Moab Trip Notes 1998

May 16 - Saturday Arrived 8am (Moab time) at the Slickrock campground and set up camp. Went into town for some groceries. Dave and Paul arrived about 2p.m. We loaded the bikes into the van and left at 4p.m. for the Monitor and Merrimac route. The signs for this route started out well and we saw the remains of a stagecoach stopping point. The signs deteriorated to nothing and we ended up going off course to what was supposed to be the route. The Monitor and Merrimac rock outcrops (buttes) are very predominant and enabled us to keep going in the general direction. Once you get there you circumnavigate them and they are very impressive and are well named. At some points and in particular the Monitor looks like the prow of a ship riding the waves. On the way back we had to navigate some sandy tracks. A couple passed us driving in a pickup over the rocks supposedly looking for a route to a town? We all agreed it was an OK ride to start on but would not do it again. We got back to camp at 8.45p.m. and cooked chicken, pasta and vegetables.

May 17 - Sunday We had breakfast, loaded the van and left at 8.20a.m. for Porcupine Ridge trail. This trail starts from Sand Flats Road after passing the Slickrock trail entrance. It was an excellent ride. It starts as a jeep trail up into the mountains above Slickrock and travels along a ridge with excellent views into the valley. The route turns away from the ridge and starts descending. Unfortunately Carey had a fall and sprained his wrist on one of the rocky patches. After a while you turn off right leaving the main trail and onto a single track. In some places this track weaves down through the rocks, making you wonder how did anybody ever work out this route originally, also appreciating that they passed on the route for others to enjoy. There are occasional spectacular views to the right looking down on to the Colorado River. The track gradually drops down and eventually you come onto route 128 alongside the Colorado River. We then rode back about 4 miles to the campsite arriving at 1.45p.m. Dave and John drove in Dave's car to pick up the van. We had lunch of the leftovers from supper (chicken, pasta and vegetables). With lots of Gatorade! In the evening we took the bikes in the van to the Amasa Back trail. I took the van into town for new biking shoes as mine were stubbing my toes, then drove back to the trailhead to meet them. They had been flying! Making it to the top and back down in one and three quarter hours. We drove into town for an excellent meal and plenty of Chestnut Brown micro brewed Ale at Eddie McStiffs. Home around 10.30p.m

May 18 - Monday Up at 6.30am, had breakfast and loaded the bikes ready to leave at 8am for the Back of Behind trail. We drove 13 miles south of Moab to the start. It was a scenic route. We stopped at a riverbed and found the unique formation of a water hole in the rocks - the water would drop about 30' to a new river bed level. Further on we saw Pritchett Arch in the distance and elected not to make the long hike to it. On one of the rocky passages as I was moving through one of the rocks moved over! I fell and scratched my glasses - felt lucky I was wearing them to protect my eye.

May 18 - Monday (continued) Climbing into mountain we came to White Knuckle Hill - this is used annually for a jeep competition, it consists of large rocks and drops of several feet in places, very impressive. John, Dave and Tim tried riding down some of the slopes. The temperature climbed to 104 degrees as the trail continued dropping through a canyon onto a sandy dried riverbed. At this point we met two men and a woman riding (climbing) the trail in the opposite direction which would seem to be quite a challenge. The trail finally wound out onto Keen Road by the Colorado River and we then rode back to camp, about five miles arriving around 1.45pm. Paul and I drove Dave's car back to pick up the van. Had lunch of chicken breasts, beans and rice. Cleaned the bikes and reloaded the van. Drove to Portal trail/Poison Spider Mesa trail with both vehicles. Portal trail is a very dangerous descent on a bike so the plan was to walk/ride up it to Poison Spider Mesa trail. I took Dave's car to attempt to get pictures of the group ascending the trail, which rises 950 feet in a mile on the face of the Bluff. Was unable to see the group. They reported a good ride with excellent views coming back on Poison Spider. All returned to camp 8.30pm and drove to town to Jay's Pasta - Dave's treat. It was a good meal but the beer did not match the Chestnut brown ale at Eddie McStiff's. We walked through town before returning to camp 10.30pm.

May 19 -Tuesday Walked to Western River Ride at 8am for Colorado Rapids rafting. Left in van at 8.20am with two others, Posey and Mary (two nurses from Albuquerque). We had three two-person rubber duckies (Tim & John F., John I. & Paul, Carey &Dave). We drove for about 30 minutes up route 128 to where the boats were launched. The Guide was Ben in the Oared raft with Posey and Mary; Kendra was the other Guide in a single rubber duckie. (Both had been guides for only a year). The ride down was very scenic with good views of the Priest and Nun's butte, the flat topped butte used by many of the Jeep adverts, the varied strata of the cliffs and an old movie set of a shack by the river. There were three sections of rapids; we went down the big rapids three abreast holding the middle duckie with Carey and Dave. At the first big wave their duckie went into the wave instead of over and they ended in the water holding on to the boat. We rode through together and they finally were able to climb aboard again saying the water was very cold. We finished the ride at 11.30am and returned to camp for lunch of chicken and Ragu. Left at 2pm with the van and Dave's car for Flat Pass trail, dropping his vehicle at the end of the trail (about 5 miles south of town and driving onto Ken's road for the start (about 7 miles further out of town). When unloading we found Tim's bike had a flat and also it began to rain - finally started the trail at 3pm. The four Creek crossings were cold and deep although some did try the last one by bike. We returned to Dave's car 6pm and waited for Dave and John to ride to the van and return to pick us up. Paul decided to ride back to camp. We had supper of chicken, pasta, beans and rice. Changed the bike tires to slicks and loaded the van. Then sat and talked on our last night, bed around 10pm.

May 20 - Wed. Up at 5.30am, breakfast of eggs and yogurt. Left in van 7am for Slick Rock. All rode the main route (except I rode the shorter route and leaving at 9.15am to fill van with gas and begin to pack up camp). The group rode back 10am; we finished packing and left 11.45am.

May 21 - Thursday Had a good ride back with Tim doing the major driving. Three stops for gas. Arrived home 7am (Moab time). - 191/4 hours.

June 1 (Sat.  - Klondike Bluffs
June 2 (Sun.) - Amasa Back (am), Slickrock (PM)
June 3 (Mon.) - Flat Pass
June 4 (Tues.) - Poison Spider (am), Monitor and Merimac (PM)
June 5 (Wed.) - Slickrock Trail

May 18 (Sat.) - Slickrock Trail
May 19  (Sun.) - Gemini Bridge, Jughandle Loop
May 20 (Mon.) - Canyon Rims, The Needles
May 21 (Tues.) - Horseshoe Trail (hike)
May 22 (Wed.) - Arches, Outback Klondike Buffs