Moab Trip Notes 2003

May 09 to May 14, 2003  -  Diary by John F. Walker

Friday May 09 and Saturday May 10   

Todd collected the van, which we loaded at Sara and John’s.    Todd, Tim. Carey, Greg and John F. left at 4.40pm for what would be a different from usual trip.   In Nebraska it began to rain heavily and a road construction back up at Lincoln delayed us for half an hour. (So much for our leaving later to miss the traffic rush in De Moines!  In Colorado around 5.30am it began to snow.   Within five miles the green roadsides and medium were a solid white as the snow thickened and the roads became covered with snow.   The snowplows were operating and we followed in the tracks of a semi-truck passing several ditched cars and pick-ups.   As we drove into Denver the snow had ceased, but it felt as if we were on a skiing trip.   At the start of the mountain pass commercial vehicles were required to use chains and several were at the side of the road doing this.   Coming down the pass the roads were good, but we saw three cars off the road from accidents on the other side.  The last one had recently happened with a total rollover complete with fire trucks and ambulance in attendance.

The remainder of the drive was uneventful, arriving in Moab at 12.10 (11.10am Moab time).

John, Paul and Dave had arrived about 9am and were setting up camp.   (New features included microwave, water heater and refrigerator).   Malcolm Howe (Mel), a Canadian and author of a Moab mountain guidebook arrived at noon for lunch.   He told us of many rides and we chose the Little Canyon Rim ride for him to show us.   We left around 3pm and drove up HW191 to the Gemini Bridges trail end, parked and rode up the long drag of Gemini trail (in reverse).   Going past the Gooney Bird rock we then took a left at the T up the Gemini trail until Malcolm turned onto an unmarked trail to the left.   We continued to climb and eventually crossed some slickrock before getting to the rim edge with an awesome view of the dots of vehicles on 191.

At one point we went through a rocky gully with several rock steps, which were a challenge for riding up.  We continued until we came to the highest rim edge.  Malcolm was going to take us to the Eagles Nest outlook, which is a separate peak but the trail cairns had been moved and he could not locate the trail, so we turned around to returned the way we had come.   On the way back we watched three jeeps climb the rocky steps in the gully. Returned to the van at 6.30pm.  Back at the campsite we prepared dinner and Malcolm joined us.   Afterwards we gathered around a campfire and Dave sang and played his guitar.    Malcolm left 11.45pm and all went to bed.

Sunday May 11^th

Arose 7am, breakfast of cereals, scrambled eggs with vegetables.  Prepared bikes and left 10am for Porcupine Ridge.  Cool weather warmed to around 80 degrees with a breeze – perfect for riding.  It was a good ride and we found many people at the top of the rim – this trail becomes more popular every year.  The downhill was great and in good condition and the single track was as good as ever.   Returned to camp 3pm.   Had lunch and Paul, John I, Carey and Todd mounted lights on their bikes for The Top of the World trip.    We all left for the trail in the van at 6pm.   John I, called us 8.16pm from the top and we learned that it had taken them 1 hour and 15 minutes to do the ride, said the view was awesome and took pictures to prove it. The van group returned to camp at 9.30pm and began to cook dinner of marinated chicken and bravo potatoes.  The Top of the World group rode in at 10pm and all were in bed by 11.30pm.

Monday May 12

Arose 6am, breakfast of pancakes and bagels.  Malcolm arrived 9.30am.  We loaded bikes into the van and left 10.30am.  Malcolm showed us the way up Castle Road for the start of Kokopelli Trail, we passed many mountain bikers struggling up this tortuous route. We could not figure why you would want to mountain bike this long drag of a road to where? At the top we parked and started down the Kokopelli trail. The trail was very muddy at the start and there were several stops to unglue the bikes. Eventually we got to a drier rocky track. We passed the rusted wreck of a truck and the remains of a homestead. It is hard to imagine why and what people did in this secluded place part way up the mountain. The views were great as we continued down the trail  to Sand Flats road, we then had a long but fast ride back to town and the campsite.           Cary was unhitching the trailer when he noticed that the weld holding the trailer bar to the chassis was partially broken. We drove into town at 7.00p.m., but none of the welding shops were open, returned to camp and as we started to back into the campsite the last weld broke!  We were able to jury rig the attachment with a bolt through some existing holes hoping this would be strong enough to get the trailer into town the next day. Had a great salmon dinner at 9.30 p.m. We took out the back seat of the van and loaded the bikes. Dave Paul and John loaded their single speed bikes onto Dave’s SUV. 

Tuesday May 13^th

Up at 6.30 a.m. and had Oatmeal for breakfast.  Cary left to get the trailer to the repair shop by 8 a.m.  He returned to tell us that they will re weld the tongue and fix the springs (cut off and replace the loose rusted bolts and straps). We left around 8.45 a.m. and drove to Fruita, going to the Road 18 parking lot at Book Cliffs. Unloaded and started the Prime Cut trail at 10.45 a.m. It took us through a grove of Juniper trees and climbed up to the gravel end of road 18. We cut over and dropped onto Joe’s Ridge trail. (Also mapped as Joe’s Cutoff). This was a unique ride down a bumpy single-track ridge (total width seemed no more than 18” with both sides dropping away). It was a very fast ride. John F was the slowest clocking 19 MPH. The others were over 25 MPH. We came down to a single track that took us back to the parking lot. We then went up ‘18’ again, took a left turn and rode down a trail going down a drainage gully (about thirty feet wide). The trail alternately swung from side to side like a switch back down the gully until it eventually ran out onto a return route to 18.  Greg and John F set up the picnic lunch (Fajita’s, chicken, tuna) while the rest took another ride up the road to take Prime Cut again. They returned at 1.45 p.m. saying it was a blast. After lunch we packed up and drove to Fruita and on to Mary’s loop. We started the ride at 2.45 p.m. and went in the reverse direction to last year, taking the long gravel road  that climbed up to the drop out onto the Loop. This took us to Handcuffs Loop that is on a rocky shelf on the cliffs, that follow the meandering of the Colorado River. It was a pretty ride that took us to Staves Loop. This loop continues to follow the river until you reach a sharp climb that takes you back up to Mary’s Loop.  A few miles on and we took the cattle gate to the top of the ‘hike a bike’ down to the Horse Thief Bench trail – one of our favorites. We had just started on the ups and downs through the trees when John I broke the chain on his single speed. This was soon fixed and we continued to the rivers edge (about a hundred feet below us). The trail gradually drops and then climbs again until you reach the bluffs. Following a rocky creek bed with lots of twists and turns (Dave fell along here and hurt his ankle) you finally climb up to the ‘hike a bike’ point again and return to Mary’s loop. Very shortly we reached the end of the trail and so to the parking lot around 5 p.m. Drove back to Moab and had dinner at the Italian restaurant at 7.10 p.m. Cary picked up the repaired trailer. They had done a good job. Back in camp around 9 p.m. Malcolm was there and we sat around the fire talking until 10.45 p.m.

Wednesday May 14^th

Breakfast at 6.30 a.m. and loaded the bikes into the trailer and put seat back into the van. Mel arrived at 8.15 a.m. and at 8.45 we were on our way to Darwin Wells Road on Highway 191. Rode down the trail to a left branch that took us to the Sovereign trail.  This is a single-track put in by motorcyclists. It starts off across the scrub with many loose sandy areas making riding very difficult and awkward with many stops and starts. We eventually climbed a Mesa to some slickrock, then some tricky descents on a loose trail. John F had to a change tube at one point because of a slow puncture. The trail character changed and became rockier though still a single track. Eventually rode over a couple of mesas and out onto a jeep road that took us back to Highway 191 a couple of miles below our start. I think we all agreed that if you joined the trail after the first sandy portion it would be a much better ride.  We arrived back in camp by 12.15 p.m., had lunch of chicken and stir fry and people did their own thing-some going into town. We started preparing for the evening ride at 4.30 p.m. for Hidden Valley and Moab Rim. Tim, John I, Cary and Todd decided to still do the ride even though the sky was looking stormy. Greg and John F shuttled them to the start of the trail at the 650-foot ‘hike a bike’ south of town (Angel Road). We watched them start the climb at 5.40 p.m. John called from the top of Moab Rim at 7.06 p.m. and they arrived back in camp at 8.00 p.m. Said it was a good ride and the weather held. We had dinner (with wine) using up all the left over meats and sat round the campfire until 11.15 p.m. We decided to ride Slickrock early the next morning.

Thursday May 15^th

Woke at 5.30 a.m. to the sound of light rain. It did stop but the sky was overcast and rain was forecast for the day. We abandoned the idea of a Slickrock ride and started to pack up the camp while it was still dry. Everybody set-to and all tents and most of the equipment was packed before we had steady rain. We finished the packing and said our goodbyes to Dave, Paul and John and all left at 8.06 a.m. There was continuous heavy rain for two hours with occasional rain as we drove through Denver five hours later. Arrived at John and Sara’s house at 3.55 a.m. unpacked, loaded our cars, cleaned the van, and put away the bike rack. Todd returned the van to Fords. Another great trip.