Soveign Trail Part 2

Hi Guys,

Thought I would post this week.

This starts the second half of the Soverign trail.

Below we found a really neat Rock to ride through. These were all over the place.

The trail got into a lot of technical rocks. Trey plowed on thorugh. You really felt small going through this rock field.

Trey didnt' have a good day with tubes. This was the second tube this day. From tubeless tires with Stans to 2 flats with tubes...Advantage goes to the full suspension guys with no flats.

The way down, we came upon this crazy steep section with loose rock. The motocycles that passed us didn't do so well on this section either. Something about falling 30 feet on that rock that doesn't sound so nice. Matt is nailing the section below.

Here is a panorama of the second part to our trail. We met up with another loop here and continuted on. The greens on the rock were awesome.

We found this gully below and it was an awesome ride. The rock formations and water washout areas had some really technical drops.


Here is another going by.
This is a vertical image of the gully the trail went out on. You can see a rider in middle right.


Here I am going through the gully.
Another view of the gulley.

Looking down the trail, this kept going through these rocks. Nice singletrack.

Kind of hard to see the trail, but here I am riding up this hill. The loose rock made it difficult to ride up steep hills.

Trey, finding another flat on this trip. He ditched the tire that evening. Actually, I believe he threw it. Only to have a brand new tire for Bartlett Wash the next day.

Coming back on some good rock, we road through some good rock formations.

Matt caught us at the end of this rock, trying to get some air off of nothing.

Here is Scott comming back. He treated his bike nice after the gripshift plastic broke.

This takes on a whole new dimension to bike stand.

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Soverign Trail--Part 1

Hi Guys,

**Update, my wrist is pretty much back to normal. Still strengthening, but for the most part, I am good to go again. Yeah!

Our next day we went out to the Sovereign trail. We waited a little later for the weather to warm up. Here Matt is headed out on the road from the start.


Wayne catching some air with Pam and Matt behind.

The official sign.

This is first of the fun challenges. Here Scott makes it look easy.

A great down off camber trail skirting some good rocks.

This was a great little spot. We found out these trees don't move when you accidentally run into them.

Here Trey flys down this drop on onto the next.

Scott passing by.

A good place for a lunch snack. And for Trey to get a flat tire. Here I am on the giant slickrock formation.
In the middle of the rock this was a giant crack. Had to find a good path to cross.
A nice pano...would have been even nicer if I had taken the picture level. This land is soo different than anything in Washington State.
On this trail, the terrain changed multiple times.
Here is another shot of the giant massive slickrock. It seemed to just keep going.
Looking back at the giant slickrock. Look at the different colors of rock.
Scott taking a nice line down the steep rock. I soon followed.
The trail continued down some nice singletrack.
This was a nice tail.
Here, Scott found a really cool rock to ride through.
Of course, this was soo cool, I had to ride through this as well.
Stay tuned for part 2.

Moab 2008-Porpcupine Rim Part 2

Hi Guys,

Still sidelined with a sprained wrist. I am up to 10 reps on a 1.0 lb weight for wrist curls. Last week, I could grip 40psi and up to 60psi on Friday. A brace/splint, I do ok on the road, but it is raining a majority of the day, so it is a good time for a recovery weekend.

Ok, back to Moab. Part two of the epic ride. Starting out with a nice view of the canyon below. Look at the previous post at Pam looking into the canyon, you can see this rock in the middle as a little spec.

The trail took us right next to the rim. Here Scott, makes the all important turn to not go off the cliff.
What are friends for. Glad to see one can be a kid with a few experience points under their belt.
After I wrecked, which later became a sprained wrist, Wayne, for no good reason flatted out. Nothing a new tube won't fix. Wonder if those neon cycling tights could patch a tire...
Scott and Pam stop for a break after hucking the rock behind them...not really but Scott rolled down off of it 1/2 way down. On this ride, the skills of the rider are more than the bike. Pam opted with the rest of us to ride a 2ft roll off on the smaller side of the rocks.
The trail is really easy to find and follow on the lower part. Signs like this demonstrate where to go. Matt bombs down the trail
Washington Matt caught this neat angle. Those mountains were really close when we first started in the morning.
We came to a section that was definitely hike-a-bike. Even that was difficult. I have seen Hans Rey do some crazy trials riding and I am sure could figure out some way to ride this.
Pam squeaking down the hike-a-bike. It was difficult to walk this.
Hmmm....which way is the trail? This sign was nearly 4 feet wide.
A quick break captured this panorama of the terrain. As we descended, we past multiple stages of vegetation. High Alpine trees, to this desert scape. Really neat.
Pam cruising down the trail. The sun got close to the evening glow colors on this red rock.
Along the trail, there are edges we ride on. Here Pam skirts the ridge. Yes there is a trail there.
Sometimes, the trail got sketchy for those who aren't big fans of large heights. Didn't bother Wayne, he kept plowing ahead.
A panorama of Wayne and the canyon below. The light metering is hard with a point and shoot camera so the right corner came out dark. Good to see the steepness of the canyon.
Another view of the canyon below. Colorado river below. This highway is an excellent way to get back to I-70.
Here I am carefully winding through the rock fields.
Scott came next on the steel hardtail, showing us up.
Scott coming out of the rock garden. This was a fun part of the trail.
Trey bombed the section and came flying out.
Colorado Matt decided there was a route down this mess. The rest of us found a walking route. Later I found out he told Pam, I'm about to do something dumb, so I thought I would wait for you to watch.
Just like a collective movie, here Matt drops in. If he falls, there is no stopping.
Cleared the first section, onto the big rock...good thing slickrock has crazy traction.
Here Matt shows how to pull up and drop the rock and get back far enough not to endo. Good form.
He made it...though there was another 4ft crazy steep section he is setting up for. He made it. Nice skills.

Perfect spot at the end of a ride to put a jump. Here I am catching some air in the distance.

Wayne, Matt(s) and Pam climbed in car to shuttle back to get the trailhead vehicles. We ride back to the campground via the road. Stretching felt soo good.

San Diego Mike is looking stoked after completing the 26ish mile ride for the day.

Bike damage for the day. 1 sprained wrist, 1 bent derailleur hanger, 1 flat, some scrapes. Not bad for day 2 and 8 people.