SpaceTime is bent

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Waldo

As I was driving back from Moab I notice that Fruita keeps getting closer to Grand Junction

When you get on the highway at Fruita going to GJ the sign says 5 miles to go. YaY! weirdness!

La Sal Loop

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Waldo

It was a little chilly on the road, but not that cold!

Between the La Sal loop and Moab on the Sand Flats Road

After the Kane creek adventure I hooked up with the La Sal loop in Spanish Valley and rode it around to the Sand Flats Road

Camp spots were still closed Memorial day weekend 2020

It was cold enough up on the hill to make me put my coat back on. Covid-19 has most of the campgrounds closed in the area. That’s not stopping some people from camping there anyway, but hey, this is ‘murica. It was a pleasant ride on mostly decent pavement around to the Sand Flats Road. They call it Sand Flats for a reason. The road is half-dirt, half-deep sand with a few rocks jutting out at odd angles just for fun

Snow-capped La Sal’s from the Sand Flats Road

The Sand Flats Area includes the Slick Rock Trail which is super grippy when dry. Super slick when wet. I stopped for a scenic break out on the slick rock

The Mtn Bikers always look at the moto’s with distain on the trial because they don’t know it’s actually a moto trail that you can ride bicycle on. Silly rabbit

Down from the Sand Flats Road into Moab and the cross-walk is looking festive! As I was loading the bike up a deer came to see me

Local wildlife in Moab. Deer in a vacant lot! I know! who would have thought Moab would still have a vacant lot!

Moab is Filling up

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Waldo

Kane Creek 4×4 trail part II

As you recall I got skunked on my quest to ride Kane Creek 4×4 route from end to end. Thwarted just two miles from the end I turned tail and rode back to Moab the way I came. Turns out that was a good plan!

The last Champ section before Hwy 191. This is the easiest of the three options for climbing out of this place

My concern was that the trail would get worse and I would get stuck between two sections I could not ride. That was SOOO true. The two miles I bailed on were mostly unridable. Unless you are an expert rider on a trials bike

Yet another Champ section on the Kane Creek 4×4 route. 12 psi in the front. 8 in the back baby!

I did have a grand time walking it though. This area is so beautiful in the spring! There were tiny lizards running to and fro, green trees, and a clear flowing creek

Kane creek disappearing down a slot in the sandstone

Another sunny cool day on the Kane Creek Trail

Having a yard sale on the Kane Creek Trail

I walked down to this bridge when I rode Kane Creek from the other end

Check out the fuel cap that got smashed off a UTV on one of the Champ sections

Sunday Drive

Posted on May 16, 2020 by Waldo

The Cactus are blooming in the desert this week! It’s a delight to see them! I went for a Mtn Bike ride the other day and it was grand!

The next day I took to the hills with the Husqie Adventure 450 and went north to Douglas Pass

Covid-19 has us trying to stay near home and failing miserably at it. The campground is full of people from 100’s or 1,000’s of miles away. I had to ride more than 10 miles just to see the sign (below)

Moab is Open!

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Waldo

Kane Creek 4×4 trail Part I

It was super-quiet at 9am Friday morning. This must be what it was like back in the day before it was discovered (not 1985 quiet, more like 1997 quiet)

At the top of Hurrah Pass. Got passed by a Subaru outback on the way up here. Kind of a lame trip

I saw Hurrah Pass in a video and thought it would be a kewl trip. It was way too easy to get to the top. A dualie truck with 12 foot camper made it over to the other side. On the way back I decided to take a little 12-mile road to highway 191. Kane Creek looked like a nice way to spend the day

Another delightful day people-distancing

I planned to ride the Kane Creek Trail out to 191 then head back to town. It’s only 12 miles, how hard could that be? The ride up-creek was a delight!

I feel like I crossed or rode up the creek about 100 times. There were more than a few challenge areas with big rock obstacles (I folded the mirrors and tucked the GPS so I wouldn’t hit my chest on them) Notice the lack of a paddle in my kit

Snack-stop on the dry-side of Kane Creek

Since I started before the maddening crowds the creek was clear and I could see the bottom (sand and rocks. lots of rocks)

Rocks, then water, then sand. Repeat. I stopped here for lunch and had 1-bar of cell service. Enough for a call but not to send a pic

After this point it started to get sporting. Steeper, rockier, repeat

This was the end of the trail for me. Ten miles in, only two from the end, and I had to turn around and ride it back. So sad for me

There is only about a mile of this rock-strewn trials section. Great for super-jeeps or big-tire UTV’s

I did watch about 8 UTV’s, 2 big-tire jeeps, and a couple of 300cc 2-strokes bash their way up this. Not for my old bones. Average speed on this trip was 8 mph. It took me over 7 hours to ride out and back to/from Moab. There are a lot of kewl trails in this area. If you are in Moab, ride ’em!