More Moab and stuff

It was hard to keep this up last week between riding way too much and our whole family being sick, so here's a mega update:

Thursday we went to Fruita, Co. Kinda a gong show. Too many people. We met up at the 18 road trails and started riding Prime cut up. We got way spread out and lost some people. Keith D and his soon got lost and didn’t even get to ride Zippety. Casey and I rode Kessel run like 3 times really fast. I love that trail. I hooked up with the Simi Valley guys and got shuttled up for one more kessel run. The ride up in the truck was crazy. I was almost falling out. After that we hit Subway for lunch, then off to Mary’s loop and Horse thief bench. The group was a lot smaller so it was good. It was the Simi guy’s, Rollo, C.P. and Justin, Casey, and few others. Keith P. was stoked with the view and was taking a lot of pictures. When we got to the Horse thief bench entrance I was feeling really calm. I’ve been trying to ride this the last two years so I figured I’d do whatever I had to . Rollo went first and almost made it. Really close but crashed. I went next but when I got way into it some guy was walking down and I had to stop. Arrgh! My next run was perfect. I got to the steep roll down and nailed it no problem. I couldn’t believe it. I kept rolling through the big rock’s and made it. Everyone was yelling and it was great. No one else made it. C.P. and Rollo came really close. In fact Craig was riding really well all week. Really progressing. I sure like riding with him. On the trail we we’re flying. We set a pace for about half the trail that was hard to keep up. I was really smoked We ended the ride as the sun was starting to go down. Great day so Todd and I figured we’d hit the brewery in Fruita for burger.
Fri was P. rim. We had 30 people that went up on the shuttle and a few car’s that followed. It was cold up top. Ice on some of the puddles. The ride was cool on the rim and then we got to the Hang Nail. It’s a big notch in the rock that’s really steep. Once again I had tried to ride this last year but failed. This year a kid from Seattle tried and went over the bars. Rollo tried and didn’t make it. C.P. tried but no go. So it was my turn and I nailed it perfect. Second day in a row. I was feeling really good. The rest of the ride went well . Casey crashed off the loading dock drop but Keith P caught it with his camera. Another great day and no crashing for me.
Sat most everyone was leaving so Jim wanted to do P. Rim since his buddy Hondo didn’t arrive in time on Fri. So Casey, Jim Noah, Hondo and I headed back up to do Porc rim. Again. When we got to the top it was snowing. Great. It had rained a bit the night before so I was hoping that there wouldn’t be any mud. Well…there was mud…but it was more like wet cement and my bike may never be the same. We struggled through the snow and mud and then Noah hit a tree with his face. He got a cut from where his glasses hit his face but he was ok. I skipped the Hang nail today since it was snowing and muddy. No view today, just clouds on the rim. Down lower it got warmer and we started having more fun. On the last singletrack I went over the bars about six feet from the big cliff. I really didn’t like that. Then to top it off I got a flat. The first in 2 years. So I walked the rest of the way. Fun but hard day.
We we’re all really sick for a few days so I didn’t ride until the following Wed. Terry arrived in town on Mon but I was throwing up so riding was out.
I did the P. Rim trail again with Terry on Wed. I was still really tired so it was a little slow. A fun ride ‘cause I got to ride it with Terry but I was riding not so good.
Thursday we went to Fruita and rode Mary’s loop and Horse Thief bench. Terry and Debbie really enjoyed it and so did I. I tried to re-live my great ride the week before on the Horse Thief Bench entrance but ate it hard. It’s good to land on your face once in a while. Keep’s you humble. O well…maybe next time. After that we headed to Grand Junction and rode Holy Cross and Kurt’s lane. Fun to ride that stuff with Terry. Pretty good day but I’m ready to get out of moab.

P.S. The pictures above that are really good we're taken by Keith P. from So Cal

Amassa Back

On Wed it was so windy. We thought some of the guys tents we’re going to blow away. We rode Amassa with the same group I think. (Except for Mike and Jim who went and rode the 5 miles of hell) I crashed off a little ledge and got kind of mad so I was in a bad mood. On the way back down the wind was getting really bad so I was standing with my back to it so the sand wouldn’t get in my eyes. All of a sudden a big gust blew me bike off the ground and almost out of my hands. I grabbed it and got down low and then it blew even harder. Crazy. Not the best ride .

The Sovereign Trail

We did the Sovereign trail on Tuesday. Craig P. had arrived with a buddy from Boise. So we had those 2 , Pac man, Jeremy, Keith D, Daniel, Mike G, Jim, Rollo, Dave Cael ,Dave from Boise and me. Riding single track in Moab is a rare thing so I was glad to ride this trail. It was a climbing and decending type of trail. Cool rock sections and some slick rock thrown in here and there. We had fun going through the rocky sections fast. Dave Cael got a flat on a rocky decent and crashed. He was ok. I got some good video of the guys getting up on some big ledges. Good ride.

Grand Junction

Wow!!!! it's getting busy and harder to post. Too much riding. Did the Ribbon and Holy cross with a few guys. Awesome ride. My best in a while. Rollo-matic wowed the crowd with a few nutty roll downs. I was on my Enduro so i did what i could. On Holy Cross, Rollo pinched his tire and got sent face and hands first into a big rock slab. OUCH! bruised his palms. No hi 5's for him.

In Moab

Been in Moab for a couple of days now. Our camp ground is kinda sketchy but it works. I can shave my head right out side the trailer on the ground. Took Otto( just turned 9) on the practice loop at the Slickrock trail today and he did AWESOME. People we're cheering him on the climbs. A few girls rode by and said he was awesome. No irls ever say that to me. Hmmmm. Maybe it's my haircut. More riding coming but that was it for today. C.P., Jeep, Rollo Dave and Pac man will be here soon and then blood will flow.

Holy Cross , Grand Junction and Rabbit valley

I finally got to ride the Holy Cross trail. It was everything I expected. Ton’s of cool rock moves and just a great trail. I rode my enduro so I would have a Little advantage. I’ve been riding my SS for the last10 rides or so. It was weird riding the enduro. My rear brake need’s to be bled. For like a month. Of course right when I got on Holy cross it started acting up. Pulling almost to the grips. That made it all the more interesting. And the fact that the wind was blowing so hard. When I descended Kurt s lane ,or whatever it was called , the wind was blowing me all over the place , and the trail was steep. Fun stuff. Today I rode most of the Western Rim here In Rabbit valley. I wanted to get some helmet cam footage but of course I screwed that up. Went on a ride with Henry after I got back and had a good time. He’s getting better. Coming off the trail he washed out in the road and went down hard. Not hurt but he was pretty proud of him self. Then we headed to Moab.

Rabbit Valley -at another camping stop

April 7
Still in Rabbit Valley. Some good trails to be found here. Yesterday I rode a 10 mile loop in the morning and a sweet 20 mile loop in the afternoon. The long one was called “ The Western Rim”. Lot’s of cool edge of the canyon stuff, and even on an old stage coach road. I was smoked after that. The SS is treating me well. ( Thank ’s Mike!) It’s a Moto area also so the trails are'nt buff and it’s noisy. This afternoon we’re headed to Fruita to stay at the state park on the Colorado river. Fruita is a cool town..

Rabbit Valley-Utah

Well we’re in Rabbit Valley in Utah ,which is about 23 miles west of Fruita, Co. Camping for free overlooking a cliff with a huge view. Today Otto, Louis and I did an 11 mile ride on the Overlook/ West water mesa trail. Still riding the SS. Really cool edge of the cliff stuff. The kid’s were riding well and seem to be enjoying the technical trails. It’s cool seeing Rabbits and lizards running across the trail in front of me. Tomorrow I’m hoping to go into Fruita and ride a trail or 2 and go to the store. Maybe even find some free WI FI. Of course I’ll visit OTE sports and maybe I could get the inside line on some good camping.
MOAB IS COMING !!

Zion National Park

Bootleg Canyon Day 28

Boulder City, NV - Home of Bootleg canyon. Crazy rocky trails. I had a great time on the xc trails on my SS hardtail. We were early for shuttles to the DH bike stayed tied up. Otto (our 8 y/o) rode quite a bit of the trails and did well. My Wife crashed really hard and has like 11 bruises on one leg. Ouch! We were excited to camp for free right near the trail head. Cool trails so we left a donation. I would have liked to spend some more time there but had to keep moving. No time to write more.

Arizona

Rode a bit at some park or something out side of Phoenix. Really loose and rough. My Wife crashed so that was bad. I did ok but it was like straight up or straight down. The next day i rode some EXPERT only race course and had a lot more fun. We had the cool $5 camp site behind a rodeo arena. Good time.