Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Fruita Trip 2012

Text and pics.  Video to follow.

This is the third annual Fruita trip.  It's my first.  I've had a Fruita trail book for over a year.  I had want to go last year but just wasn't able to pull it off.  This year however worked.  Plan was to leave Wednesday, drive to Fruita and set up camp.  Ride Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Then pack up and come home.  Packing list and planning was pretty much the same as most bike trips.  Helmet, bike, camelbak, beer...etc.  Only a couple of things were different.  It was suggested that I pack ear plugs.  Also Luke brought a cordless hammer drill with 12" masonry bit.  We were all bringing a different type of bike.  I was on my Turner Five-spot.  Five inches of full squish.  Curt on his Slingshot.  More or less a hardtail with front suspension.  Then Luke on his fully rigid, single speed.  Punishment on two wheels, but It does get the girls.

We set out at noon on Wednesday.  Bikes loaded on top of Curt's truck and the back filled to the brim with camping supplies.  I wasn't driving so the trip across Colorado seemed to fly by.  Good friends talking about mtn.bikes makes for a fast trip.  The drive up the Monument was beautiful.  Our camp site was the same.  I got to find out why we had packed the hammer drill and masonry bit.  In previous trips they had trouble getting stakes in for the tent.  So this year the hammer drill helped set a few stakes.  There were still places where the drill wouldn't work.  Darn tough rock.

The plan for Thursday was to get in as many trails on Road18 as we could.  I woke up before everyone else and made some coffee.  Took a walk around the edge of the Monument.  Heck of a way to take in the mornings coffee.  The view was stunning.  Only made better by the rising sun.
 Trip to Road18 was quick.  We proceeded to ride Primecut, Kessel Run, Joe's Ridge and PBR.

Then in maybe one of our poorer decisions we decided to ride the 18hours of Fruita race course....backwards.  We didn't know we were going the wrong way.  We just went the wrong way by chance.  The course was beat, rutted and hot.  I can only imagine what it was like for the racers the weekend before.  Yes I said the weekend before.  Another minus.  Most of the route was covered with what felt like six inches of flour.  It was like riding on flat tires and sounded the same.
Lukes leg and dirt line

My mood soured pretty quickly after only getting a third of the way in or so.  Once we were done however I was in for a treat.  We went to the local pizza joint.  The Hot Tomato.  Wow, what great pizza and beer.  Awesome place.  If your in the Fruita area and don't eat here.  Your missing out.  Try the Stinky.  My favorite.




I can't remember if it was my idea to run to Moab or if it was someone else.  Whoever it was, that was the plan made.  Luke told us stories of Slickrock and other trails they had done on four-wheelers years before.  I had a deep want to see the 220grit red rock of my youth.  On the map, the drive to Moab isn't that long from Fruita.  For some reason it felt like a eternity.  Once there we hit a bike shop and a convince store for post ride brews.  We rode a bit of Slickrock trail and then a bit of Porcupine Rim Trail.  We needed to get back in time to meet my Cousin and her husband for dinner at the Ale House in Grand Junction.  I think most of the way back to Fruita I talked about returning to Moab and riding there.  I will return.




Saturday we were headed to Kokopelli trails.  We warmed up on Rustlers, then headed up Mary's Loop to Horse Thief.  What a awesome trail system.  When you can make a climb as enjoyable as the one on the end of Horse Thief is.  You've done amazing things.  Great rides I can't wait to get back and do again.  Ended off the day with a soak in the pool at Fruita and eat's from the Hot Tomato again.


Sunday we packed up, had breakfast with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin Andy.  Then sprinted home.  Fun time had by all.  What's the date for next year?

Link to some other misc. pics from the weekend....Fruita weekend
The END

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