Ahh... Moab. Heaven of heavens. The most peaceful, paradisaical parcel the planet has thus provided me. Perfect serenity.
So I took the bait and convinced my astoundingly beautiful, brilliant and kind wife that I should go ride bikes. STRAVA gives me all the evidence I need to prove to her that other people are riding their bikes more than I am (Rico). I think the passive response, "That sounds miserable... Sure, I don't care." really meant "Honey if you don't, you probably won't have the base miles you need to compete in the incredibly prestigious Intermountain Cup and equally important Utah State Championship Series. Ps- I'm so excite for you."
People with high IQ's and superior planning start at Mineral Bottom, luckily I was riding with a few guys with both qualities. Getting one of three major climbs out of the way with fresh legs was definitely a wise decision.
Everything about this ride exceeded expectations. The terrain was more fun and more challenging than I anticipated. I felt better than I had hoped to for the first 50, but the last 20 felt worse than I had imagined they would. The scenery, was just incredible.
We ended up with total ride time just under 8 hours. I was truly on the brink of collapse all through the final mile, but I made it.
Once we arrived at the trailhead I vowed never to do it again. Two days later I was planning my next voyage on the White Rim. I didn't think so at the time, but in retrospect, I think this was the best day I've ever had on a bike... And I've had a some incredible rides. I'm thinking no support vehicle next time (we spent too much time waiting for a truck) and even dreaming of a magical tour on a clear night with a full moon. Just me and some coyotes.
I think I now understand the popularity of endurance mountain bike events, and suddenly see myself looking at routes I previously considered no fun. Rides like this tend to change perspectives.
LONG LIVE LONG RIDES.
