Oh Moab... maybe another time?

So we're moving on!  We got up yesterday morning and spent some time in Arches National Park - it's amazing!  It is just another place that I find majestic... it's so awesome that these places and formations and landscapes are created naturally.  Here's a picture of Ben and me in front of one of the arches:

Since we slept late, ate breakfast, then did Arches, it was the afternoon before we were ready to hop back on our bikes.  We decided to go over to Slickrock trail, which is one of the classic places to ride in Moab.  The really cool thing about that spot is that you can choose to do a 2.5 mile practice loop, rather than starting in on the whole 13 mile bit.  I'm glad we started on the practice loop, 'cause holy cow!  It's like a different sport out here!  There were places where I felt like I was in over my head, and also some places where I felt like I'd accomplished something new, so maybe you would call it a "challenging ride".  After the practice loop, I decided to head back to the car.  As silly as it feels to bail on one of the classic Moab rides, I would feel a lot sillier if I got myself in trouble by getting in a little too deep.  I think it would be more suited for me when I'm a little better equipped, both in strength and skill.  Another day, Slickrock.

Ben kept on going, deciding to do another part of the trail, but not the whole thing.  (Don't worry, he had his cell phone and I knew where he was going and what time to expect him back... and it all worked out just fine).  He was really glad that he rode a bit more, felt awesome in some places and totally sketched out in others.  The bummer is, he did something to his knee... the uphills here are totally insane - like, hard to walk up, let alone peddle a bike.  He must have tweaked something while pushing hard on an uphill, and it's been bothering him a lot ever since.

We're a little disappointed, but the trip must go on, and we decided it would be better to take a full day of rest instead of doing another ride before hitting the road.  We'll have to come back to Moab another time.  We started out mid-morning, drove to Four Corners (because who can resist being in 4 states at once?) and then kept on going 'til we made it to Flagstaff, AZ.  We're spending the night here at a hostel, then hoping to feel up to a good bike ride tomorrow.  We're also hoping for some productivity in terms of oil changing, mail sending, and banking... hopefully it'll be a success!

And here's another map for your enjoyment:

And, just for good measure, a couple of mtn biking pictures:

The First Real Mishap.

After spending a lovely Thanksgiving with my family in Kersey (and Ben with his in Charlotte), we hit the road and made our way to Moab, UT.  My Grandma suggested that I post a few pictures to show you guys all how we have been traveling.  She's right, I should have done it sooner... So, here is a picture of the car:

The car is full to the brim of everything we want to live off of (and with) for the next while.  You can see the bikes on the back, and the rocket box... Full of skis, a snowboard, boots, our winter gear and all sorts of other stuff.  We're staying at a campsite here in Moab - here's a picture of our tent and Ben cooking some dinner.  Also, notice the awesome candle we have burning on the table.  It was a gift from my Aunt Kathy (the one on my mom's side this time).  She makes them herself and they smell delicious, and you should really check out her etsy shop, Delicate by Nature Handcrafts, for some excellent Christmas ideas.

So, for our first day in Moab we decided to hit up one of the trails that is supposed to be a great introductory ride... Klondike Bluffs.  First I'd like to tell you about the scenery... It's so different from where we're from.  It's all canyon rims, red rocks and sand, and gosh... It is so beautiful.  It's amazing - I find myself wondering how it's possible that these formations and landscapes are created naturally.  Here is a picture from the actual Klondike Bluffs, where the trail took us.  It looks beautiful and desert-y and warm, but check out the ice puddle... Beautiful yes, warm no.

We picked up a fun trail called Baby Steps and took it back down to the trailhead... We had had ridden a little over 12 miles.  We took a break and decided to go for one more loop, another 3 miles or so to finish it all up and get a good experience of the trails where we were.

For those of you who don't already know, 15 miles is about the point in a ride where I start to lose steam completely.  A little food and rest is good enough for me to keep on pushing, but I was already starting to get fatigued.  I took two good falls on that last loop... On the first one I just hit my shin on a rock, which stinks, but, as it turns out, is a pretty familiar feeling for me.  The second fall sucked a little more, haha.  I don't even know what happened really, but I'm sure it had to do with being tired and not having good form.  I basically just got ejected from the bike and skidded a little before coming to a stop.  It wasn't a high risk fall or anything, but I did manage to land on the heel of my hand pretty hard.  Oddly, it doesn't hurt much to ride... Just to do everything else, heh.

Well, we were on our way out to the car to head to town, and somehow I got turned around on the trail.  There was a place where the trail split, but I only saw one direction to go... I felt like the trail should end soon, but somehow it just kept going.  It kept going uphill, which I didn't remember (but thought to myself, you just weren't paying attention or something).  Well I was exhausted and just couldn't find Ben, and usually he waits for me regularly...so I yelled his name and he didn't answer, and that's when I began to figure out that I was lost.  Not like die-in-the-wilderness lost, but went-2-miles-in-the-wrong-direction and uphill-when-I'm-tired lost. So, what was there to do but start to cry, turn my bike around and totally pity myself as I worked my way back down.  A bit down the trail I heard someone yelling, so I yelled back... Yep, it was Ben, coming to my rescue.  Finally we caught up to each other and he practically collapsed from being so tired and scared that I was lost... And I just cried, some more... And then we went back to the car, and this time I did not get turned around.  I have to admit, even though I knew I wasn't in real trouble because I was on a trail, there was a part of me that really was scared to be somewhere completely unfamiliar and by myself... Not so good.

We got back to the car, both exhausted... I ended up clocking about 19 miles by the end of it all.  While kind of pleased with that outcome, the fact was that we were both coming off an adrenaline rush, we were hungry, my hand hurt, and Ben was having some bad sciatica type pain from pushing so hard there at the end. So, we opened two mini bottles of wine, got changed, and sat down for a bit... And then we made our way to the local brewery for dinner and a couple beers. We topped the night off with Advil and a movie, then hit the hay and slept for almost 11 hours.


The good thing is, we've already been laughing about it tons.  Ben told me "not to wonder off" when I went to brush my teeth last night... hopefully this isn't a trend I'll continue!  Today has been a better day, though we're both sore - and all of yesterday was good other than the getting lost business.  I'm blogging by campfire tonight... It's lovely, but my fingers are a little chilled, and dinner is almost finished (beef stroganoff), so I'll be getting back to you again soon :)