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