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The Moab Chronicles

6K views 54 replies 24 participants last post by  admiral 
#1 ·
Getting there is half the fun. I took 50, The Loneliest Highway across Nevada until Great Basin N.P. then took my favorite 91 mile dirt shortcut past Crystal Peak and Black Rock.

Saw some groups of really funny looking dogs.

Arrived at Capitol Reef access to Cathedral Valley around dusk. Park said Fremont River ford was 14" and it looked a little too proto-rapids for me so I went on to Swing Arm City. I got a pretty good campsite I thought.

I figured no one would jump the 80 footer just to left of my white van.

Next day I rode the 70 miles in and out to Cathedral Valley on the eastern access road since Fremont River had more rain upstream. Really nice scenic cruise meandering through varied landforms.



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#34 · (Edited)
With a few qualifiers I would highly recommend a ride into Cathedral Valley.
Very easy, very scenic. Suitable for all riders as well as two up. It’s a Park after all so the road is well graded yet due to it’s remoteness very lightly traveled.
Possible issues are weather related:
The western approach entails crossing the Freemont River which looked about 10” deep when Washington Larry video’d his ride there the other year. He did fine. Park’s automated phone recording indicated 14” depth and that looked a little too deep when I inspected it by twilight. So rather than a ~70 mile loop I rode in and out via the eastern approach on outskirts of Cainville.
This was likely smart as I after I summited at the empty 8,000ft plus campground I saw no fresh vehicle tracks approaching from the Freemont River, yet lots of storm activity miles up-river likely saw the river rise. I had planned to complete the loop if I could have gotten a favorable report from anyone crossing the river that morning.
The road got rough climbing up from the smooth Upper Catherdral Valley floor transitioning from easy to intermediate in difficulty. Two-up could make the loop clockwise only having to descend this rough, steep half mile section and still have a nice memorable ride.
The other issue is rain may make the fine sediment of the Bentonite Hills near the eastern terminus very slick, especially for two. I saw no ruts from vehicles in the mud but possibly the park service grades the road after rainfall. Active, or recent rain, may cause numerous arroyos across the road to flow at unpredictable depths and velocities.
And of course come May heat stress may be an issue. There is no shade, water, cell or other services back in there. I saw only two jeeps and a pick-up but enough visitors would come by to help out in an emergency.
Riding the valley floor amungst the temples and landforms was as tranquil, pretty and pleasant as I expected.



Campground overlooks valley from above in rustic piñon pine forest. Cold in March, might be refreshing in May.

Bentonite Hills

You will enjoy the ride irregardless!

 
#36 ·
Given enough bribery and/or flattery we might be able to scare up a loaner TW for you to ride Purple. We have to support our British allies after all since we sort of share a common language. Just don’t start speaking Gaelic...Is Moab mór do ghluaisrothair
 
#40 ·
Fred, are you reconsidering the Forma boots in light of your mishap? I have the even less protective Gaerne oiled boots.
 
#41 · (Edited)
So purple says: "My hovercraft is full of eels. Gotta meet this guy someday.

As to the Forma Adventure boots I too went through the mental
gymnastics of balancing protection against comfort and off-bike versatility. I could be snide and say at least the blow didn’t break my foot like it broke the TW frame but I can’t honestly say it all happened at once, it was an active week. Auto part

I decided I was still happy with the compromise afforded by the Forma Adventure boots. For example prior to the injury I had spent several hours confidently scampering around the Slickrock Single Track trail in the Formas. MX style boots likely would have made me nervous off the bike when trying to find traction on sloping rock. Yes I got hurt with a boot affording less than optimal crush protection but my old MX boots did not match my adventure riding style.

P.S. - Prognosis indicates more motorcycling. Four digital X-Rays today indicate no real damage so I must be just a cry-baby.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Last year I claimed there were few if any road signs on the long graded shortcut between Utah and Nevada. Turns out I was wrong, found this one at least: Oh, and I actually saw another car this time, a rancher's wife off to the big city lights


Found other interesting signs too, somewhat better maintained: Quote sounds almost as if the writer was referring to TW-ing at Moab


Amazing what a fellow can stumble upon: Looks like $96 stage fare from Houstin,TX to Austin, NV?
 
#43 ·
CATHEDRAL VALLEY Video
This relaxing ride into Capitol Reef National Park’s Cathedral Valley was a worthwhile detour on my way to Moab. About 35 miles of graded dirt from the highway takes one past lower and upper Cathedral Valleys and up to a simple fee-feree campground overlooking the valley below.
 
#44 ·
BLACK ROCK ROAD Video
My Astro 4x4 van may not be as comfy as some of your RVs but it sometimes allows me to explore and discover some interesting places with less risk of getting stuck. Here is a quick minute of some of the “Big Empty” as I work my way home via an overnight at a nice hot spring
.
 
#46 ·
Fred I think your Astro van is a comfy getaway vechicle for one or cozy two like with the wife. We used to have a small tent trailer that I raised the axel and put bigger wheels on it for off road. We towed it by many 4x4's all over the Socal desert and into Baja until it started to fall apart. We used to put a Honda 110 atc on the roof of the TentT. I won't go very far on dirt roads with our trailer now I know it will implode.
 
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#45 ·
I enjoyed seeing the moab trip pictures and videos.
We explored and camped out when we did the Cathedral Valley loop, easy but scenic.
I'm really interested in your shortcut on the Black Rock Road, though I've been across Hwy 50 a number of times I haven't gone that way yet.
 
#47 · (Edited)
Moab SlickRock Singletrack Video
This was my favorite ride, April Fool’s Day fun in the sun riding with the crew on the rocks chasing down all those little white markers. Totally captivating trail for a first time ride as you never know exactly where those pesky white marks will go next. I thought all the little pockets of water really added to the visual and riding enjoyment
 
#49 ·
That is a cool video. So someome took a group photo of everyone on this day before heading out. We went to potash Rd and the switch backs. Anybody have it?
 
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#50 · (Edited)
I should have followed Tweaker out to Potash for after SlickRock we all took Hell’s Revenge to relax on something a bit wider than single track. Sure enough a quarter mile in I bonked my foot. Seemingly the first chance I had to upshift out of first gear and off I go wide grazing a boulder. As such following video is a bit brief as I was a bit distracted by a painful paw


Needless to say others have posted better videos of this ride. It is another great trail system out of the Sand Flats area, well worth the $2 admission. It can be challenging but there are by-passes to avoid the nastiest sections.
I felt much more comfortable on my bike and tires here than when I first did Hell’s Revenge on Borneo’s borrowed bike. His new Michelin M-63 ( I think) knobby front tire seemed squirrelly compared to my trials tire.
His M-63(?) wanted to wander off to the sides. In the above opening scene the beginning of the trail is a lion’s back type feature where you really don’t want to wander off to the sides.
 
#51 ·
Great video it sure looks bumpy on that Lion Back.
 
#52 ·
After a day of welding up a broken frame as well as rest & ice for my foot I was ready for some more riding. So Plumbstraight, GHDave , Tweaker and his Sue escorted me down to Mineral Bottom to keep me out of further trouble. Highlights I somehow missed videoing are the switchbacks dropping down to the Green River, the sandy boat launch site as well as the old graffiti from the first known nonnative, a french fur trapper who sailed his pelt ladden boat up-stream using the strong canyon winds. We explored Mineral Canyon several miles, then had lunch below historic art panel. Lots of fun, a nice easy ride. Later I motored up to the Visitor Center and got a motorcycle pass for the upcoming White Rim Group Ride.
 
#54 ·
Dirtluvr, you not only looked good on the bike with good form but rode rather well I thought considering how rough the road was at times along the Green. You sure looked happy enough when you pulled up into the shady outcrop I was hiding beneath... certainly more relaxed than when we first started descending those switchbacks carved into the canyon cliff face. Steep, wasn’t it?.:D
 
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#55 ·
Nice videos Fred. Your sore paw really slowed you down, bummer I know. If I come to Moab in the future (not counting right now ha ha) I would feel. Comfortable riding Slickrock Single Track, Hells Revenge, & Fins n Things without a worry. Gold Bar Rim, Golden Spike, & Poison sSpider...I'd have to ponder those a bit more.

Keep the the videos and pictures coming.
 
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