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