, or plan to be insoon. The people are booked for campsites in the early hours of the morning and hotels. We have checked almost all the hotels were flooded thought back to another tent. Every place was booked. Plan smart!

It was discovered that the rain has done it to our campsite, which was something of a trip because the road less than 60 feet away was wet and caked in mud, sand. If we were not complaining, and wrapped another eventful day in the desert.

Kokopelli

Onour first day of Moab, Mat hiking trails, high above the asshole Porcupine, which were finally connected to the track. It seemed unreal, a 9500 meters of the road sound too good to be true. We booked a trip to get up early at the head of a Kokopelli, which is located about 8,600 meters. From here there was some confusion, another bus driver in conversation in the street and recalled how his team was then going to get some new track, the ride-related Kokopelli. Of course, noChance to get even more epic journey I wanted to hear. He was not opposed to giving away his information, but when it comes to information actually ever joined. In any case, no biggie. What have we learned, the road was completed from the drop-in at Kokopelli, so we just up until we shot hit the lush pastures. The climb turned out to be my favorite of the trip, which was like no other single-track trail in Moab, it was twisted and vehicles through fields of flowers, green,fresh and healthy, with breathtaking views of snow-capped La Salles.

We apologize rode for about 5 miles until you turned and tore down the same way. We were all in the area in this case. This was the dream of a single song is completely different, and while Porc Rim is proven safe, there was a run for their money. It never seemed to end and when it did, it is tears of joy, but also by the pain in our legs. And 'a must ride!

This is where some confusion. IKokopelli thought was the right way to drive, but you really want to go and UPS in combination with LPS. Fanny, who ran it was all a bit 'disappointed when we learned of it. But then there would be a local leader that UPS had been closed to experience. What is the opposite of what the cowboy Coyote Shuttles, as we have lost some apartments to change course. We messed up as hell the way back if after LPS.

When changing apartments, Adam realized he had abigger fish to fry when he noticed his side wall and was torn off. He put on a patch of tires and decided to ride the road because he had left about four hours and so it seemed a bit 'risky (intelligent). Sun Fanny and I sat down, we found our starting point again and LPS proved to be another fantastic lap. This trail follows the cliff edge. On what seemed like every other corner, we were literally overlooking the valley a hundred yards down a couple of pimplesenjoyed by the prospect and not the way I was hurting so quickly and remained focused on driving. It 'been a long and twisted and turned, as I've seen so many snakes in the desert. Finally, we met with the search for Porc Rim. At this point, Fanny and I sun burned on the left side of our body, took a break and prepare for the final stage.

Today was the day, even though I packed a little 'nervous, 3 spare tubes, chain breaker, links and more in a few other things to make sureMoab not leave without a guide the board with a fully functional bike. Fanny heard together and raise my pay all up and down all absolutely bombed. The road had a lot in the way you dive cycle in a line and we can not leave until they leave you out, just gotta pray the output is a clean head size rocks and do not take you or your bottom. On more than one occasion it seemed to me, Rennie was on a bench tear DH DH track. Quick reminderwere often, if I bucked up a few things loose and look down and my tires a little 2-inch layer see begging for me to let go.

Once again I was pulled up to the "single track" sign was racing, this time my heart. The point of Title I of the coast last time he was forced, now it was an attack on my cranks. I met this section of the corners faster clearance and out of control and I do not even remember the rest of the way when I was in a trance. A collection of three years of waiting,a journey is only a few days before and the heat was melting my brain I was divided into zones. When my brain dripping on his shoulders, now tuned noticed the color of the red rocks Fanny I was not far. I hid in a cave and waited shadowy, presented with a three story apartments and more pipes.

We have continued to ignore the people and soak in what looked like a swimming pool, but it turned out only a puddle of 2 meters in diameter. Fanny bordered on the edge and I milked the last section is for allPump, bump and rip it was worth it. I had the feeling of driving was our last day here and a smile on my way to the car. Adam, who is waiting for a patch a foot with a shadow handed me a Gatorade. I struggled, it was hot as p. ..! You must love the heat.

With mechanical that would cost hundreds or dollars were so we decided that we were happy with our trip. We decided to have a good meal at a Mexican restaurant called Fiesta amazing. They have good prices and a killer atmosphere. Throughthe road we found a classic hot-shop and bought t-shirts Retro Tees Moab. It was a cold night in Moab, but it was Friday and we could see that things started to go up. The 4x4 truck was more frequently and for a while ', we return to the field is expecting a long journey home the next day.

Before leaving for home we have a brief reflection on Arches National Park. Quick was probably the wrong idea, the park is huge and nothing less than spectacular. Weextract for the arches and windows, so I waited for Mr. Morrison to walk up to us to say something like "the windows are only gateway to your perception ..." and then gave me a handful of peyote buttons. But it was not that day. We left before we can track down and to the north.