Western Spirit Cycling

The countdown has begun.  Our bathroom remodel isn’t finished yet and we leave town for a month next Tuesday.  We are going on a big road trip!  First we’ll head to the east Mojave Desert to begin some peak climbing.  There are lots of small mountain ranges in the Mojave Desert with some great summits.  My husband looks longingly at  these peaks every year when he is down in the desert looking for desert tortoises.  He has been a desert tortoise biologist for years, and works hard to keep them safe!  Since the tortoises are asleep right now, we’ll climb instead.  We will camp in the different ranges and work our way west.  We have friends who will be joining us for some of these expeditions.  Hopefully they will resupply us with food and chocolate and a few beers for Paul.

After a couple weeks of dodging cactus and creosote bushes we’ll head to San Diego for a little visiting.  I’ve always been amazed with how little I missed the ocean when I moved to Moab, but it is really lovely to go and walk along the beach a little.

Next it’s on to Mesquite for the Desert Tortoise Council Meetings.  I will be looking for a yoga class or a hike while all the biologists are in their meetings and then I’ll show up in time for all the eating and socializing.  After a few hotel nights, we’ll head to Flagstaff and the final leg of our journey, a Grand Canyon hike.

Originally we were going to head down into Nankoweap Canyon but the road into the trailhead is less than trustworthy in the winter months.  I’ve been in this canyon once before and looked down into the Saddle Mountain Wilderness from our North Rim Grand Canyon trip.

We have decided to try the Brahma Deva Saddle route that connects Bright Angel Creek to Clear Creek.  We have been in the area dozens of times, but never done this trip so it feels like an exciting mission.  A couple of friends will be joining us and we will be in shape after all our Mojave peak climbing.  Usually I have to train with my pack on the Moab Rim Trail so I’m not crippled after the first day!

And all that lies between us and this big adventure is a bathroom vanity and a little plumbing!

We recently sent out postcards to all of our previous guests in our database, and we have noticed that many of our guests have moved! So, the Western Spirit Team is joining forces to update the database and get in touch with previous guests.

That’s where the story begins.

I was calling a handful of ‘return to sender’ cards on Monday. It was the last card of the day. I think it was 6pm Texas time. I said, “Your postcard was returned…have you moved?” She said, “Oh I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go on a trip this year!”

Well, that happens, so I just asked for her new address so that I could update the database. She hurriedly replied, “No, see-I got pregnant last year, and now I have a 5 month old baby, and I’m going to miss out on my bike trip this year!”

You can just imagine what happened next! We proceeded to have a 20 minute conversation about babies, birth, pregnancy, and biking with babies! She told me all about her Chariot trailer. I told her how excited I was to bike around with my baby to be (due in 3 weeks or less!)

We ended the conversation with best wishes and hopes that we might see each other on a Western Spirit Family Trip in 2010. I can’t wait.

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Calling all road riders!  Take a memorable vacation this summer!  Check out this trip video, and be inspired to see new sites from the seat of your bike.

So, Tonya and I took a looooong weekend and headed over to Denver for some quality car shopping time.  Despite the fact that the car dealers are closed on Sundays!  Despite the fact that we woke up Monday to 6 inches of slippery snow.  Despite the fact that we drove way the heck out to a private seller that didn’t pan out.  The trip was a SUCCESS!!  I ended up buying a 07 Prius and I’m glad I did.  Once I finally decided on how much I was willing to spend I then had to decide what was really important to me in a car.  Debating between a fun driving Mazda 3 or the gas saving, casual driving of the Prius I obviously decided on the mpg.  White, for our hot desert days here in Moab Utah.  Other main considerations were….. can I fit my  Jackson 2Fun in the back?  Answer: Yes, and I can fit Tonya’s 2Fun too.  So two 2funs fit!  The other big question:  Can I fit my bikes in there?  Since I’m too lazy to put the bikes on the roof I really wanted enough room for my pedal rides- so far so good on that front too.  So- here it is coming up on the end of January 2009, haven’t seen the sun for days and I sit here typing away with a big smile on my face.  I call that a success all around.  Oh- did I mention I also dyed my hair blonde?  Just want to see if they really do have more fun.

Safe driving and riding.

Sheri

Other than growing a baby in my belly, there’s not much else happening in my life these days. January is definitely a time for reflection, introspection, and TRIP PLANNING!!! 

I was looking at the trips we already have lining up for the Spring, and I must say, I wanna go! There’s a Sonoran Desert Tour that just sounds fabulous. I’ve actually not ever been down to Tucson to ride. I hear the singletrack is awesome in the Santa Rita Mountains! Saguaros, chollas, barrel cactus, prickly pear, and ocotillo-perfect desert beauty.

Well, I’ll be looking more into the fall for myself. My baby’s due February 20th, so that makes any of our cool Spring trips out of the question. But believe me, I am taking this peaceful time in January to plan my trips for the year!!!

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So another weekend is upon us and the choice is offered up once again - to bike, ski, hike or skate? Ahhh… the many choices of living here in Moab. While many places I’ve lived offered similar diversity, none have it with so many quality options. Let me explain. So, it hasn’t snowed in a couple of weeks - right? Backcountry skiing in the LaSals is usually a pretty solid option this time of January, but it could be challenging to find much soft snow. Think I’ll wait til the next storm for option # 1. However, skiing on the groomed tracks from the Geyser Pass T.H is about as good as it gets right now. Our local nordic group L.U.N.A - The Lower Utah Nordic Alliance has been up there grooming twice a week and their efforts have really paid off. There’s no better exercise than XC skiing to work off all the extra rum cake from the holidays - that’s for sure. Definitely a strong option during our continuing high pressure. Biking and hiking are in similar states these days - really beautiful down here in the valley - just don’t into too many shady spots where the holiday snows have not melted off. Rides such as Slickrock, Klondike Bluffs, etc. which have a bunch of Southerly exposure are good to go, but be careful if you venture out under the Moab Rim. Hiking has similar challenges -especially if you go up in elevation near Canyonlands National Park. Now skating is one activity that’s really a special treat here in the desert. We get about a month of good ice, if were lucky and if you miss it - it’s gone. Ken’s Lake has had a solid 6″ of ice since Christmas time and it’s only recently that the higher temps and incoming water has softened the edges. Still plenty thick to support a 300lb ice fisherman, but I wouldn’t drive my F350 out there right now. The pick up hockey games have been quite competitive and offer a hack like myself a unique challenge to chase a puck around for an hour or more. Did I mention it’s an incredible workout while also often times being piss your pants funny  (when your buddy falls on his face). 

So there you have it. Lots of options and not many excuses. So roll the dice, pick out the right gear and go out there and get some.

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I can’t blame the cold weather for not riding anymore.  We’ve had a week of sunny days in the 40s.  So I guess it’s time for me to start riding outside again!  There is still snow on the north side of the cliffs, but the roads are nice and dry and as long as I get out my booties, I think I’ll be fine.  The training for the Crater Lake Road Tour will begin!

But first, a day on the new snowshoes.  We’re going to try to climb a peak up in the mountains.  We’ll see how high up we can get before we have to take them off.  It looks like it will be a perfect day at 11,000 feet.  From up there we will be able to see all the way into Colorado….

My new snowshoes are going to be here soon!  My old knees get sore skiing so I’m giving them a break this winter.  I do love snowshoeing, except when I’m going downhill and then I wish I was gliding.  Oh well.  Being up in the mountains in the snow is what I really crave.  I love seeing my summer hangouts completely under snow.  The way the snow piles up on the trees and completely covers the little ones is incredible.  Last summer I hiked down one of our winter ski runs and I couldn’t believe how many down trees there were.  It was scary thinking about how many logs could take us out!

This spring, Paul and I are planning on taking our snowshoes into the San Juan Mountains, home of our Telluride to Durango mountain biking trip.  We like to travel on snow as it makes getting through the talus much easier. And our new snowshoes have crampons under the feet and all around the perimeter so we should be able to get up anything!   I prefer traveling by foot in these beautiful mountains because the riding is a bit beyond me.  Maybe some day…

So, I just watched a few of the new videos posted on our website. I must say, they are all very well done and inspiring. Yeah. Inspiring to the point where I am crawling out of my skin to get back on my bike! I wanna go biking!

Maybe they will have the same effect on you?!?! Check out my favorite new video:

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Happy New Year everyone out there. Hope everyone lived through the holidays and got exactly what you wished for.

Being in Moab during the holidays was unique to me in that I usually travel back East to see family. With single digit temps in the AM -there wasn’t much desire to go riding, but a few days before New Years I got a wonderful invitation to participate in a great New Years Day tradition - riding the world famous Slickrock Bike Trail - which happens to be right here in my backyard.

Some friends from here, Fruita and Grand Junction were all getting together at high noon on New years Day for a mountain bike ride and start the year off on two wheels. Sounds like a more fun version of the polar bear club -right? As I checked the weather over the remaining 48 hrs I hemmed and hawed looking at the daytime highs of low 30’s. Then as I reached for another beer and hanful of chips, I realized I must get out of the house. Hell, I’ve lived in some of the coldest places in the lower 48 - VT, WI, - Gunnison, CO - can you say 30 below?!  I’ve got enough layers to cloth a large family and it’s a DRY cold here anyways - right?

So after living through New Years Eve and a decent nights sleep I rose to the New Year with something I usually take for granted, but yet have never done on Jan. 1st. I packed some extra layers in my Western Spirit Dakine guide pack and threw in my lobster mits and balaclava just in case. Most folks drove up to the trailhead, since they we’re travelling from I70, but I just pedeled up Sand Flats road for the perfect warmup. Twenty minutes later we we’re all doing the meet and greet while wishing eachother a Happy New Year and getting psyched to hit the trail. With a little snow to add to the challenge the trail kept us all on our toes - especially after not riding for three weeks! Sometimes at speed it was tricky to tell which white dots were marking the trail and which ones were actual snow! The sunlight this time of year is so beautiful you want to take pictures around every corner. The LaSals are bathed in alpenglow not just from 5-6pm but for hours before sunset. It was hard to just follow the trail and not check out every little viewpoint, but we knew we didn’t have tons of daylight left, so we kept on going. And a few hours later it was all over…. Sad, I know, but it was so awesome to participate in such a fun tradition. Apparently some of these oldtimers have been riding it on Jan. 1st for 15 of the past 17 years! I know- amazing! So hangover or not, it’s a great way to bring in the new year and any time I find myself right here at home in Moab - on Jan. 1st you can bet I’ll be right back up there - pedeling up and down those amazing slickrock domes.