#bikeutah

[fixiegirls]

Repost: • @999rideslc Yep it’s Thursday! The homie @tatertot_55 says get your bike ready for the night because tonight we ride! Don’t forget to bring your lights, helmet and some water! Pump them tires up and lube your chain! Also don’t forget to respect cars, we still follow road rules and look out for each other! See y’all at nine! #999rideslc #bikeslc #bikeutah #ridebikesbehappy #ridebikes #thursdaynightride #cyclistlife #urbancyclist #grouprides #criticalmasslc #slcfixie #fixiegirls #fixiegoon #fixiegirls https://www.instagram.com/p/B9p1ZcApZg4/?igshid=dtl9nxas3a6e

[gravelcrush]

UTAH... Off The App!

If you love cycling in the dirt then Utah is gravel supreme.  

I was in Utah for my sons water polo tournament and was lucky enough to make some time to get out and gravel.   I pulled off three shorter rides over three days.

With limited time and a busy water polo schedule there wasn’t the option for apps like Trail Forks and the luxury of finding some epic ride 60 miles away. Instead I had to dig around and figure out local rides.  Fortunately I it’s Utah and there’s trails and gravel roads everywhere.  My situation required me to ride from the city Limits and not stray too far out of town. There just wasn’t the time. And maybe I needed to be a little bit responsible too. After all I wasn’t really there to ride.

Ride #1: Turkey Farm Loop

 Before I left home I studied St George’s neighboring forest and discovered this ride.  It actually is on most riding apps too. A perfect ride from the hotel for   26miles of gravel road across the mesas and bluffs north of St George. I didn’t do much more research. I assumed the trail was relatively flat. It wasn’t!

I headed out from my hotel and rode 4 miles on frontage roads adjacent to Hwy15 before taking a hard right and heading into the unknown. 17 miles later I crested the top of a butte or something like that. I went from standard desert scrub to Juniper and Pinion Pine. At one point I rode through a recent fire area and wondered if I would ever make it out of the burn zone. I finally did and was treated to a lush forest of pine and juniper.   And near the top I found snow on the shaded side of the road!

As I rode I never really stopped climbing. It ended up being 4000ft of incline over 17 miles. Good thing I didn’t know that ahead of time! The scenery was spectacular, text book high desert.  The road was a perfect mix of gravel, dried mud and the occasional rough patch. To my left was a spectacular view of a snow capped peak. I was definitely somewhere new!

Once I topped out I crested the top and dropped down the backside. I rode another 3 miles straight down. At that point I decided it was time to turn around. My choices were either go on and only have another 6 miles of dirt or turn around and do the return. Was a bit of a difficult decision but I had the time to rack up a few additional miles for Strava and squeeze in a little more climbing too. In the end I rode 40 miles and fell in love with Utah.

Ride #2: Getting Lost And Kicking Sand

 This ride was a bust. But even a bust can turn into a good time. I mapped out the perfect urban desert mix. Total mileage was going to be 35ish.

It’s funny how something can be mapped out in the mind, look great on paper but turns to shit when the rubber hits the dirt! In a word... SAND wrecked this marvelous fantasy. I ended up walking for a couple miles out of 10. I still had fun and learned not to assume all trails are equal. Was a blast regardless!

Ride #3:   Epic and unexpected adventure!

I kept staring at this bluff south of town. It looked so mysterious and called to me. I scoured my phones map of the terrain and discovered several dirt roads/trails in the area.  Remembering the sand surprise from the day before I decided to make the safer choice and pick a major dirt road that cars regularly travel.  For sure this route would be sand free.  

To be extra safe, since I didn’t have any time to lose, I swung by the local bike shop and inquired about my ride.  They unfolded a map of the area.  Of course where I wanted to go was south of where the map cut off.  I chuckled.  No one had ridden this route or had knowledge of what I might encounter. 

 Instead it was recommended I take a loop trail out to the west and ride through a beautiful Joshua Tree forest.  And then loop back through town on pavement for the last 12 miles.  While this sounded inviting and like a solid bet it also sounded like a ride I could do close to home since SoCal is chalked full of Joshua Trees or pavement.  I thanked them for their help and rushed off to my sons last water polo game of the weekend.

I decided to go with my own plan and have fun regardless of the situation.  With my son settled back at the hotel with his friends and other adults I bolted for the open desert.  It was a 20min drive to my start position which broke one of my rules but I couldn’t help myself!  I exited the highway drove a short bit and turned off onto a major dirt road.  RVs dotted the landscape and motorcycles sped in every direction.  I hesitated at first but decided that I chose this and it was time to hop on my bike.  

Washboard a plenty...  riding through HOV land was concerning at first but soon turned to just pushing my way through washboard so I could get on with the ride.  After a couple miles the road smoothed out and the RVs and the HOVs were in the dust.  The road turned into a climb which I had suspected from studying the map and knowing where I wanted to end up which was on top of the mesa.  

The road led up a canyon between mesas.  The scenery was rugged and spectacular.  Remnants of a volcanic past were evidenced as towering cliffs rimming the mesas.  Cow’s were wandering the roadside on occasion.  Bushy scrub turned to yucca spiked plants.  Black, brown and light gray soil and rock outcrops dominated the rugged landscape that flowed toward the valley floor.   As I slowly climbed and rounded a long corner a mound of protruding red earth came into view.  

When I think of Utah I picture red rocks and red earth for as far as the eye can see.  In the lower southwest corner of Utah this is not necessarily true.  And actually I was riding in Arizona not Utah.  Anyways a beautiful chunk of red earth and rock broke out of gray and brown surrounding geology and it was beautiful.  

With a strong wind at my back I pushed up the gravel road.  Luckily the wind was somewhat of a cross wind and this was helpful when a loan truck would come blasting down the gravel road.  The dust would blow away from me instead of choking my lungs.  That was a fortunate situation!  So while I dreamt of total isolation what I got was a mixed bag of speeding trucks and blissful periods of silence.  But what I really got was the guarantee of gravel, not sand, and the beauty of the open desert.  I pedaled as hard as I could and continued to make my way towards the top of the canyon.  By now I was looking down on the mesa to my right which was visible from town.  It’s top was covered in dried grasses and had a particular blonde glint in the sunlight.  

As I neared the top, the road turned really steep.  I could see the crest framed by carved out rock walls.  I was huffing and puffing but not about to stop.  I was almost there.  The wind was turning to a bitter cold bite.  It was nearing sunset and the temperature was dropping fast.  Pine and Juniper began to cover the landscape and made it difficult to have any sort of view.  The sun raked the forest.  I crested the top of the mountain excited to see what was on the other side.  As steep as the climb had been I knew there would be a good view.  I couldn’t have been more wrong about that.  Once I reached the top I was on top of the mesas at the back of a canyon.  The forest, stunted and not much taller than me obstructed my views in every direction.  I rode across the mesa for a few minutes as the cold wind whipped around chilling my sweat soaked core.  At one point I ran across a left turn which headed to the top of an even taller mesa.  Next time I told myself.  And for sure there will be a next time!  

I turned around and raced the clock back to my car so I could make it back to the hotel on time as I had promised my son.  This was the perfect finish to a fabulous weekend of mixed sports and time with my son.  I succeeded in scratching the surface of Utah.  I accomplished this on my own terms and without the aid of an app assisted ride.  Maybe the best adventures are off the app?

Photos are posted below.  Cheers

[russellwrankle]

Good bye old Gary Fisher Sugar, hello new Trek Fuel. Rode the Trek yesterday for the first time, it sure likes to move. It’s amazing how technology has improved since the 15 year old Sugar. Now to get my fat arse into shape so I can really enjoy it. #trekbikes #mtnbike #bikeutah #singletrack (at Cedar City, Utah) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFJUAygadq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=d5lkn5fcy7cr

[lindsayracen]

#flashbackfriday📍Moab. If you know me at all you know I can BARELY ride a bike and it terrifies me. So #mountainbiking Moab was I big deal for me in this pic lol . . . #moabutah #mountainbike #lifeelevated #travelblogger #visitutah #bikeutah #mountainbikeadventures #travelutah #travelmyusa #utahrocks #moabbikeshop (at Moab, Utah)

[anewbiis-blog]

Blue Sno Wars from #bahamabucks. Green apple and coconut, but I made it a Bahama Mama with some vaniller... 😉 . . . . . . #bahamabucks #shavedice #BahamaBucks #aggieland #collegestation #organicad #lfthx #summer #sno #flavoryourlife #sharkattack #snocone #Bahamabucks #snowcone #snowcones #impro #bahamabucksSL #SharkWeek #ShavedIce #foodie #beattheheat #improv #improvisation #improvisacion #vertigopr #sharkweek #bikeutah #womencyclists #summertime #womencycling https://www.instagram.com/p/B0e8PcKnUA5/?igshid=1e7ilw7pdfp7y

[1000milehike]

Late fall trip to #Moab a few weeks ago. #slickrock #slickrocktrail #utah #bikeutah #1000mileride #mountainbike #mtb #coloradoriver #overlook (at Slickrock Trail)

[youcantbuyland]

#Repost @alfonsinstrada ・・・ #tou16 stage 7 @lachlanmorton from the pro continental @jellybellycycling team showing the world tour teams how to really ride with heart. Solo break away up the Empire Pass climb to take the overall @tourofutah #bikeslc #bikeutah #procycling Congrats, Lachlan!!!

[universityofutah]

Just in time for #BikeMonth, check out the new anti-skid, bike-lane markings we just laid down. 🚲 #UofU #universityofutah #BikeTheU #BikeUtah #SLC #Utah (at Legacy Bridge)

[riderbag]

@dj_ramsezz chasing one of those beautiful Florida sunsets! Thank you for the tag! Ride visible! ✅Hi-Vis ✅Reflective ✅Water-Resistant _____________________________________ #cycling #biking #bikelife #floridalife #fixielife #fixieporn #mtblife #roadcyclingpics #roadcyclist #roadcycle #bikecommute #bikeutah #bikecolorado #bikenewyork #outdoorlife #bikinglife #mtb #enduro #riderbag #bikedaily #rideeverywhere #rideeveryday (at Sarasota, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIZP1_rB_79/?igshid=pxtxr4kca5nu

[thebikersedge-blog]

Is there anything better than Fall riding? If there is, we couldn't tell you. #bebikes | #FallRiding | #BikeUtah

[thiscorporealbalast]

Sunset ride (1 of 2) #slcbp #MTB #bikeutah #singletrack (at Bonneville Shoreline Trail)

[wingerstudios-blog]

Next time @jameydriscoll next time. #crushertushar #bikeutah #filmisnotdead #film #leicam6 #35mm

[1000milehike]

One of our scouts (@ckluwho) riding the Whole Enchilada trail this week. #wholeenchilada #moab #bikeutah #1000mileride #latergram

[universityofutah]

#WasatchWednesday: Riding high above the I Street bike park. The student club Dirt Rider Society lists its Top 7 #mountainbike trails in the #Wasatch at the LINK in our bio. 🚵🏻 📷: Steven Macey #UofU #universityofutah #BikeUtah #mtb (at I Street Jumps)

[riderbag]

The Riderbag Reflektor35 has a laptop compartment to keep your computer safe. Fits up to a 16" screen. Perfect for work, school, and entrepreneurs. Have a great week everyone! ________________________________________ #bikecommuter #bikecommute #bikelane #ridetowork #biketexas #bikeutah #bikeflorida #biketowork #entrepreneur #workplace #biketoschool #commuterlife #urbancycling #dailycommute #commuterbike #onelesscar #citybike #citycycling #bikecommuting #riderbag #citybikenyc #bikehouston #bikenewyork #digitalnomad https://www.instagram.com/p/CGh5Ig_BFn4/?igshid=1eucnwuddhrt7

[thiscorporealbalast]

Sunset ride (2 of 2) #MTB #slcbp #bikeutah #singletrack (at Bonneville Shoreline Trail)