I stayed up late last night talking to Rox, plus I froze in my room. It was either a sauna or a deep freeze. I actually thought for a while, that since I’m travelling by car, I could haul a comfy feather duvet, since motel blankets usually gross me out anyhow. Maybe next time. Anyhow, I went for breakfast across the road at a place that’s not great, not terrible, but today was 50% terrible. I ordered french toast, and when it came, I said ‘what the. . . ‘. They crusted each piece with crunched up frosted flakes, or some other sugary cereal. I then ordered oatmeal, and it came just the way I make it at home. Man! I am getting old! ‘mah. . . . I want what I always have at home!” Whatever, I just want a breakfast that will last a few hours.
I hopped in the car, and I had to drive about half an hour to get the trailhead for Top of the World. The picture in my first post is from the top. It’s a bumpy bumpy road, but again, it’s a jeep trail. I bashed up some pretty impressive rock ledges, and made it to the top cleanly. My bike wasn’t loving the altitude, and stalled a couple of times in fairly precarious situations, but I never fell. Once I got to the top, there was a large group of people eating lunch, and they were driving Polaris Razr 4 seat buggies, so there were probable over 20 people there. None were tto keen on parking on the rock overhang, so I took that spot. After a few pictures, and a couple I asked one guy to take for me, I had a snack and a drink. One old guy was jacked to take some pictures of me, since I was wearing Klim gear, and his son is one of the founders of the once small company. He said when his son was starting the business, he was afraid that it would fail and his son would have to move back into the basement. They started with snowmobile gear, and ventured into motorcycle gear, both off road and spendy adventure gear, with jacket/ pants combo selling for just under $3000. Well, he couldn’t have been more wrong. The company was sold for untold millions to Polaris. He said his son was one of four guys in the design, and he said they are always looking for input. I told him to tell his son to make the pants I was wearing an inch or two longer!
I left the group and headed down. At the bottom, I turned onto a trail I had heard of, but had little idea where it went. I had lots of gas and went for it. I started out really nice, but then it got ugly! There was at least two climbs that I thought I wouldn’t have a chance of getting up. Loose sharp rocks, big ledges, and sharp drops to the side, and it was pretty much a 45º climb. The bike stalled a few more times, and it took some doing to get the momentum I had just lost, so it was a huge relief when I got to the top. Not knowing where I was going, I hoped I wouldn’t have to go down them. Eventually the trail turned into a slightly more encouraging direction, but once I got to a steep decent, I knew exactly where I was. It is called Rosegarden hill. I have seen it in other people’s pictures, and it is horrible! Some choose to go up this minefield, but I was glad to be going down. Huuuge sharp boulders ripped out of the ground, and strewn all over the place from ‘extreme rock crawlers’. I went down about 100′ until I came to a three foot drop, so I put the bike in first, and walked it down the worst of it using the front brake and slipping the clutch. Once I got to the bottom, it was a super fun, highly bermed sand wash. This I like! Them it was a 20 km blast down a road with frequent stream crossings, and not ugly scenery. To the highway, 30 km on the highway, and back to the car. It was 4:30, and I needed to be back for one last chat with Rox before she heads to Seoul for the weekend. I had just enough time to hit the Quesadilla Mobilla food truck before returning to the motel. I may head back there shortly for round two. I asked the owner if she knew what happened to the mexican lady that ran the Taco bus, and she said she left Moab because it gets too hot. Huh? Isn’t Mexico hot?
