MOAB THREE!

It is sweet to share your passion with family. Over the last three days I got to show my cousin Justin what it's like to "live the dream." He is not the first cousin lately to become slightly obsessed with mountain biking. My cousin's in Denver, Jeremy and Jill, are on their way to being slightly loony over this simple contraption we call the mountain bike. Justin got a treat as the weather finally gave in and decided to warm. Three days of sun and fun saw us ride in Fruita, and Moab. Old man moon had fun peaking over the cliffs on the way to Moab. We rode bikes every day, camped one night under the stars, and then enjoyed a shower and food at Mary's parents house on day three. Amasa Back Trail Above and below, Slick Rock Trail Above and below, Sovereign Trail The Wall Ride, Pothole Arch Trail, pic by Justin Benton Rockstacker, Tim Walsh and Justin Benton The Half Pipe, pic by Justin Benton Slick Rock Trail, pic by Justin Benton

Start? or False Start?

Mary has only been on about four rides since Oct 2008. Of those rides they were all false starts. In November her hands were beginning to improve on medication, but due some complications we had to take her off the meds for a few weeks, thus taking all healing back to square one.

She is again 3 months back on the meds and her hands are showing signs of improving, but its agonizingly slow, especially since I finally got here sweet new bike built.

She's been the most patient wonderful person through all of this, despite having her favorite activity taken from her. My Mary is always "glass half full."

So hopefully this is the start of a great year. If you think Mary is "glass half full" now, just wait until she rides Porcupine Rim for the first time! She'll be overflowing!

Goodbye Orange Plush....

I rarely get sentimental about bikes. They are tools, I use them until I think I need a new one, then I sell. But this time was different. A young moto kid fell in love with my Remedy. He couldn't come up with the money, so he tried to get a bank loan, he then tried his mom. Still, he was short the cash. Finally, someone came through for him. As he rolled up to meet me I saw four of his buddies handing him cash. He had obviously called in some favors. He wanted my bike bad.

I rode the longest hardest ride of my life on that bike. It allowed me to get to know some really awesome people in the industry, and took me to places that most people rarely see. As I handed it to John the moto kid, I felt a tinge of pain. I was going to miss that bike. But...I get the feeling Orange Plush isn't done yet, it's probably excited to get John out on some new trails, experiencing a whole new, less frantic noisy world. Luckily I have about a thousand pictures of that bike, so any time I feel sentimental, all I have to do is pull up some old shots and reminisce about the "good ole days." Happy Trails--Viva La Remedy!

Current Trail Conditions via BLM

Update as of 3/12--Rode last night, Horsetheif is good to go, as well as Rustlers. Wranglers was soft, but not sticky. According to Brad, Lunch loops is getting good farther up. He rode down from Gunnector to PreNup, Lemmon, Ravens Ridge, Kurts Lane. I haven't heard how Petekes is?


Mack Ridge, aka Kokopelli Loops, trail conditions and advisory:

The trails on Mack Ridge are a mixed bag as of March 7, 2010.

Please Ride:
· Mary’s out and back, from the east, to Steve’s Cut-off/Pizza Point.
· Wrangler.
· Rustler’s Loop.
· Horsethief Bench out and back, clockwise, to about midway.
· Lion’s, out and back on the single track to the Mack Ridge two-track.

Please do NOT ride:
· Moore Fun.
· Mack Ridge.
· Troy Built.


18 Road is snow covered. Tabeguache is snow covered above Lemon Squeezer and mixed - mostly out and back - below.

All of Tabeguache is running like a river.

USE COMMON SENSE. DO NO HARM

WARNING! DANGER AWAITS BEYOND THIS POINT!

Finally! Reasonable Temps! Spring has Sprung!





Above...Waiting for Greg at the gas station...Playing with the aperture on my camera.


We were greeted at the Lunch Loops parking lot by the above sign. AWESOME! I've been wanting to say that to some "sissy pants riders" for years!








According to Greg's camera, which never lies, I spent the whole ride in the air! Honestly it was such an amazing day, it felt like I was flying.


Tree shot by Mary, she was out hiking while Greg and I went flying!




Four and a half hours, and 15 degrees above the forcast temp! YEA!