GTV First Loop: To the Desert

Even though we were not quite ready to head out of the mountains, we nevertheless trekked north out of the snow, past the closed Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (one of our few shutouts) and towards the second half of our trip, climatically speaking – the desert.

First, a stop in Fruita for some singletrack. A perfect blend of slickrock, and swoopy, tack trails. Then of course the beautiful views. Here we’d pick up the Colorado River, which would become a regular presence over the next few weeks.

I started on Mary’s and Horsethief Loops…

…then Melissa and Flynn joined me for Rustler’s Loop.

The Colorado River started to show its power over the sandstone as we followed route 128 into Moab.

After some fruitless searching for a van accessible free BLM spot where we could “break in”, we settled into Slick Rock RV Campground in Moab, alongside an even split of cyclists and 4x4’ers.

Day’s Lesson: Ride singletrack.