Last October weekend in Moab - Moab Ho Down

We were both really excited to be heading back over to Moab again for the Halloween weekend after hearing that they would be doing a Life Cycles Premier on Friday night and having the DH race again on Sunday.

The Ho Down is put on by Chili Pepper Bike Shop and is in it's 5th year. Tracy and Ryan at Chili have done a great job building up the grassroots event and added a film festival to the agenda for this year.

We both took Friday off so that we wouldn't have to rush out there to see the movie and managed to get a couple of DH runs in on the race course before the sun went down. The DH race starts at the lazy man's porcupine drop point and comes down the Classic Porcupine climb ending at the Water Tanks exit. The Super D race starts at the LPS grate and comes down the same finish.

The movie night was started with the winner of the amateur submissions. It as a short film of a local we know well from the race season - Aaron Brags - riding the Portal trail like I didn't even know was possible. Really well filmed and made me want to push my DH bike up portal to try and ride it racer style somewhat like Aaron did.

The main even was Life Cycles. The film was a mix of amazing bike sequences in the same sort of presentation as The Collective but it was short with a lot of other sequences of the style of Earth. The combination was spectacular! We will be buying this on blu-ray once it is available. Awesome bike porn!

Saturday we decided to do a pay shuttle of Porcupine in the morning and self shuttles of the DH track in the afternoon.

Amber amped and dressed to play for the day while we wait for the shuttles to arrive. Unfortunately shuttles were not dropping for Hazard or Kokopelli because of the snow and mud from recent storms and instead dropped us at the bottom of the Kokopelli trail which meant a climb up to UPS. I was surprised at this drop as I would have just avoided the climb and come in from above LPS had we known.

Amber in a section of LPS. We really didn't get any photos worth much as we were having to much fun just riding bikes. Amber started slow but by the time we were in LPS was a pedaling monster all the way across LPS and the Porcupine Rim as well. Great weather and great trail conditions all the way.

One of the gullies in the bottom of Porcupine.

After some lunch we headed back out and did a bunch of self shuttles on the DH track. We were both unsure as to which bike (Mojo or 951) to race with as the DH track has some flat sections with a lot of pedaling. I found that for me my DH bike was faster as the big 38 tooth front ring was much better than the 24 tooth ring I have on my Mojo so that even though it was easier to pedal on my Mojo I could nail the DH obstacles faster and better on my 951. Amber however found that her Mojo was a better choice for her than hauling the big bike around. I managed to pinch flat my last practice run on my Mojo as I decided to go the big bike while Amber went the trail bike.

A really awesome day of riding bikes

On Sunday we had hoped to get some practice runs in but we got moving later than we would have like and missed our chance as the Super D race was seemingly going to be starting early. We took the dogs up the trail for a while before coming back down and getting our race kits on.

The race was great fun! and we will race it again next year for sure. Amber got 1st place in a small pro-women field even with a mechanical. She dropped her chain high up on the course and had to stop, get of the bike and re-set it so she could pedal. In the rush of it she put it back in place on the granny front cog and left it there for the rest of her race run. I was really happy with my 3rd place in Sport Men and we both got prizes at the end of the day. (Amber's were pretty awesome swag, mine was an excellent beer glass).

Results: http://news.chilebikes.com/
Mountain Flyer article: http://www.mountainflyermagazine.com/view.php/moab-ho-down.html

After a really fun weekend we made the journey home to arrive at about 11.30pm in time for Amber to submit an assignment for her masters that was due at midnight. Full and fruitful days and nights are the only way to live!

Another Weekend in Moab

We headed to Moab again for the weekend. The weather looked like it might be questionable but Moab trails generally are far better for rain.

We really wanted to do Porcupine from Hazard but got a pretty late start and decided to self shuttle. Amber to the first drop starting at Hazard.

We were met by a cover of snow. Amber was still psyched to do a run for at least the Hazard section but wasn't sure about Kokopelli down as the mud there was likely brutal.

Bishop go to do the section as well and was super happy as well.

View from the top of the Hazard drop in.

Happy smiles at the end of the run for Amber. She had a great time slipping and sliding her way down with as little brake use as possible.

Happy tired dog as well!

I opted to take a Kokopelli run to the river. The start was pretty muddy but turned to hero dirt as soon as you reached UPS. The sand was wet and made for tacky perfect conditions.

No photos on the way down as it was simply to much fun to even bother to try and take a photo other than at one rest spot. It took 2hrs 20mins from Kokopelli with one pretty significant mechanical (chain ring bolt working loose and getting stuck against the chain guide). I passed 69 people along the way which is a personal best, luckily most all of them were easy passes that didn't slow things down. A great ride that was a perfect kick-off to the weekend.

Saturday night in camp was pretty exciting as a storm passed over with torrential rain and light strikes all around. Some were very close on the light/sound measurement. The dogs decided it was best if they joined us in our tent while the storm was passing by.

Sunday we decided that Amasa Back out to Rockstacker was a great option that we had never done before.

Bishop trying to convince us that she was ready to go  as well. Unfortunately it is a pretty long ride that covers a lot of slick rock and we forgot to bring doggy paws for her so she had to stay at the vehicle and keep Moab company.

Moab looking happy with some impressive cliffs in the background.

Climbing up Amasa.

More climbing, Amber tackling a much steeper than it looks in a photo section as we climb.

Amasa received some maintenance a couple of years ago by the owner of the gas line that runs up over the plateau. This move is a steep roller that is one of the cruxes for the Jeeps and after the maintenance was a smooth section of dirt. Now it is back to it steepest and technical best on the edge of a cliff. Amber cruises it!

We have not ridden Amasa for a couple of years and a lot of great trail work has occurred since we were last here. There is a new single track section that goes out towards Pothole Arch that you use to get to Rock Stacker. It used to be that you rode some old Jeep trail and then single track that was very underground. Now the single track is signed and awesome riding.

Rock Stacker is an old previously underground trail that we had always meant to get out and do but had never made the time. Luckily that poor choice was corrected today. The trail starts at a high level of difficulty with a number of ledge drops and a very steep move

It drops down just out of sight past Amber

A friend of ours who happened along as we were checking out the section. He just rails down the steep section of slick rock like it was flat! It is much steeper than the photo would indicate.

Amber taking her turn

Another steeper than it looks move by Amber with some impressive background.

You can't tell from this but it is one of the moves that are common in this section of Rock Stacker. You come around switchbacks and have to make a steep move and then control the exit because if you don't you are going over an edge to a drop that will very hurt you. Amber tried this one a few times before nailing it! I didn't even try it.

Another of the moves. This one has a sharp right turn to a drop.

Single track! Rock Stacker is an amazing trail section that is must do. It has a lot of moves that most of us will walk but it has lots of sections that you can do better and better each time you go back.

We went down Amasa proper rather than taking Jackson's Trail as I really prefer the high speed romp that is the Amasa descent over the technical descent of Jackson's. No photos as stopping on the Amasa descent is against the rules.

An awesome weekend of riding.

Whole Enichilada - Moab, UT

We headed over to Moab for the first time since spring as the weather good and the temperatures cool enough. On the Agenda was the Whole Enchilada - a route that only has a short season to do it it's entirety due to the fact you start up above the tree line at around 11,500' and end in the desert. I have done it once before two years ago and thought it about the best ride I had ever done, but physically really tough with hard climbs at altitude and lots of mileage over technical terrain. All in all - a mega classic.

We convince our friends Jason and Lana that it would be good times and that they should come as well so they joined us for the fun. Here is the camp site to start the day.

Unloading the bikes at the trail head up in the mountains. We had two vehicles so we left our here and would return (much) later in Jason's truck. Self Shuttling saves a bunch of money but does add some overhead on a ride like this with nearly a 30 mile shuttle involved.

The ride starts with a brutal climb up to Burro Pass. Steep (really steep) grades see pretty much every but the strongest walking many sections of this part of the ride. This section is one of the flatter sections where you can actually sit down and pedal.

The ride starts above tree line and then descends steeply into an evergreen section for a few miles before exiting into an Aspen section.

There are a few creek crossings that really make you forget that you are out in Moab and will soon be down in open desert terrain.

We didn't get any photos of the Hazard or Kokopelli sections as they are simply too much fun to stop and bust out a camera. High speed flow with turns, berms and hops are par for the course.

Once you enter the UPS section you have a selection of fun technical sections that again are pretty hard to stop and take photos on. This is one move in a sequence of great flow and fun.

Lana pedaling along the rim. By this point we had been in the saddles for close to 3 hours so fatigue was definitely a consideration. Luckily as the ride goes on the last part gets fun and fast again which has a tendency to wash away fatigue.

Cruising across Porcupine proper. The variety of terrain you will encounter is non-stop smile inducing.

Excellent views and excellent weather!

Steeper than it looks.

Have I mentioned how scenic it is on this trail? In one of the last sections of the lower single track portion of the ride.

Almost finished!

We wrapped the ride up in just over 6 hours with only 2 flat tires in the group and close to 30miles of terrain covered. Physical and on the must do rides on the planet.

The next day did a much shorter version of it and dropped in at Kokopelli and turn out down the Porcupine climb to end at the water tanks for a great 85minute blast of some of the best parts of the Whole Enchilada.

Sadly driving home pointed out that the window to enjoy the higher trails at Moab was fast coming to a close with the Colorado Rockies getting snow again.

Taylor Canyon Doctor Park Shuttle Ride 9/18/2010

Amber exiting Doctor Park near Taylor Canyon.



Second shuttle of the day...two chain mechanicals and brake mechanicals, but managed to finish riding down...



Moab waiting for Sean to come down on his second shuttle...he had a flat tire :(



Moab and Bishop being buddies and walking around the trail together.



Yay! Sean made it ---flat tire fixed and all :)



Sean exiting around a corner and through some trees.



Sean exiting towards Taylor River.



Day two of riding got nixed due to Amber's brake failure that wouldn't fix even after Sean's efforts of bleeding the brakes several times....

Sedona, December 24th 2008

The next day we decided to go and try another area that had a few local knowledge trails that I had read about on MTBR. We started up a trail called Munds Wagon Trail or something like that. The riding was still good but it was decidedly looser with baby heads floating around many trail sections.


Amber coming down a rocky section that is steeper than it looks.


We ended up turning around here as the trail was just a little loose for our tastes after this. But there was still nice slick rock to be had.


Amber taking an alternate line across a steep slick rock section.


The trail criss-crossed a creek many times which I imaging if there was water flowing could be quite problematic.


Back in the parking lot.

We decided to head down to Phoenix the next day and see how the riding on South Mountain was. It hosted a trail called the National Trail which in the rock climbing world would be on a 50 most crowded list - but for good reason...

Sedona, December 23rd 2008

I had never been to Sedona before and despite hearing a lot about it and that it was a great riding destination we had just never even thought to come here until now. The weather in Moab forced us south and I am glad it did. Sedona is a beautiful place with rock all over the place. It is a big tourist destination so being able to be happy in traffic and crowds is a necessary thing for a visit here. Fortunately there is plenty of free camping on both sides of town.

We popped into a local bike store to find a guide or a map. The second store we wandered into was Mountain Bike Heaven and the guy in the store was amazingly helpful suggest a nice link of of trails that we could ride to straight out of the store.


As soon as we hit dirt we realized that the riding out here was going to be fun. The trails were single track with rock everywhere but not loose rock. It was also very scenic. We started by heading up to Teacup and then on the advice from the store took a turn of the main trail and headed higher with the plan to be to drop down some gullies and rejoin the trail.


The trail section going down the gully was excellent with a few steep rollers and nice flow in between.


Still in the gully area.


We exited the gully soon after this and re-joined Teacup. The first section of Teacup we rejoined was fast smooth riding with some great corners.


It then started to climb across some more exposed slick rock and the riding was now fun, more technical riding where strength and body english were both needed.


Oh, and you had some decent views as well.


This is near the end, but there was a bunch of great riding before this as we had climbed up a jeep road to pick up some single track on a trail called Soldiers Pass. After this sink hole we decided to try and join across to another area called "The Secret Trails" - there was some great riding, but mostly we just got lost in the area until we popped out near the main road. At that point we road up a creek bed that the locals call Second Coming. It seemed that the creek bed would be blast coming down it and large sections of it were fun to ride up, but it was pretty technical and we pushed a fair bit it.