Thanks V -- those were all the companies we were looking at, and knowing that they're all comparable really will help.
We need more pics!
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Thanks V -- those were all the companies we were looking at, and knowing that they're all comparable really will help.
We need more pics!
More pics tonight and a google earth link. Thom is suppose to be going to work. Me - I'm hanging around the house getting over a sore throat I picked up on the last day. Cough, hack, hack...
V.
Welcome back you guys - we missed you!! Sounds like your weather was way better than ours, which is good. I can't wait to see more pics.
DH has been trying to convince me to do one of those trips for some time now. I'm really a reluctant MTB'er these days.
Veronica - get over that sore throat. I hear zinc is good. I've been taking it religiously since I seem to be getting one, too. Grr!
I think this would be a good trip to do if you're a reluctant mt. biker or not ready for lots of technical stuff.
I'm not saying it was easy, or not technical. But the super hard bits weren't really long and could be walked. I walked more than I think I would have if I did not have DMD coming up.
Did I mention that it was just amazingly beautiful?
V.
PS Currently drinking tea. I'm sure it's all in my head, but it does seem to soothe my throat.
I'm back, maybe.
Got home at 4 am after the Easter snowfall from H$LL. Stupid us didn't know we needed chains to pull a trailer with 4 wheel drive and M&S tires. Chains on at Hirschdale (moved back to the Nevada line as they were being installed) and chains off 1 mile before Baxter. 60 friggin' miles in nasty conditions. Thanks, yellow for the help. I don't know actual snow fall, but it was probably closer to 8 inches, maybe more. Snow on the ground until the Gold Run exit. I'm exhausted. I'm going back to bed.
MP, go check out the Telluride to Moab trip from Western Spirit. Fabulous ride recommended for roadies getting into dirt riding, and the distances are right up your alley. The Uncompaghre Plateau is stunning scenery. Definite do again ride for me.
Ha! That would be me. I don't think I'll get in a MTB trip before/after LRRH, but Andrew and I will be looking at property in Utah. Need to take all the important things into consideration: cycling, MTBing, skiing, hiking. And property values still seem reasonable there compared to CA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
the Pictures look great. I especially like the one of V, SK, and Y.
Any funny stories?
Was it just the 6 of you on your tour?
SK - how about that trip home report? edit - oh you posted while I was typing.......
Yellow, be sure to tell Mr. Yellow that we saw Bighorn on the drive home. ;)
There was a lot of talk about poo, booze and good calves.Quote:
Originally Posted by cindysue
We were joined by Charlie, a friend of SK's and Bubba's. Nice guy. Maze tours have a limit of 7 people at a time, so it was nice to know everyone.
We had a group meltdown on the 3rd day. We had already climbed one freakishly steep hill - 20% of loose stuff for about 2 tenths of a mile. Our campsite got changed and we had to climb several additional freakishly steep, but shorter hills to get to it. And it was hot - 81 degrees according to my Polar, with no wind. That doesn't sound so bad, but none of us were heat acclimated.
By the time we were done, I announced to the guide that my legs were more tired from this than from my double. And Thom added, "Yeah and she's much b*tchier too!"
But a solar shower perked us all up and it turned out to be a much better campsite, with less 4 X 4 traffic.
V.
OK, I'll start...
Day 1: we drove from Green River, Utah, home of the fabulous Green River Coffee Company, to the trip starting point at Hans Flat. From here we followed the road for about 17 miles to our camping spot for the night, the Golden Stairs. Along the way we saw Bagpipe Butte:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...gpipeButte.jpg
And it was just purty (SadieKate & Bubba here):
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../Day1SandB.jpg
We rode down the Flint Trail, described by Edward Abbey in his book Desert Solitaire. This is the road where he (Abbey) got out of the jeep and directed the driver down. It's been fixed up a bit since then, but it still got the best of some of us (DH did his first ENDO here; look for the snaking road):
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ay1FlintTr.jpg
After we got to the campsite and DH and Thom failed to get the little kite SadieKate brought into the air, DH and I hiked down the Golden Stairs a bit (not all the way to the bottom). Here are some more of those purty rocks we saw there:
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../Day1MandC.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...e/Day1Wave.jpg
(this second one is obviously a piece of a former ocean floor...the ripples were made by wave action on mud/sand and then they just stayed as the rock formed).
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ay1GSBrian.jpg
I'm trying to recall what we had for dinner, but can't. I do know that we kept the alcohol to a minimum this first night. It was a little windy and chilly, but the firepan from dinner kept us warm for a while.
Next Episode: Day 2-- we rode from the Golden Stairs to the Maze Overlook, where we camped, and also did a hike down into the very depths of the actual Maze.
Salmon and steak for dinner, with baked potatoes.
V.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
Oh MAN. Now I am hungry. That sounds fantastic!!
Both baked and sweet potatoes.
Loosing weight is not one of the options offered by the tour companies.
LOL!!Quote:
Originally Posted by SadieKate
We did a Backroads epic tour in France - climbed Alpe d'Huez, Ventoux, Galibier, Izoard and came back even fatter than when we got there. :rolleyes: You think you're being so active you can eat anything. D'oh!
About the elephants. Here is the view from the groover at the Maze Overlook. Those are the Chocolate Drops off in the distance.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...romGroover.jpg
The link to my photos including the two days of riding in Moab to shake out the drive kinks. After last night's adventure, washing 5 bikes, drying out 1 tent, dealing with taxes and doing 2 measly loads of laundry, the floor is still covered with stuff and I'm exhausted. Yellow and V will have to come up with more commentary for now.
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/Maze%202006/