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We begin our week of mountain biking in
the town of Moab, Utah, less than an hour drive from Canyonlands
National Park. We'll spend 4 days (3 nights) riding the White Rim
Trail, camping out along the way, with 2 nights in Moab at each
end of the trip.
Moab is a pleasant town. It's not
exactly a gay mecca, but for those who wish, there is limited
nightlife. The schedule below describes a typical week. Our actual
riding times, restaurants, and activities may change based on
trail conditions, weather, or simply what cyclists in our group
want to do.
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Our trip officially begins at 7:00 pm,
but early arrivals can walk the main street of historic Moab. A
classic western boom-and-bust town, Moab maintains a funky balance
between the old-timers who came to mine silver from the hills, and
newer arrivals who seek excitement biking and hiking across the
wild landscape.
Who will be in our group?
Typically, we draw a friendly and energetic group of cyclists
ranging in age from late twenties to early fifties. And don't be
surprised if our group includes international bikers. The
popularity of the White Rim Trail attracts gay mountain bikers
from around the world. Visitors from countries as far away as
Belgium, Australia and Vietnam have joined us in Utah..
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The massive Canyonlands region, with its
dramatic and intense vistas, has become synonymous with
world-class mountain biking. Created by natural forces ranging
from cataclysmic upheavals to slow, patient erosion by water, wind
and ice, the environment continues to change as a result of
endless weathering.
Most intriguing is the look of
the land itself. In every direction there are mesas and buttes,
arches and canyons, strange eroded forms, from the odd hummocks of
rock rising out of the scrubby desert soil to the graceful soaring
ribbons of stone carved high above the river gorges.
We'll take our first ride
today to adjust to our bikes and to the terrain. There are
many ride options available and our tour leader will decide, based
on the group's abilities, proficiency, and desires. Klondike
Bluffs, taking us past fossilized dinosaur tracks, and over a
varied mix of sandstone, dirt trails, and mountain roads, is a
popular choice for this day.
Wherever we begin, our first
ride will forever color your memories of Utah. What some may
have imagined as a desolate desert environment, will surprise,
delight, and astound you, once you have experienced the grandeur
of the area.
After the ride, there may
yet be time for a late-afternoon hike in Arches National Park, for
those with extra energy. A 2-hour hike takes us to several of the
park's most dramatic arches, including Landscape Arch -- one of
the widest free-standing rock arches in the world, with a span of
over 300 feet. A 60-foot slab fell from it in 1991, and the rest
looks like it could collapse at any moment.
And even after this hike, the
day's not over: Dinner is waiting at one of Moab's better
restaurants.
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The White Rim Trail carves out a sweeping
loop in the Island of the Sky region of Canyonlands National Park,
ending not far from where it begins. It can be done in either
direction; the description below follows a counter-clockwise
route.
We begin atop a 5,000'
plateau, above Mineral Bottom. There we mount our bikes and
soon descend a thousand feet, over a course of well-maintained
switchbacks, eventually reaching the famous White Rim Trail below.
The playful route follows contours of immense canyons, with
frequent overlooks above the Colorado River. We travel through
geological time in magnificent canyon country, carved by the
relentless forces of wind and water.
Human history mixes with
geological history here. Soon we come upon a cluster of rocks
fenced off with barbed wire and aging logs. This is Wild Bunch
Corral, where Butch Cassidy and his gang are rumored to have
taken refuge. Now it's clear how the nearby Horsethief Road got
its name.
Long before Butch and the
horse thieves galloped in, Anasazi Indians lived here. Our guide
knows where to find pottery shards from Anasazi settlements.
Later, we hike along a slender bridge of land to the remains of a
high stone structure that may have been a signal tower for the
Anasazi. Tree rings, from lumber used in the tower, date it to the
1200s, just before the Anasazi mysteriously disappeared. The tower
is only one of several Anasazi ruins we'll see during the week.
We set up camp at the site known
as Potato Bottom, alongside the river. The modern, lightweight
tents assemble easily. The guides arrange lawn chairs, serve hors
d'oeuvres, and set the drink cooler nearby.
As we relax, we enjoy picking out
shapes on the horizon: In the distance, the distinctive outline of
one rock formation has won it the name "The '57 Chevy."
The pinnacle above us is known to locals as "The Bishop's
Prick"; the smaller pinnacle, opposite it, they call
"The Altar Boy"; and no, we're not making this up.
Meanwhile, the guides cook up a healthy, delicious meal.
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Breakfast is as good as dinner: a choice
of fresh fruit salad with blackberries, apples, and oranges; bacon
and eggs; or both. And plenty of coffee.
Then we're back to the trail.
We've two opportunities to hike today. First: An Anasazi granary.
Tucked under a shelf of rock not far off the road, the granary
protected the Anasazi's grain from rodents, and survives
remarkably unbattered by eight centuries. Mike, our guide, is as
knowledgeable about history as he is about geology. He gives a
short talk about the Canyonland's first human inhabitants.
The White Rim Trail is
named for the rock layer along which it winds for many miles.
Most of the Canyonlands sandstone takes vivid red and brown hues
from the iron trapped within. But millions of years ago,
sandstone deposits formed without this iron, creating a hard,
white layer that remained long after the softer rock above had
eroded away. The result is a shelf, 1000 feet above the Colorado
and Green rivers and 1000 feet below the highlands.
The Island in the Sky is really
a mile-high mesa squeezed between the undulating canyons of the
two rivers, with a 360-degree view that stretches out for over
50 miles in all directions. Most of our route falls along this
white shelf.
Our second hike offers an
entirely different experience. We descend into a convoluted slot
canyon, carved by eons of flash floods and rivers. The narrow,
sinuous walls give the feeling that we've descended into a giant
piece of abstract sculpture as we walk, climb, squeeze, and slide
through the canyon.
Millions of years of the earth's
history are laid open for the curious to ponder and the
photographer to record. Wingate sandstone cliffs tower above us as
we cycle through ancient layers of rock containing fossils,
petrified wood, and relics of an era when the entire region was a
vast inland sea. As far as the eye can see, the horizon becomes a
maze of undulating canyons: rugged, remote, and beckoning.
Tonight we camp at Murphy
Hogback, high above the Green River, with spectacular views of the
valley. A massive boulder offers shade for before-dinner drinks,
and a camp shower is set up for a refreshing pre-dinner wash.
Mike is into astronomy, as well
as geology and history. After dinner, he pulls out a chart showing
when the Space Station will become visible. Sure enough, right on
schedule, a light appears amidst the constellations, sweeps
through an arc of sky, and two minutes later, it blinks back out.
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After a good night's rest beneath a
stunning canopy of stars, we will continue our trek along the
White Rim Trail.
Today we detour to an overlook
known as White Crack. Like rooks and knights on a giant chess
board, rock spires and buttes rise from the valley below. But the
most astounding sight here is much smaller. Eons of weathering
have carved small potholes, a few feet in diameter, into the
sandstone ledges. When it rains, as it did last month, the
potholes fill with water for a few weeks. Then the water dries up,
and the potholes are dry again for months at a time.
It all sounds simple, and dull,
until our guide Maggie encourages us to look more closely. Tiny
brine shrimp live in these potholes. After a few moments, we spot
several of the tiny animals swimming about. And then, more
remarkably, we spot larger creatures, known as tadpole shrimp,
swimming, eating, and mating frantically. They've reached a length
of 2 inches, and they've only got another week or two in which to
lay eggs. Those eggs will survive the dry season, and will come to
life -- many years later if that's what it takes -- when the rains
come again.
Lunches on the road are as
tasty as the other meals. Today there's a selection of fruit,
pasta, and mixed green salads, plenty of fixin's for sandwiches,
drinks, and dessert.
Then we're back on our bikes,
cycling past the ever-changing scenery of sandstone mesas, dry
arroyos, and sculpted rock. Ahead is the aptly-named redrock
formation known as the Washerwoman. In another direction, we can
still spot the '57 Chevy.
Tonight's campsite is at Airport
Tower, so named because airplanes once landed on the dirt road
near this high sandstone butte. We share a few stories, pick out
some constellations, then crawl into sleeping bags for our last
night on the road.
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It's our final day on the White Rim
Trail, and the shortest, but with some dramatic sights left.
Geology and history surround
us as we ride past a fantastic array of spires, arches,
buttes, mesas, and other nameless rock formations that make up the
classic high desert scenery. Today's route has a couple of
demanding climbs, a wonderful descent, a few short technical
sections, and singular sight: Musselman Arch.
Like the arches in Moab's
national park, Musselman Arch took form as wind and sand eroded
the underpinnings of a vertical sandstone fin. Unlike any other
arch we've seen, Musselman Arch is quite flat on top, and just
wide enough to, say, drive a VW bus across it. As it turns out,
that's exactly what an old-time guide used to do when he sold
tours to rockhounds.
Finally we come up Shafer Trail
Road, back onto the top of Island in the Sky plateau. Bighorn
sheep greet us at the top -- along with the van to take us home, a
picnic lunch, and spectacular views of the road we've just
traveled.
We'll be back in Moab by
mid-afternoon, with enough time for a real shower. Then, those
who still want to see more can hike to Delicate Arch (which we've
nicknamed License Plate Arch, because that's where visitors to
Utah first see it) in Arches National Park.
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Today we'll get an entirely different view
of the landscape: From the water. On the bottom of the canyon,
we'll float and splash over gentle to medium rapids and get a
chance to lay back and enjoy the scenery. Starting upriver, we
take a leisurely ride with surprises waiting for us around every
curve. As we progress, the rapids pick up slightly giving us a bit
of thrill for our half-day trip.
The rest of the day is free to
explore Moab; shop for pottery, jewelry, fossils, art, and other
souvenirs; or take a side trip to Arches National Park, before a
festive farewell dinner.
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If you've got a late departure time,
there are still plenty of sights to see. Or you may want to rest
up for your next adventure, wherever that may be. Moab is within a
short driving distance of all the national parks of Utah and if
you have additional vacation time, you may want decide to visit to
one of the other stunning locations of this area before heading
home.
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