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Not a single spot to be had and it didn't look like a whole lot of bike racks either.

When Carol shows up she says that it will only be one other, her friend Eugine. Her description of him says that he's a good rider. Uh oh! Looks like I will be riding with two racers today. That usually means I will be suffering on the uphill.

We start up Mount Falcon, a death march climb that I immediately fall behind on by 15 minutes.

It's kind if sad when hikers are passing you, but I make the best of it with some photo ops.

Once at the top we head out onto Parmalee. This was my first time on this trail. I just never thought there was anything else other than climbing and coming down. Wow, was I wrong. What a fun trail! Great flow, in the shade, and awesome vistas.

It seems like all the time I gain on the downhill and catch up to the other two is lost on the climbs. Oh well.

I figured that after Parmalee we'd be heading down Falcon. For some reason I thought Parmalee was part of Lair o' the Bear. Wrong!

We bomb down a paved road into Evergreen. By this time I am very disoriented. How did I get from Mt. Falcon to Evergreen? I didn't even think they were close. I guess I still have a lot to learn around here. We head onto Lair o' the Bear.

Another fun trail with more downhill than uphill, but by the time we reach the peak before the last downhill I am wasted. We're almost all out of water now and I can't feel my legs as I pound down a goo. Back to some downhill, then a ride along a people invested creek trail to Route 74. Now, this is the part that scared the crap out of me. Doing 40+ miles an hour as cars are whipping by me on this very twisty downhill mountain highway was not what I bargained for. The other two took off like bats out of hell on there 1.9 nearly semi-slick tires, while I shrugged along as fast as I could on the 3.5 Kenda Minions. They are not kidding when it says "Super Tacky" on the tire.

We meet again in Morrison and then it took every ounce of energy I had to get back to the car. When I got home I fell asleep.

We came across quite a few downed trees going up Tramway.

Quite a few singlespeeders as well.

Thunder, cold rain, mud, and a smile. Now I know why this bike is so popular out here.

It was brutally hot on Sunday morning. Already temps were in the 80's and the sun was beating down on the exposed trail. I don't know if this climb is worse than Belcher at White Ranch, but it sure seems like it.

Only 2.5 miles to the top but it is one of the steeper trails in the area and I was already starting to feel the lack of sleep take its toll. I had to stop a couple of times to ease the dizziness.

Finally, things level out a bit, but it's still uphill.

Once I get across the first saddle, there are a few trees for releif. It was also a time to celebrate making all but one switchback on the way up.

After reaching windy saddle, I decided enough was enough.

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So, I watched the roadies flying down lookout mountain road dor a while, turned the bike around, and bombed down as fast as I could on the OTB Titus without the gloves that I left in my car (ouch). I have decided that the Racer-X and I will be parting ways this summer. I am just too far up front and it scares the crap out of me.

The shuttled ride beings that the entrance to Behind the Rocks.

As most "trails" in Moab are fire/jeep roads, this was no exception.

Eventually, it starts to get a little bumpier and a whole lot sandier.

There was something odd about surfing the sand down this long downhill. It was like riding in the snow.

Of course, what goes down must go up. It was just as sandy on the up-slope.

Girl power in action as Andrea barrels through the sand.

There are some nice technical sections every once in a while (in between the sand). Keith demonstrates the roll.

The "young ones" pose for their moment of fame.

More sandy rocky fun.

And then there is the mother of all technical sections (at least in my book). This is nose dive hill. Now why do you suppose it's called that?

The mtbers and the jeepers try to figure this monster out.

The interesting thing here is to see how each sport oohed and ahhed over the other. The Jeeprs where saying there was no way they can get down that and the mtbers were saying there is no way they can get down that. Well, Jason and Tarka proved the jeepers wrong.

Yes, the jeepers proved the MTBers wrong as well.

A stop to take in the La Salles.

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Some more riding behind the rock.

And an arch.

More technical fun before we head into Hunter Canyon.

Let's just say Hunter Canyon was more like Hell Canyon. A sandy freaking mess!

Pritchett Canyon provided some more technical fun and our first carnage

Mark split his lip open after a header and had seven stitches applied after riding out ten miles.

One very LONG ride.

GPS Stuff:

Monday was a wash-out. We sat around and played cards all day. Oh well.

Tuesday sent us over for Amasa Back. Great trail! There's a little something for everyone there. Technical, downhill, climbing, views, playgroubds, and even singletrack.

We started at the lower parking area and climbed to the trailhead. Why, I have no freaking idea.

It started off with this little number (the secret line is on the right).

Then we get to cross this… Can you say cold?

Then climb this…

The moments do get better and the views are just incredible!

Lots of fun variety to play with.

Some of the group, including myself.

Did I mention vistas?

Keepin' it movin'!

It's just a few rocks, but I like it.

There's even a few miles of singletrack that "some" locals will tell you where to look. We had a few who already knew plus a Arches National Park Ranger who did the ride with us.

And it takes you to more vistas…

and a great slickrock playground.

More views round it out before heading back out (and downhill) to the car.

GPS Stuff

View on the way up:

Forgot the name of this loop, but it was wet:

God, I love this place:

The Great Plains:

On the way down: