Wow- Can’t believe it’s been over a month since the BC Bike Race wrapped up. Since then I’ve “participated” in BIKE Week, sat on the beach for a week with family, held down the office for almost 3 weeks and most recently just got back from guiding a Colorado Singletrack trip. Now it’s back to Moab to endure the dog days of summer. “How can you live in Moab during July & August?” my Crested Butte friends ask me. Well my friends, you have to be smart. And well hydrated. I think I have about a dozen water bottles strewn about my office, garage, truck etc. Basically any time I feel even remotely thirsty, I can reach for some type of liquid. H2O & gatoraide are probably my two favorites, but I’ll mix up a high tech Clif recovery drink if I’ve gone out for more than a couple of hours.
To answer those CB folks with more detail, I guess I would say that you need to be flexible. Flexible as in getting up @ 6am to ride before work, or to not ride at all if it’s in the triple digits. Swimming is a lovely option for a little exercise (and refreshment) during the heat of the day. Triathalete, I’ll never be, but I’ve been known to ride 10 miles out to Ken’s Lake on the road bike, swim for 20 minutes and ride back in to work during a lunch break. If the 9-5 thing wasn’t part of the equation the logical fun hog would go up to the La Sals to ride the beautiful singletrack 5,000′ above town. Burro Pass to Shuman’s, Moonlight Meadows, The Trans La Sal Trail - just a few of the classics you can attempt if you’ve got the better part of the day. The temps are at least 20 degrees cooler and the mountain streams, aspen trees and wildflowers make it worth the drive. If it were not for the LaSals it would be pretty hard to make it through the summer months here in town.
After all that fun is over, one of the best parts of Moab in summertime is the outside cocktail hours and late night dinners. When it’s still in the 70’s at 9pm you can relax on the porch in short sleeves mix up an icy cold G & T and enjoy the comfortable evening temps - while your CB friends are bundled up in their down sweaters. Checkmate.
So while I’m looking forward to the cooler temps of September, I’m in no rush to lose those delicious heirloom tomatoes, fresh organic peaches and warm summer nights that only the dog days of summer can deliver.