Mountain Biking and the Colorado Riverway

Today we did a mountain bike tour with Rim Tours.  They took us up to Dead Horse Point State Park, to the Intrepid Trail System.  Apparently the Moab tourism board awakened to the fact that not everyone wants to ride slick rock all the time.  They have embarked upon a significant trail building project.  Dead Horse Point has about 17 miles of single track.  There are other new areas of trails with dirt.  However, given the topography of the area, there will always be loose rocks and slick rock in places. 

Parts of the trail are very nice.  Parts are not so nice.  The first half of the ride was not good for me.  We were with four other people who were younger and stronger than me; so there was no warm up and I was riding over my level.  I was sort of pissed about the whole thing because the trail was much harder than had been presented in the office.  By about half way through, I had warmed up and was riding better, so then I was not so pissed.  There are zero pictures of the trail, unfortunately, because I was always chasing.  My key learning today is pay the extra money, and don’t go with other people.  If it’s just us, then I can ride at my own pace without feeling bad about making people wait. 

Here we are at an overlook.

More scenic beauty.

And still more.

This is a Midget Faded Western Rattlesnake.  It was about two feet in front of me, under a branch.  He rattled, I stepped away. 

So here is my trail report for the Intrepid Trail system.  It’s doable.  Jim rode almost all of the rocks.  I walked some of the uphill rocks, but I think with practice I could greatly increase riding time, and decrease walking time.  There is some deep sand, but it’s not so far that it can’t be walked.  The slick rock areas are very lumpy and it took a bit to get used to that.  I would go back.

After the riding we drove up the Colorado Riverway.  It’s a very scenic drive right along the river.  The river is very high at the moment with a pretty good current.

There is much scenery along the drive.  There is a fair amount of primitive and rustic camping along the river banks.  Apparently all the old school buses go to die in Moab and become vehicles for the river rafting companies.

After these fun items, there was laundry.  We took it to a laundromat in Moab.  The one at the RV park is very tiny and is not air conditioned.  Have I mentioned it’s really hot here?  It’s really hot.  Note to self, no Moab in June!