Fruita Singletrack

MEETING TIME AND PLACE

This trip will meet at 7:30am MST at the Clarion Inn, 755 Horizon Dr, Grand Junction, Colorado, 970-243-6790. You will need to spend the night before in Grand Junction.

ENDING TIME AND PLACE

We will return to Grand Junction between 2:00-3:00 pm on the last day.

ITINERARY

TRIP DAY 1

After meeting in Grand Junction we will head thirteen miles west to Fruita and stop in at the famous Over the Edge Sports shop. We may as well begin at the place that started it all, get our coffee on, ogle some pretty bikes, soak up some atmosphere and get in the mood for some world class singletrack. Before heading out we'll pack a tasty lunch and then shuttle west another seventeen miles to Rabbit Valley, the start of our ride and home of an extensive dinosaur dig. A short climb brings us to our first singletrack which will take us back under the highway to the Zion Curtain Trail. We'll climb steadily on singletrack to our lunch spot which has spectacular views of the Colorado River Valley. After lunch, we'll stay on the Zion Curtain skirting the border between Colorado and Utah which will set us up for a big descent! We'll descend on a mixture of slickrock and sinewy singletrack complete with steep pitches and some good technical moves. The Zion Curtain Trail ends here and we pick up the Kokopelli Trail for a short, steep climb up to our camp. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles

TRIP DAY 2

A BIG breakfast is in order as today is large! We'll ride singletrack directly from camp on the Overlook Trail which was part of the 1999 IMBA Epic Ride. This trail runs the ridge in a roller coaster of fun all the while offering a panoramic view of the valley below, all the way to the La Sal Mountains, which are near Moab, Utah. After eight miles, we reach Arches Junction, where we have the option to ride the Mesa Trail, a fantastic, technically challenging nine mile loop before having lunch. After a good feedin' we're off to descend a steep jeep road to the short "sawblade" Connector Trail. The Connector links us to the highly admired Western Rim Trail (marvelled for its flowing ribbon of trail as seen from the classic Kokopelli Trail above). The Western Rim is composed of smooth twisty sections, slickrock and sandstone ledge, making for a frolic of a desert afternoon. We finish the day on the Kokopelli Trail which leads us up to camp at the stunning Castle Rock camp. Yippee! TOTAL MILEAGE - 19 large miles

TRIP DAY 3

Today we'll ride the famous Kokopelli Trail. This morning's ride offers us a break from the technical side of the trip and the chance to spin our legs out on rolling jeep road through Rabbit Valley to our lunch location high above the Colorado River. After lunch....BREAK'S OVER! We have a gnarly, techy descent down to the Salt Wash Bridge where we cross over Salt Creek. "What goes down, must go up!" This starts our grind up to meet Troy Built Trail, a true Fruita classic! Lots of swoopy singletrack, more stout climbing and some hike-a-biking connect us to the Lion's and Mary's loops. The riding here is so good that the locals from Moab travel to Grand Junction to ride these very trails! When we hit the Loma Trailhead we'll hop in the van and shuttle through Fruita to our camp out on 18 Road, located at the base of the Bookcliffs. TOTAL MILEAGE - 21 miles

TRIP DAY 4

Good morning - it's playtime! Welcome to the Bookcliff Trail System, the true original creation of Fruita mountain bikers. These trails are what changed Fruita from a local secret to a national destination. Fast, twisting and full of surprises; built entirely by and for mountain bikers, all of these trails are special! Zippy, smooth and significantly less technical than the previous days of riding, it's too awesome to limit to just one day. So we will be spending two days riding in Fruita's favorite mountain bike playground. We'll hit Joe's Ridge, Kessel, Prime Cut, Zippity, Chutes...and whatever else we can squeeze into our fun filled days. TOTAL MILEAGE - 20-35 miles

TERRAIN

Riding Surface: Mostly singletrack. Includes packed sediment, rocky and sandy sections, some smooth dirt sections and some asphalt sections.

Technical Difficulty: Difficult. Rocky, loose, ledgy and sometimes steep singletrack.

Physical Difficulty: Difficult. Steep climbs, long days and technical sections make this ride a challenging one.

Altitude: 4,000-5,600 feet.

Please Note: This tour contains some difficult riding on singletrack trails and technical jeep roads. We will be without vehicle support during many sections of the ride. Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety, and other factors which may affect the logistics of the adventure.

TRAVEL LOGISTICS

GETTING THERE

-Driving

Grand Junction is 250 miles west of Denver and 50 miles east of the Utah-Colorado state line on Interstate 70.

-Flying into Grand Junction

Airport Code: GJT

TAXI SERVICE

Sunshine Taxi 970-245-8294

LODGING

It is a good idea to book your rooms ahead; here are a few recommendations.

Clarion Inn

$100-124

970-243-6790

Ramada Inn

$110-120

800-272-6232, 970-243-5150

Best Western Sandman

$110

800-544-3782, 970-243-4150

Quality Inn of Grand Junction

$100-160

800-790-2661, 970-245-7200

All of these hotels offer airport shuttles. Above rates are approximate.

WEATHER

There are really just two kinds of weather: weather you like and weather you do not like. Come prepared for both and you won't care what the weather does.

If you have questions about temperatures for your specific trip please feel free to give us a call 800-845-2453 or email us at biking@westernspirit.com. We will be happy to give you packing suggestions and help you with ideas for things to do before and after your bike trip.

PACKING FOR YOUR TRIP

You will receive a tour packing list with your tour confirmation package. Weather on the Colorado Plateau can be unpredictable so be sure to bring all the warm clothing and rain gear listed! When you arrive for your tour, we will give you a dry bag in which to pack your gear. If you have any questions about anything on the list, please call us.

SHIPPING YOUR BIKE

You are welcome to ship your bike to us in advance of your trip. For a moderate fee we will unpack it, build it, and ship it back home to you afterwards. Bikes can be insured to $4,000. Domestic shipping only. If you decide you want to go this route, you must call us in advance of your trip so we can inform the shop that your bike is on its way.

To ship your bike UPS, send it to Western Spirit Cycling, 478 Mill Creek Dr., Moab, UT 84532; 435-259-8732. It is critical that you include your name and tour date on the outside of the box. Check with your local UPS people for the number of days needed for it to arrive in time. It is imperative to have your bike finely tuned and cleaned before your tour so you know it is in top running condition.

If you have any other questions about trip logistics, please feel free to send us an email or, better yet, to call us at 800-845-2453. We will be happy to try to help you answer any other questions you might have about our bike trips.

THINGS TO DO

MAPS

Your guides will have all the maps necessary for your trip. If you would like your own copy for a souvenir, here is all the info:

Fruita Grand Junction, Latitude 40 Maps

ACTIVITIES

COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT

Colorado National Monument is a great destination for road riding, hiking or just a scenic drive.