| Every mountain biker worth his or her salt | | | | responsible for your own personal |
| will want to try the Slick Rock Trail, | | | | "footprint", even if you can't control what |
| located in Moab, Utah - one of the most | | | | other people do. Moab biking trails consist |
| challenging mountain biking trails in the | | | | of what's called "Slick Rock." I'll get to |
| world. Every sport has its "ultimate" | | | | that in a little bit. For now, here's the |
| challenge. Golf has the Augusta National - | | | | list of good practices. 1) Ride only on open |
| host of the Masters tournament, Tennis has | | | | roads and trails 2) Learn to recognize and |
| the grass courts of Wimbledon, car racing has | | | | preserve cryptobiotic soil crusts. Okay - |
| the Daytona International Speedway, home of | | | | that's going to be tough. Wait until you get |
| the Daytona 500. Mountain Biking has the | | | | to Moab and then have someone point them out |
| Slickrock Bike Trail in Moab, Utah. The | | | | to you. 3) Avoid skidding your tires 4) When |
| Slickrock Bike Trail is a 9.6 mile trail | | | | it's wet, avoid clay- like surfaces. Stay on |
| which most experts consider to be "the | | | | the rocky, slickrock or sandy areas 5) Don't |
| ultimate mountain biking experience." There's | | | | ride along the sides of streams 6) Don't |
| plenty of "easy and scenic" bike trails as | | | | pollute the water resources Mountain Bike |
| well, but for the ultimate ride, Slickrock is | | | | Trails 1) Over 100,000 people a year ride on |
| it. Moab is located in eastern Utah, about | | | | the Slick Rock Trail - so named because its a |
| 230 miles east of Salt Lake City, or 350 | | | | trail of "naked" sandstone - stone that can |
| miles west of Denver, Colorado. The origin of | | | | hold onto your bike's tires at "gravity |
| the name of Moab for this once small town | | | | defying angles." The trail is rated a "Class |
| (incorporated in 1902) are unclear, but now | | | | 4" - 4 being the hardest class. The trail is |
| the name is iconic for great mountain biking. | | | | twelve miles long, and if you weren't |
| Moab isn't a big city - only about 5,000 | | | | concentrating on the ground in front of you |
| people live there, but they get plenty of | | | | you'd see that it crosses an elevated |
| tourist traffic - so much so that you'll find | | | | platform of sandstone surrounded by cliffs |
| over thirty hotels and motels, ten bed and | | | | – cut by the Colorado River over |
| breakfasts, two resorts, 26 guest houses, and | | | | millions of years. You'll be able to view |
| fifteen privately owned campgrounds. There | | | | canyons, see Arches National Park across the |
| are also over a dozen public campgrounds in | | | | river, and the La Sal Mountains on the |
| the national parks nearby. Tourists don't | | | | eastern skyline. The trail is a 12-mile long |
| just come for the mountain biking, of course. | | | | loop (if you don't take any side trips) and |
| There's off-road jeep trails, hiking, | | | | will take at least four hours. Make sure you |
| camping, and motorcycling...there's even the | | | | bring a lot of extra water with you. You can |
| Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail, on which you can | | | | bike on the trail from mid-February through |
| walk and see traces of dinosaur bones of a | | | | November, but of course is most popular |
| variety of species. The first thing any | | | | through spring and fall. The trail is in the |
| visitor to Moab should do is visit their | | | | Sand Flats Recreation Area, and there is a |
| Visitor's Center, which will have brochures | | | | small fee enter. The fee pays for the |
| for every activity under the sun, trail maps | | | | maintenance of the entire area. 2) The |
| and more. If you're new to Moab you do not | | | | Porcupine Rim Trail, also located in the Sand |
| want to go anywhere without a selection of | | | | Flats Recreation Area, is also rated a |
| trailmaps, and you should never go anywhere | | | | Category 4. This is a one way trail and takes |
| without letting someone know where you're | | | | about half-a-day to ride. However, if your |
| going and when you plan to be back. Better | | | | family is full of both skilled mountain |
| still, always hike or bike with a buddy who | | | | bikers and beginners, don't despair. There's |
| can help you out in case of trouble. If | | | | plenty of other easy mountain biking trails |
| you're a beginner, there are plenty of tour | | | | in this beautiful area.- such as the Bar M |
| operators - mountain biking, white river | | | | Loop. |
| rafting, skydiving - who can take you to the | | | | |
| right places and ensure you have a good time. | | | | Alastair Hamilton is the editor of different |
| As you ride along on your bike you may see | | | | articles with reference to mountain biking |
| others littering or misbehaving, and wonder | | | | for . A focused website that offers the best |
| why you are supposed to have the "least | | | | articles on mountain bike reviews and bicycle |
| possible impact" on their environment...but | | | | parts. |
| that's just the way things are. Be | | | | |