Switchskier

Moab, Utah if you were unaware is billed and the “Mountain Biking Mecca” however unlike the Saudi version is not nearly as exclusive. Mountain bikers from across the globe make the Hajj, and once you are there it is easy to understand why. If brake modulation, bunny hopping, track standing and manualing are the first four pillars of mountain biking, then I would certainly have to say Moab’s marketing department got this one right.

The Switchskier Team decided it was time, as all able bodied mountain bikers are required to do, to make the trip out to Moab and leave a rubber mark on a piece of slickrock for ourselves. Ben and Nick, were ambitious enough to leave Wednesday evening and stack up four full days of riding, Danny and myself were not quite so ambitious and only put in one and two days respectively.

Nick and Ben went wheels down on Thursday morning on the Amasa Back Trail then secured an amazing campsite in Moonflower Canyon. Danny arrived on Thursday night to meet an already battered, Ben and Nick. Beers were drank, meat was grilled and morning brought a sore Nick and Ben, and a happy birthday to Danny.

The three set out for a ride on the Sovereign Trail, and spent the next five hours fighting to keep their bodies off the rocks. Several endos, high sides, and low sides later they finished, patched up their wounds and hit the town to celebrate Danny’s birthday.

Danny shot some video with his Flip Mino HD, and pieced this little short together:

I rolled into Moab around 10:30PM Friday night and headed straight to the campsite. As I was walking up the sandy trail to find everyone else, Ben and Danny were coming out to meet me, they had timed my arrival from when we last spoke on the phone while they were in town. I was amazed at how awesome of a spot they had scored, Nick was sitting by the fire and began to explain how Moab had taken skin off their bodies and paint off their bike frames. Everyone was pretty beat from their ride that day on Sovereign Trail and the night ended fairly early.

The next morning Danny packed up about 75% of his things (if you know Danny this makes perfect sense) and took off to coach some soccer games. Ben, Nick and myself headed into town to grab some breakfast and to decide on the trail du jour. Some mindless wondering up and down main street took place while looking for a bike shop and we decided on Porcupine Rim as our fate for the day.

Porcupine Rim is known as perhaps the second most infamous trail in Moab, of course next to Slickrock, it is a 4 mile up hill grind followed by an 11 mile downhill to the base of Negro Bill Canyon. If you want to be a hero this can be done as a 32 mile loop via paved roads back thru town, but who wants to push fat tires on pavement?! We shuttled my car to the base of the trail and piled into Nick’s car and headed for the top.

The trail held up to its end of the bargain and delivered a great ride full of very technical sections both up hill and down, and amazing views of the greater Moab area. A few spills were had, and I got my first taste of the abuse that Moab riding will throw at you.

Some clips from my camera:

Everyone made it out alive and after undoing the car shuttling, we headed back to the camp site to cook some burgers and brats. Nick’s brother Brant had been in Fruta riding and made the trip 2 more hours west to meet up with us. It had been decided that we would wait for Brant to ride Slickrock.

Sunday morning after a rousing round of hot chocolates, we packed up camp and head for the Slickrock trail head. Slickrock pretty much needs no introduction as this is the primary reason people come to Moab, if clarification is needed click here. Brant spent some time in the parking lot trying to correct the last 3 days of abuse Nick had put his bike thru. Once Nick was rolling along smoothly again, it was time to have our minds blown. This trail is unlike anything in the world, its not as technical as Porcupine but it is physically more demanding. Steep uphill and downhill sections, chew away at your physical resolve worse then Nick’s “your girlfriend” jokes. I would feel confident saying that Slickrock is definitely one of the most unique and fun trails I have even ridden.

Moab will become an annual trip for the Switchskier Team. The drive from Colorado’s front range is certainly justified and with the help of some red bulls and 5 hour energies really is not too bad.

Hungry for more photos from the trip click here for the full set

Have you been to Moab? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.