April Trails...So Far!

Gopher Flats
April, 2019
Moab, UT


Moab...after six long months we are finally settled in at our favorite place to be !

Our first sunrise here...

We love it here at Gopher Flats... 

Apple blossoms...

and the pups do to.

Jack waits patiently to play ball...

   

Sally is constantly looking for grasshoppers...

Dover naps...

The weather has been such a hodgepodge...warm, cold,  heavy downpours, snow, dreary grey clouds, bright blue skies, breezy, and gusty winds that shook the MH.  A local said yesterday that in Moab can you experience all four seasons in a single day.  I think maybe he was right ! 

Still, we have enjoy a few trail runs.

Kane Creek Canyon: 

Kane Creek is a fun trail.  The trail itself is about 14 miles of  of desert,

We were following Dee...

 riparian,

Jeff, followed by Duane, makes one of the several creek crossings...

 and switchbacks.

Dee took this picture of our hearty trail warriors.

Each landscape offers a lot of fun, challenges and gorgeous scenery.  My favorite section is the riparian just because we don't see that much water in the desert. The cottonwood trees line the creek for several miles.




This time of year the leaves are just beginning to pop out, but in the fall the colors glow.





Poison Spider:
I can't say enough about Poison Spider.  We first did Poison Spider in June, 2014. What a hoot that was to drive Pearl (our 2013 JK...back then it was on 33" tires).  That year, with Dee's help we climbed the waterfall, did a wedgy, and drove the fins.  Ever since that day, Poison Spider has always been a special trail for me.  Wile E. is a lot of fun on Poison Spider too...we can take a harder line adding to the excitement.  Our first Poison Spider run this year was especially fun since we were with Harold and Tareese (friends from Germany)...

Harold skillfully works his way down The Chute.

and Al and Linda (friends from Washington state).

Al's Samuri flexes its way up The Chute.

Poison Spider is what we call a lollipop trail.  The stick is a combination of rock ledges, a sandy flat canyon, some sandstone slick rock fins and one section known as High Speed Mesa.  The entire trail is non-stop beautiful scenery.

High Speed Mesa

 Lunch was at Little Arch.  You may have spotted this arch from Kane Springs Road.

Looking through Little Arch you can see the Colorado River, Kane Springs Road and the parking lot for Moab Rim.

My favorite part of this trail is the lollipop section with all the ups and downs as you drive along the slick rock fins.

There is mama pig and her piglets...

Cliffhanger:
Cliffhanger is just down right hard core excitement from beginning to end as it curves its way along high rocky cliffs.  Challenges are non-stop and the scenery is, once again, incredible.  This run is what is referred to as a "light" Cliffhanger as we did not do the Cliffhanger obstacle...you remember, the one right on the cliff edge.  We had several vehicles that had never done this trial and wanted a last day of fun before heading home after Easter Jeep Safari.  



Even so, the "light" run is a challenge and keeps us on our toes. 

Claret Cup Cactus blooms...stunning flowers!

There goes Dee!

The "light" run also has an overlook.  The Colorado River and Potash Road...

At the overlook you can see the Poison Spider parking lot and the switchbacks at the beginning of the trail.

Indian paintbrush with its vivid red color sure caught my eye.

There's Joe...the overlook was our lunch spot.

There's Dee...always taking pictures and helping!

 Well, I'll close for now.  There is more to write about but it will have to come later.  So, until next time... 

                                                                     HAPPY TRAILS !

The Pinch and Ledge Crawling Acrobats !

Gopher Flats
May 5 & 6, 2018
Moab, UT

Last weekend was action packed !  Saturday, Nick (from Salt Lake City) planned to wheel Kane Creek.  Like most folks who come to town, he posted his plans on the Moab Friends For Wheeling facebook page and said anyone who wanted to join in were welcomed.  We took the bait along with Dee, Melissa, and Doug and Tonga.  Kane Creek is a fun and scenic trail with a few challenges thrown in.  Its divided into three sections...the desert, creek crossings, and a narrow shelf road that climbs out of the canyon.  Well, guess who drove Wile E through the desert and some of the creek crossings.  

ME !  It was our plan for me to "do the driving" until lunch as I knew I didn't want any part of the shelf road.  




The Pinch as it is called (although I still refer to it as Roy's Rock) was the big obstacle of the day for me.  Thanks to spotting from Melissa, Wile E just crawled up and over.  Thank you for the picture Dee.

Nick watches as Melissa (who you can't see) spots my over Roy's Rock.  WAHOO !

Dee, driving Elliott, was behind us at this point.  Melissa watches as Elliott aces Roy's Rock.  

After a stop for lunch,  Joe took over.  













The shelf road and Hamburger Hill...

Nick gets stuck on Hamburger Hill.

Wile E couldn't get enough traction so Elliott and his Hemi came to the rescue...

What a fun day with old friends and new ones.


















Sunday's plan was Rusty Nail.  This 1.9 mile "shortcut" is actually a spur off Gold Bar Trail to the most difficult obstacles on Golden Spike Trail.  Slickrock, steep ledges, huge boulders, and off camber sections make this trail a "hard core" challenge.  Jeff led our group of trail warriors with "nerves of steel", followed by Warren, us, Chris, Dee, Keith and Larry.  Names like Riff-Raff, The Wall, No Left Turn,  and Skid Mark have no bypasses.  Other obstacles like Butt Scratcher and Double Whammy have choices from very difficult to a little easier.  

Photos of some ledge crawling acrobats...

Warren climbs an unnamed ledge...

Jeff climbs the notch instead of the typical "hard" way just to the left of where he is.

Chris is all smiles after climbing Riff Raff

Dee tiptoes down Skid Mark as Jeff watches. This is the obstacle we dread the most on this trail...

Keith's Samuri (which Jeff built !) is quite flexy as he steps off No Left Turn. 

Larry gets a good stretch as he climbs a boulder on No Left Turn.

Wile E on No Left Turn...

Yep, thats the edge of the cliff on the right side...

It's so cool how the passenger side tires "hug" the cliff wall.

And yes, Wile E is flexy too!

 Just a few more random photos from the day...

 We did help a woman in distress who was sitting on the side of Gemini Bridges Road.  She wasn't alone, but her companions rode on once we stopped to help.  We loaded her bike on Warren's jeep and she rode out with Dee.  They transported her and her bike back to her campground on Hwy 191.

 So, until next time have fun and...

HAPPY TRAILS ! 

Up next...a twisting canyon, towering sandstone cliffs,  burbling water, gnarly cottonwood trees, and oh yes, lots of wildflowers...all on the same hike !