For years we've suffered under recession, prompting us to ask, When will it end? My answer is, "It's only the beginning."
Historically, recessions are the result of high interest rates, pushed up as the result of loose money policies. Recovery comes when citizens begin to spend more wisely, save money and pay off their debts, but not this time. Never before have credit policies been so loose for so long, and there has been no decrease in consumer debt. It's still on the rise, but Americans are NOT fundamentally to blame; immoral monetary policy is.
Banks used to consider a safe loan applicant to have a 36% or less Debt to Income Ratio (debt divided by gross income). This percentage is a time-proven figure indicating the financial health of an individual. Now, during the worst economy in twenty years and with no signs of recovery, our banks gladly loan to applicants with a 56% Debt to Income. What has changed? Are banks suddenly more generous? I don't think so. One good question to ask is, Why are banks willing to accept the additional risk? But the real question to ask is, Where is this money coming from?
Not one in a thousand Americans knows the true nature of our banking system, so they have no idea that what happened in 1929 is about to happen again. Nor do they know that it was done deliberately then, and is being done deliberately now.
We have in this country one of the most corrupt institutions known to Man, and I refer to the Federal Reserve. Since it's inception in 1913, every dollar created has interest being paid on it as if it were borrowed. This debt cannot be extinguished without destroying the currency itself, and has spawned a nightmare of debt that presently amounts to over 0 Billion in interest paid per year, accounting for half the personal income tax of the nation. Due to this, America is forced to create Billion daily to cover the Billion it pays in interest daily due to the Federal Reserve System. This is where the public comes in.
Federal Reserve bankers have to find a way to spend Billion every day while masking the inflation it causes. Throughout the nineties it was done through real estate and the stock market. Now it is almost exclusively being put into real estate. How on Earth could so many mortgage companies be offering interest only, no money down, multi-hundred thousand or million dollar loans with high applicant debt ratios?
Here is a hypothetical example of what's going to happen: Your mortgage banker tells you that with a 56% debt ratio, you can afford a 0,000 home, no money down. You secure the loan at 4%, costing 32 per month. A few years later, you're thrown out of work for three months. Back payments amount to 96 plus late fees, legal fees, etc., and another k on cars, credit cards and everything else. Unable to catch up, you'll try to refinance, but interest rates have moved up to 7%. A 0,000 loan now costs 62 per month--more than you can afford, but banks will have tightened lending policies back to 36% and you no longer qualify for the home you own anyway. Accounting for all other debt, you now qualify for a shocking 0 per month. You are trapped, and the new bankruptcy laws they pushed for will never let you walk away.
You owned this home in a perfect numbers scenario, but any complications--unemployment, salary reduction, interest rate increase, debt ratio change, bruised credit rating, depressed home values--and you're cooked. One mishap and every financial measure works against you. Your financial angel has suddenly become your greatest enemy. Welcome to the Federal Reserve System and their freshly engineered worldwide depression.
If you were to approach the housing market fresh, you would find that you only qualify for a k house now, along with the market of buyers you were hoping to unload your balloon-house on. The bank forecloses, auctions it off and you're personally responsible for the difference, which could be massive. Bankruptcy is right around the corner, and deplorably, you are the only one who will be held accountable. You will then be a debt slave as the Federal Reserve intends, and game over.
My advice is to get as financially stable as you can. Mathematically, our situation is much worse than that of the Great Depression. No matter how generous these bankers appear, pare down monthly outlays to 36% D/I or less. Set aside three to six months of mortgage payments in case you become unemployed. Make sure you can ride out the storm.
We are coming to a point in American society to where it's either them or us, and mass awareness is the key to our survival. Most believe the Federal Reserve is a part of the government, but it's just a name. The Fed is a private corporation set up for private gain, with a dark history of stock market crashes, financial panics, political manipulation and ultimately, mass poverty and hunger riots. Our struggle is not new: currency control has switched from public to private hands EIGHT times since our country's inception, and needs to be reclaimed by the people, one last time.
Don't think you can play helpless and expect our political leaders to protect you from financial calamity; they never have. You must become Morally Armed on your own. Don't be coaxed into believing the system is optimized for the good of all. The Federal Reserve System is not an equitable institution, and it was never intended to be. They believe if they have us strung out on debt, we are no threat to them. Let us prove otherwise.
Currency reform is the most important issue facing Americans today. How it plays out will determine whether you and your children eat or not, whether you have a place to live or even a future to look forward to. The major media will ridicule anyone speaking against the Fed, so to validate history's greatest moral dilemma for yourself, just google "Jackson bank veto."
America must abolish the Federal Reserve System to regain control over the economy and our government. For a concise history of world monetary policy and how it shapes world events, see Moral Armor. Then share this knowledge with your friends. Email this article to everyone in your address book and stay tuned for further developments. We'll change the system together and bring a brighter dawn to Mankind.
Copyright 2005 Ronald E Springer
MORAL ARMOR'S Economic Warning for Americans
Ronald E. Springer is the Author/Philosopher of Moral Armor, the world's first fully-integrated moral philosophy based on the nature of Man. Featured on The Mitch Albom Show, NBC and FOX News radio affiliates, Mr. Springer is available for interviews, speaking engagements, philosophy workshops and seminars. Please contact RonaldESpringer@MoralArmor.com or visit http://www.MoralArmor.com for details.
How much time should I spend entertaining my customers?
Good question. The world of the field salesperson is changing rapidly these days, and everything is in question. The practice of entertaining customers is one of those issues that needs to be rethought.
First, let's consider whether or not you should entertain your customers. In these days of e-commerce and Internet communication, is there a place for this age-old practice?
Consider this experience of mine. I had a high-potential account that did not respond to my efforts. Months went by, and I could get nowhere in this huge account.
My company owned four season tickets to the University of Michigan football games, and it was my turn to use them. I invited the head of the purchasing department from that account and her spouse to join my wife and I. We spent the afternoon together, first enjoying a traditional tail-gate meal, then a great college football game.
Immediately thereafter, however, I began to do business in that account. Business grew continually until it eventually became my largest account. The football game was the turning point in the relationship.
It wasn't that I gained "inside" information. We didn't even talk about business. But, my customer came to know me better, and, in so doing, became more comfortable with me as a person. And that made all the difference.
That was not the first, nor the last, time for that experience. I regularly treated two of my customers with their spouses to join my wife and I for a dinner at Greek town in Detroit, followed by a Tiger's game. We never talked business, but afterward, business always grew. Again, it wasn't that we exchanged business information, cut deals, or anything of that nature. What did happen, every time, was that my customers came to know me better and differently. We became friends instead of just buyers and sellers.
There is an important truth illustrated by these examples. People like to do business with people they know. The better they know you, the more likely it is that they'll do business with you. When they spend time with you out side of the business setting, they come to know you better. It really is that simple.
Now, this doesn't mean that you can charge 20% more than your competitors, nor does it mean that you can sell an inferior product, or that your company can get away with second-class service. But, when many of these things are viewed by the customer as about the same as what your competition offers, you are more likely to get to the business if you are the one who has the greater relationship with the customer. The relationship doesn't stand in place of quality, price and service, but it can provide a competitive edge.
In my seminars, I liken the role of the relationship in selling to an oil can that is used to lubricate the gears of a sophisticated machine. It is possible to sell without good relationships with your customers; it is just much harder. Building powerful personal relationships with your customers is like oiling the gears. It just makes everything move that much smoother and easier.
In this time of high-tech communication, powerful personal relationships provide the high-touch that many people are subconsciously hungering for. Robert Putnam, in his landmark book, Bowling Alone, quoted a study by an MIT researcher that concludes:
"Though some unimportant business relationships and casual social relationships will be established and maintained on a purely virtual basis, physical proximity will be needed to cement and reinforce the more important professional and social encounters."
Later, more directly to our point, the research concludes:
"widespread use of computer-mediated communication will actually require more frequent face-to-face encounters,' and extensive deep, robust, social infrastructure of relationships must exist so that those using the electronic media will truly understand what others are communicating to them."
In other words, even in this high-tech world characterized by voice mail, e-commerce and instant messaging, face-to-face relationships are necessary.
Is there, then, a place for entertaining your customers in this high tech sales environment? Absolutely! The question becomes not whether or not you ought to, but how to do it in such a way as to gain the greatest benefit. Here are some thoughts on how to entertain effectively.
Entertaining strategically
Having lunch every Tuesday with your buddy who happens to work for one of your customers is not entertaining strategically. That's a waste of time. Instead, do this. Make a list of all the individuals who could be instrumental in buying your products and services. Rank them in order of importance using criteria like how important they are to the sale, and how much business they control.
Then, start at the top and methodically work down through the list. Try to spend social time - not business time - with each. I have found evening or Saturday afternoon events work best. Sports events, concerts, and plays are excellent because they are attractive and appealing to a lot of people. To sit at the 40-yard line of a University of Michigan football game, for example, is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people.
Remember, the purpose is to get to know one another better as people - not as buyer and seller. So, don't talk business unless your customer brings it up. And no sales pitches, please. When you do that, you harden the buyer/seller roles that each of you play. That's exactly the opposite of what you want to have happen. Instead, search for personal common ground - things that you have in common with your customer. You are trying to get to know each other as people, not as role-players.
I've found it to always be more effective to invite the customer and his/her spouse or boyfriend /girlfriend to join my wife and me. Having the other two people makes the customer feel more at ease, and increases the likelihood that it will be a pleasant social evening.
When you are entertaining, remember that you are host and that you should attend to all the details. That means that you make the dinner reservations, you see to the parking and transportation. If you are at a sporting event, you have cash to pay for beer and hot dogs, etc. Think the evening through in detail, and prepare for all the contingencies.
While a beer or two is OK, be careful with your use, and provision, of alcohol. Too much alcohol can leave a literal as well as figurative bad taste in your customer's mouth. Finally, don't allow the evening to go to extremes in any way. Don't be the loudest fan, nor the last to leave. Don't order the most nor the least expensive item on the menu. Be gracious and moderate in everything you do. Strategic entertaining can be one of your most powerful strategies. It is a way to build relationships which provide you with a competitive edge, while, at the same time, meets the customer's preference to do business with people he/she knows.
On Entertaining Your Customers
About Dave Kahle, The Growth Coach:
Dave Kahle is one of the country's leading sales educators. Since 1988 he has worked with over 275 companies to transform sales organizations and enrich sales people. Dave has trained thousands of salespeople to be more successful in the Information Age economy. He's the author of over 500 articles and nine books including How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime. His "Thinking About Sales" Ezine features content-filled motivating articles, practical tips for immediate improvements, useful resources and helpful tips to help increase sales. Join for NOTHING on-line at http://www.davekahle.com/mailinglist.htm.
You can reach Dave at:
The DaCo Corporation
835 River Center
Comstock Park, MI 49321
Phone: 800-331-1287 / 616-451-9377
Fax: 616-451-9412
info@davekahle.com
http://www.davekahle.com
When we think about technology we think about a couple of things. Cars, Televisions, Electricity- all of these make up a wide part of what we know as technology (though in 2008 there is no more influential piece of technology that has brought us into a revolutionary time in how we communicate than the computer). Through this medium we have the opportunity to do everything that pertains to writing better. This article will focus on how the computer, as well as the portable computers we all carry around on our cell phones, has affected our writing.
As we all know there are many useful applications loaded on a computer. Typing is an art in and of it self. When you have a pen and paper in hand it takes time and a little more effort. Through the skillful art of typing though, one can get out a sentence in a matter of seconds without thinking about pen strokes. One can even write without writing at all nowadays. Voice to text technology has revolutionized the way I and every one else writes through computer. When I fill out an application for medical insurance, I can simply dial a number and talk to a computer that types the information and fills out the form automatically.
If I want to write a letter to a prospective employer, the rules change. First of all I'd have to turn of my Playstation 3 video gaming system. Now, in this situation I will open application known as a software program, such as Microsoft word. In that program I can create a letter with a variety of fonts and formatting. This formatting makes my paper look more attractive and readable. In a program like word, I can also use tools like the thesaurus, saving me the time of thumbing through pages of words to replace in my letter. Spell checker is probably the most popular tool, making my document look more attractive to employers and giving me an edge in landing that job. Technology, as you can see, can and has improved my life.
I believe that in order to write, one must be able to read and absorb as much information as possible. I remember when my grandfather would tell me "Read the newspaper every morning, young blood. Then you'll be a successful man for sure". This piece of advice is magnified by the speed and efficiency (that the computer has brought us information) of the world wide web of information known as the internet. We use email every day at home, at work, and at school. The simple practice of writing regularly is the practice that improves and ultimately affects your writing. Also through the internet we get news reports, updates on new forms of writing, and we even have social networking sites that keep us writing to each other back and forth.
Now there are a myriad of tools to help us write. We can write better, faster, and more effectively through things that have computers in them like cell phones. As I write this article today there are two or three people that will sit at their desks and text their focus away. Some will even get up and go outside to send one more text in the urge to satisfy the hunger to communicate in writing. In reality that hunger is exactly the kind of revolution this has become. We are affected so strongly that we will sacrifice to get the message across in writing, because it's so convenient.
In conclusion, technology affects the writing of every one, not just me. If technology just improved my writing then it would be boring. I couldn't email or text anyone, and no one would be able to understand much less be able to open or interact with any documents I make using a computer software program. To be quite honest, I couldn't imagine life without the improved writing skills that technology has offered. With this new world of information and resources I can continuously learn and build my writing skills and actually like doing it. I think the real question here is not whether technology has improved our writing; but rather, how it has left our writing unprotected from copyright infringements.
We've gotten so used to our world of computers that we've all missed the boat when it comes to protecting our digital creations. Technology is like the non prescription medical pills they advertise on television. They show a person running through a field in a glow of happiness. "Symptoms include dry mouth and a runny nose. Please be advised that side affects include: drooling, bed wetting, diarrhea, head aches, blood clots, mental stagnation, and excessive happiness to the point of obnoxiousness...Please tell your doctor about our product".
I know you've seen those commercials. Think about the number of people who plagiarize articles like this one. Now think about the number of law suites that would be filed; all the money. More importantly, imagine if all those people were creative enough to create their own content. We'd have a rich network of intelligent content creators in the world. Now, as if we're trapped by it, technology itself dictates who creates and how it's legally protected.
This is a great research topic. Please check out the knowledge network for a guide to protecting everything you create. Whether its music, books, software, or anything else you (or your clients) can literally think of; the knowledge network has shown me how to make money with it. Visit http://www.knirv.com for a free guide to buying and selling these intellectual property rights.
Intellectual Property Financing For Your Business Or Idea
To learn how to easily finance intellectual property assets for big commissions please visit http://www.knirv.com
What makes Tirunelveli a hot spot amongst the South-Indian tourist destinations, is its vast choices of magnificent temples and shrines, which make it a heritage city. Tirunelveli is situated on the western banks of the Thamirabarani River along with Palayamkottai on the east making the two, twin cities. Tirunelveli tourism gave way to thriving Tirunelveli hotels, ranging from exclusive luxury inns to decent budget options.
RR Inns in Tirunelveli is a brand new, state of the art hotel with modern amenities. The hotel reflects modernity in its design and interiors and offers its guests a wide spectrum of facilities and goes out of the way to ensure a fulfilling experience for all its visitors. The hotel has an assortment of 60 different rooms; the rooms vary from Superior and Executive Rooms to luxurious Prime Suites. All rooms are air conditioned spaces, with stone flooring, LCD TVs and elegant furnishing. Tastefully done to look good and captivate, the rooms provide ample facilities to their guests beginning from tea/coffee makers, electronic safes, direct-dialling phones, refrigerators, Wi-Fi and daily newspapers.
All bathrooms are en suite; and the washrooms are designed in a contemporary style with separate shower cubicles, bath tubs and Jacuzzis. Round the clock hot and cold running water, shaving ports, fine linen robes and bath amenities are also provided.
The hotel provides 24x7 room service, express laundry services, car rentals, travel desk facilities and car parking (secure) to all guests. On request, arrangements can be made in advance for local trips around the property. The property also has specially designed and facilitated rooms for the physically challenged.
The hotel boasts of two high end restaurants Madras Cafe and Fresh Catch, a fine dining restaurant and a seafood stop respectively. A 24 hour coffee shop operates to meet the sudden hunger pangs of its guests with excellent beverages and snacks while High Point, the bar, is devoted to quenching the spirit of the thirsty with a wonderful platter of fine alcoholic beverages.
RR Inns has smart and well equipped board rooms, meeting rooms and banquet halls for its business travellers and party animals. The hotel also provides arrangements for local trips to temples and gaming locations for adventure sports. The Essentials Store is designed to cater to shopaholics, and beauty salons and sports rooms like snookers board rooms can also be used to spend time. For further details, a Tirunelveli map can be followed for exact locations and directions.
RR Inns, Tirunelveli - Heritage Combined With Modern Luxury
For more information about Tirunelveli hotels Online Booking Services, Please visit our website for booking Hotels in Tirunelveli
MOAB
The following story has a few goals in mind. First, we want you to get stoked on the open road. Road tripping is easy; often much easier than one thinks. Second, anyone can ride Moab. There are a lot of different levels of terrain there. Three, the place is a trip. Riding around every blind corner, I thought I was going to see Jim Morrison wandering about in a daze, wearing jeans, no shirt and some aviators. Needless to say, I wished I were 15 years younger discovering my own psychedelic path through life... in Moab.
Our trip consisted of a Volvo wagon, some life saving Yakima racks, some camping gear and three good friends. Adam works in the gaming industry, Fanny works in a resort as a massage therapist and I work in front of a computer between rides, trying to put out magazines. The reason for the intros is I want everyone to know we are just 3 average people; none of us are superstars in the saddle. We're just your average crew that likes to ride bikes. I purposefully set out with the goal of not telling anyone I was the editor for MB. I wanted the straight dirt (or sandstone, in this case), on Moab. No sponsors. No biased information. The real Moab.
PORCUPINE RIM
After 22 hours of driving, one fight between a couple and a lot of pressure from me to get there so we could catch a late shuttle up Porcupine Rim, we were there. I have been dreaming of my return to Moab for almost 3 years now. Previously, I had done a detour on another trip and got in one ride down Porc Rim. On that trip we showed up at three in the afternoon and managed to catch a late shuttle up. I knew if we hustled we still had a chance to ride on our first day.
As we pulled in to Moab I was slightly disappointed, they had changed the Moab sign; on the old one someone cleverly placed an "I love BJ's" sticker on the "O." The new sign was green and had lost its charm. We pulled into the Moab Cyclery, walked in like a stunned crew of yahoos and the nice lady at the counter said the shuttles were done for the day...bummer. But within a second, a young guy name Mat said he'd take us up. We were stoked! As it turned out Mat was the key to our stay. He gave us a lot of information on the trails we would later ride and places to stay for cheap, which was just what we were looking for. He also mentioned tales of shredding the La Salles on his snowboard the previous week, which I was extra stoked on, since that's another mission I have on my list of things to do before I'm done.
You have the option to shuttle Porc Rim or you can pedal it from town. With desert heat being a little gnarly I suggest the shuttle if you're starting late. It still has a bit of a climb to the top and there is a lot of pedaling on the way down too. The first three quarters of the trail is mainly double track jeep road. A lot of people bag on double track but here it's pretty damn fun. Most of it is a choose-your-own adventure with rock slabs and various loose lines. Your mind and technique are constantly challenged; it's not just a mindless pedal over dirt roads.
The trail was firing and everyone was stoked, until it happened again. I snapped my chain (last time here I had a similar mechanical). After digging through my bag I realized I switched bags last minute and failed to transfer my chain breaker. After half an hour of unsuccessful Macgyver attempts, I was rolling down the trail chainless. About ten minutes later, I flatted. I was just about to throw my bike of a cliff into the canyon. I was hitting the downhill as fast as I could but with my single wall tires it was inevitable that I was going to flat with the rocky and often sharp ledges. After a quick temper tantrum I fixed it up and selected my lines a little more carefully. I knew I just had to get through a few uphills and eventually I would see the "Singletrack" sign that has been in my dreams for the last three years.
Past that sign is what my brain compares all trails to; buff packed trail that rips along the side of a spectacular canyon ledge. It's up to the rider on how to interpret a trail like this; my interpretation is to ride it fast, rail the corners and pop transfers off all the natural tables and hips. For me this is mountain biking. The fact that I had no chain just meant I would have to dig deeper and carry more speed. I did, and my hunger was filled. I arrived at the trail's end to Adam grinning ear to ear. "Sorry, I just couldn't wait," he said. "Once I saw that sign. I was too deep in the zone to consider waiting." I wasn't too fussed.
It's a bit of a pedal back to town and it's even longer trying to skate your bike. Adam and Fanny went for the car as I started one footing my bike along a dark highway. I tried to hitchhike when a vehicle would pass but nobody was stopping. I gave up on hitching when a random guy in a big truck decided to slow down and take the time to laugh at me. Whatever dude! I eventually made it back, got a greasy Denny's burger and called it at night at a local motel.
Moab Travel Tip 1: Most of the restaurants stop serving food at 10-ish. Unless you want to eat the gnarl they call food at Denny's you best plan accordingly. Tip 2: Don't go riding with out more than one spare tube, a chain breaker, a pump, levers and Allen keys. Moab had a way of beating up light travel bikes and it's a long walk out!
AMASA BACK
We woke the next day to unpleasant housekeepers staring us down (not cool). Our plan was to hit another Moab classic, the Amasa Back trail. We also wanted to secure a campsite for the rest of the week. On the advice of the kind folks at the Moab Cyclery we decided to camp just to the west of downtown along the Colorado River in a tree-lined and shady area along Kane Creek Road. The campsite is set up for basic camping (no showers and no running water). At five dollars a night you couldn't expect more. Across the road is another site, the Moonflower campground, an 8-site area that is quite the opposite of our choice. Moonflower is set in a typical Moab ambience, sculpted by bright sandstone formations and a moon-like landscape. I would much prefer this place to our spot, especially since it was free. However, it didn't have much in the way of protection from the sun and it wasn't lucky enough to be along the river. Escaping the sun in Moab proved to be a mission at times. Our location was well shaded and also offered us a dip in the river after a long hot ride. I highly recommended this spot if, like us, you're doing Moab on budget.
The Amasa Back trail is an 'out and back' type ride. This area was the western edge of the continent 200 million years ago so it's loaded with ledges of sandstone and amazing rock formations. We were advised of another trail off of Amasa named 'Jackson' which we decided to look for. After an hour of climbing technically challenging double track laced with more 'whoa' views than your camera card will hold, you will eventually cross a pipeline. While the pipe interrupts the naturalness of the ride, it sure makes for a good trail marker. You hang a right, punch up a small ridge and greeting you is an overview of the Colorado River. We didn't know it at the time, but if you look to the right you can see where the trail ends up. In retrospect it was a long way away. The crazy thing is, when you realize that the miles of canyon wall you will be traversing across is the actual trail. Before you drop in though, go back to the double track, keep your legs moving and ride up to the top. It can get a bit tricky staying on the right trail but it's well worth the confusion. At the end of the trail is a cliff-edge lookout. The lookout is on top of what is likely a few hundred feet of straight down cliff with a spectacular valley below. It's a good spot to get some food and drink in you and take minute to get philosophical with your existence (whoa dude, we're all so insignificant...). Now give your head a shake and head back to Jackson trail.
Jackson is one for dreamers like me. If you ever wanted to scare yourself while in the surroundings of one of the longest lasting and overwhelming views this is the trail for you, a photographers dream. We started riding later in the day with the idea of irie sunsets and light that changes lifestyles. When we pulled up to the Jackson trailhead, the golden hour kicked in (Ed's note: late day light will make your ride one hundred times more epic). The trail dances along the side of a canyon wall. This trail's a real mind f#ck. Pardon my language, but there are a lot of technical sections on the trail. While few I would consider very challenging, most are just your average random rock piles with a ride-able line through them. The problem out here is these seemingly "average" sections are often a wobble away from a hundred foot tumble in to the big brown drink called the Colorado River. I have to admit I walked more than a few sections of this trail and looking back I have some regrets, but whatever; at least I can look back and I'm not dead floating down the river...right?
After a few more ridiculously exposed corners, the trail finishes with long wide-open rolling singletrack, so really it could only be described as... perfect. At the trail's end we we're "haulin' oats" when we were abruptly surprised to find a river crossing. I guess when the river is backed up it floods a low spot in the trail. After a lot of "this can't be?" and "how deep could it be?", Adam said he was going for it. The river had to be at least waist deep and with a Camel Back full of camera gear I wasn't about to find out for sure. While Adam prepared for a wet crossing I wandered desperately looking for a drier route. The river's banks were steep and mostly not walk-able but just when I was about to turn back I saw four dogs prancing around the banks. I hollered at the dogs hoping their owner would appear and she did. While she gave us enough info to lead me to believe we could skirt the edge of the banks out of here, she was one mysterious lady! She seriously left me stumped. For every question I asked she provided me with some sort of riddle to figure out. What a tripper... but a nice and helpful one.
After our less than graceful exit we hit Kane Creek Road and a quick and slightly dark road ride lead us right to our campsite. This was our first night out in the elements and Fanny made us some of the most gourmet salad I've had in ages. It was a perfect cap for a long day of adventuring.
SLICKROCK
No trip to Moab would be complete without riding the legendary 'Slickrock' trail. Of course it was next on the list of classics to ride. This is the trail that put Moab on the map so we were pretty excited to ride it and see what the legend was all about. Once again, the day proved to be more of a mini-adventure than simply going for a ride. The Sand Flats Recreation Area is an immensely elevated platform of sandstone surrounded by cliffs, canyons and massive rock formations. Ancient wind blown sand dunes have created this unique treasure. Simply put, it's like riding on the moon.
We paid our park fee, found the trailhead and started to pedal. The fact they have a practice loop to see if you're 'up for it' lead me to believe I was in for a long day. We decided against the warm up and marched on. The trail itself is well marked with paint markings every so often. At first I wasn't so stoked on the markings but later realized that they are needed. Not only is it easy to wander off the trail and get lost but it also keeps all the traffic on the trail, leaving the rest undisturbed. The actual trail is littered with hours of tough short climbs, followed by flowing ridgelines. When I say it's like riding on the moon it really is. While I personally didn't find the ride to be on my list of all timers, Fanny loved it. I think the ride is likely a favorite of those who thrive on challenging ascents. That's not to say old lazy bones didn't have a screaming time, it just doesn't stack up to the "singletrack" section on Porc Rim that my brain uses as a measuring stick.
The loop is about 13 miles, which is pretty short by Moab standards. It can be ridden in 2 1/2 to 3 hours but you need to take into consideration the heat and the challenge of some of the 'up' sections. By the time we reached the halfway point nasty weather was starting to move in. We could see lightning striking in the distance above the glorious La Salle mountain range. While some might think this is a sign to hurry up and get out of there, I found it a good opportunity to absorb one of Mother Nature's greatest shows, the lightning storm. I was in Moab, riding my bike on the legendary Slickrock trail while watching a magnificent lightning storm; how could that be any more epic? The haunting dark purple skies raved on above pink canyon walls and white snowcapped peaks; it was one hell of a show. But, perhaps I enjoyed it too long. Just as we got back to the car the downpour started, which was cool because we were done and in the car. We decided it really wasn't that cool when we realized we left the tarp off the tent which was a 20 minute drive away. By the time we got back to the campsite the storm had passed, it was quick and to the point. I opened the tent to find a healthy sized puddle had formed on my sleeping bag. I zipped the door back up and a said "I'm willing to cut my losses here, let's get a room." Everyone agreed and as fast we arrived we were out of there.
Moab Travel Tip 3: We crashed at the Ramada Inn that night. The clerk was blunt with us and told us it is midweek and she needs to fill rooms. She discounted the rate to for a double, other places asked for more. I think it was fair price for being located downtown on the strip; and it was a nice room to boot.
We were HUNGRY! So we went to a place that had all you can eat pizza. Other than the bus boys giving their best Jerry Seinfeld pant hike impersonations and 8-foot tall guy with a foot of 'party in the back' mullet action named Billy Bob, this place was a little less than charming. The pizza was a lure for hungry suckers like us. Lucky though the beers were gigantic and rinsed my memories of bad over priced pie away.
SOVEREIGN
The next morning we had smoothies at our new favorite stop in Moab, the Peace Tree Café. If you're into organic food or tasty treats I highly recommend frequenting this place. After our smoothies, we headed back to camp to survey the previous night's damage. With a quick trip to the 24-hour laundromat and the hot sun to dry things out and we were ready for the next adventure. We stopped at the Cyclery, and after talking to some seasoned visitors from Whistler (who I would later realize was the McSkimming family - Rob plays a big role in the Whistler Bike Park development) we decided our next ride would be Sovereign, a relatively new singletrack just north of town in the low mesas of the Klondike Bluffs.
The ride is less of an all day 'epic' ride like Porc Rim or Amasa Back but was still super fun. It offered us buff singletrack on rolling terrain, some nice sandstone features to climb and twisty singletrack to rip. We drove the 10 miles out of town, turned right at Willow Springs Road and found the parking lot. It was overcast when we got started late in the afternoon, but still really hot because the area is in the high desert. A short sandy double track led us to the trail, which started with a series of climbs up the mesa on some shale slopes. The trail is well marked with blue paint on the rocks to guide you. Sovereign is highlighted by a couple of grueling climbs and again, more amazing views. It's generally pretty flat with not much in the way of elevation gain but every time thoughts of "when is this trail going to pick up?" entered my head, I would be treated to a high speed ripping section of singletrack, and I love single track, so yes I loved this ride too!
Just before the turn around point you'll get to a ridge. You'll see some marveling views that really make you wonder what's going on in this world. After you're done with deep thoughts the trail drops in and it's a good rough and bumpy ride down with lots of corners to dig deep in. The only problem is, you have to make your way back up this section you just ripped. To me that steals a little bit of the charm of that descent. Not a big deal, but I think the climb up zonked me for my energy. Then there it was; that oh too familiar crackle of thunder. Just as we were pedaling our butts back, the skies changed. I have never seen skies change like they did early that evening. That rich shade of dark purple quickly filled the horizon, the bottom of the clouds were a watery yellow flushing rain from its bowels. It was a beautiful sight contrasted against the colorful rock and plant life that stood guard on the edge of our precious trail. We were going to get wet. I accepted it and was content with it, mostly because we only had about 5 miles to go and I remembered to put the tarp on the tent.
What I didn't mention earlier was the first 5 miles up was mostly a gentle climbing pitch over mixed rock slabs and sandy singletrack. The 5 miles may have stole some of my mojo on the up, but like a good mojo; it was there for me when I needed it. The rain spotted the rocks to what looked like a giraffe's coat. Eventually the trail and rocks would be covered in rain and that mojo thieving up hill would turn into the most refreshing downhill section of my year. Honestly, I was feeling so alive; bombing the trail and then hitting the nicest corner of my season. You know the feeling when you look back at a corner like it was an attractive looking lady you just passed and were lucky enough to make eye contact with? That's what it was like...so stoked! After what seemed like half an hour we rolled into the parking lot. We admired the red sludgy muck caked to our wheels and bike frames. On the road back we were treated to a clearing sky and a triple rainbow over Moab. Do those even exist? It did that day in Moab.
Moab Travel Tip 4: The weekend is busy in Moab, plan ahead or get there early. People are after the campsites early in the morning and hotels are booked solid. We checked just about every hotel thinking we were going back to another flooded tent. Every place was booked. Plan smart!
As it turned out the rain didn't make it to our campsite, which was a bit of a trip because the road, which is less than 60 feet away was wet and caked in sandstone sludge. We weren't going complain and wrapped up another eventful day in the desert.
KOKOPELLI
On our first day in Moab, Mat mentioned some trails that were high above Porcupine Rim that eventually connected with the trail. It sounded unreal, some 9,500 vertical feet of trail sounded too good to be true. We booked a ride up early to the Kokopelli trail head, which is at about 8,600 feet. From here there was some confusion; another rider in the bus made small talk on the way up and mentioned how his crew was going higher to ride some new trail that connected with Kokopelli. Obviously, any chance to make the ride even more epic I was going to listen in on. He wasn't shy on giving away his information but when it came to actually getting directions, he shut down. Whatever, no biggie. What we did learned was the trail ended at the drop-in at Kokopelli, so we just pedaled straight up until we hit the lush alpine meadows. The climb turned out to be my favorite of the trip, the singletrack was like no other in Moab; it was twisting and rolling through flowery alpine meadows; green, fresh and healthy, with stunning views of the snow covered La Salles.
We pedaled for about 5 miles until we turned back and ripped the same trail down. We were all in the zone on this one. This was as dreamy as single track comes and while totally different than Porc Rim's track it sure gave it a run for its money. It never seemed to end and when it did we cried both from joy but also from the pains in our calves. Truly a must ride!
Here's where there was some confusion. I thought Kokopelli was the actual trail you ride but you actually want to ride UPS and connect with LPS. Fanny who has to ride everything was a little disappointed when we learned this. But we would later learn from a local guide that UPS was actually closed. Which contradicted what the cowboy from Coyote Shuttles said when we were slightly lost changing flats on the road. We did manage to get confusing as hell directions back to LPS though.
While changing flats, Adam realized he had a bigger fish to fry when he noticed his sidewall was blown out and torn. He put a tire patch on it and chose to ride the road out because he had about 4 hours of trail left and felt it was a little risky (wise move). So Fanny and I continued on, we found our trailhead again and LPS turned out to be another astonishing ride. This trail tracked the rim of the canyon wall. On what seemed like every other corner we were literally looking at the valley floor hundreds of feet down, after a few bobbles from admiring the view and not the trail, I quickly smarted up and stayed focused on the ride. It was long and twisted and turned like one of the many snakes I saw in the desert. Eventually we met up with the lookout at Porc Rim. At this point, Fanny and I both sun burnt on the left side of our bodies, took a break and prepped for the final leg.
Today was the day, although a little nervous I packed 3 spare tubes, a chain breaker, extra links and a bunch of other stuff to insure that I was wasn't leaving Moab without riding the Rim with a fully functioning bike. Fanny sensed my stoke and together we charged every uphill and absolutely bombed every downhill. The trail had so many sections where you dive into a line and you can't get out of it until it lets you out; you just have to pray the exit is clean and head sized rocks don't take you or your bike down. On more than a few occasions I felt like I was Rennie on a DH rig ripping apart DH trail. Quick reminders were often, when I'd get bucked on some loose stuff and look down and see my little 2-inch single ply tire begging for me to let up.
Once again I pulled up to the "Singletrack" sign, this time my heart was racing. The starting section I was forced to coast last time was now a full out assault on my cranks. I hit that section of winding corners so fast and out of control and I don't even remember the rest of the trail as I was lost in trance. An accumulation of three years of anticipation, a botched ride just days ago and heat that was melting my brain had me zoned. As my brain oozed down my shoulders, which now matched the color of the red rock I noticed Fanny was nowhere near. I hid in a shaded cave and waited, she showed up with a story of three flats and no more tubes.
We continued on and ignored the people soaking in what seemed like a pool but turned out to be only a 2-foot in diameter puddle. Fanny coasted on her rim and I milked the last section for every bit of pump, bump and rip it was worth. I had a feeling our last day of riding was here and grinned my way down to the car. Adam who waiting in a 1 by 1 foot patch of shade handed me a Gatorade. I slammed it back, it was warm as p...! You gotta love the heat.
With mechanicals that were going to cost a hundred bucks or so we decided that we were content with our trip. We decided to get a good meal at an amazing Mexican restaurant called Fiesta. They have good prices and killer ambience. Across the street we found a classic iron-on shirt shop and bought retro Moab tees. It was such a chill night in Moab, but it was Friday and we could see things were starting to pick up. The 4X4 trucks got bigger and more frequent and after a bit of wandering we headed back to camp anticipating a long drive home the next day.
Before we hit the road home we stopped in for a quick tour of Arches National Park. Quick was probably the wrong idea; the park is huge and nothing short of spectacular. We checked out the Arches and Windows, and again I waited for Mr. Morrison to wander up to us, say something like "the windows are only gateways to your perception..." and then hand me a fistful of peyote buttons. But it wasn't to be on this day. We hit the road before he could track us down and headed north.
Moab - Road Trippin' & Mountain Biking
Moab is a spectacular mountain biking experience, for more on Moab and images of other exotic trails visit mtbiking.com
Believe me when I say there is no responsibility heavier than the responsibility of your own self. The responsibility of your choice and decision. You have yourself to blame for the outcome of every choice you make in life. You are responsible for the way your life has turned out to be, you are responsible for your failures and accomplishments. It'd only be foolish to deny the responsibility of your decisions. Accept the responsibility of your mistakes so that you'll learn from them.
I remember when I used to starve myself whenever I'm provoked. There would be enough food in the house, but I'd rather starve myself than take even a single spoonful of the food. Now in that kind of situation; am I supposed to blame anyone for my hunger? The simple thing would have been putting away all my anger and freeing my heart of all bitterness and enjoy my food but because I'd rather blame someone else for the heaviness of heart and the hunger that I felt, I stayed hungry.
In life we are all presented with choices everyday and you are to shoulder the responsibility of the choice you make. If you are a student and you have an exam to write and instead of studying, you spend your time watching television, playing games and chatting, when the time for the exam comes, you'll have no one but yourself to blame for not preparing and you'll have to deal with the responsibility of failing the exam. You are in a relationship and you expect your partner to propose to you, yet you don't make any effort to ensure your relationship works, you fight all the time and you don't try to understand him, you don't even try to make him feel loved, if your relationship fails, you'll have to bear the disappointment it brings with it. That is your cross.
But do you know the interesting part? Let's assume that your life is in a mess right now, that you're even a very bad person and there is nothing pleasant about you. I have good news for you, and that good news is you can still turn your life around and enjoy the benefits of being a good person. You can decide to shun evil today and do away with your bad personality.
Maybe you are hurt because you are due for promotion and instead of you being promoted, another person got that promotion. This might make you feel sad, disappointed, like you are no good. No, you shouldn't feel that way. There are always opportunities, if you look closely, you'll see other ways for your hard work to be appreciated. There is a saying, "If you don't choose, you are unconsciously making a choice for others to choose for you", so don't let anyone determine or decide for you how you should feel, make a decision, change the way you feel about yourself and put that decision into motion through your actions and you'll be surprised to see how things will change for the best for you.
Remember there is a bit of goodness in everyone, no matter how bad or weak you or people think you are, there is a bit of goodness in you. I've heard stories of how prostitutes, occultists and high profile assassins gave up their crooked way of life and are today living a justified life. I've also heard stories about people who were tagged weak and dull made it in life just by making a single decision and taking a single step. You too can do that; you can decide to change your life. You may like to think of your past life as an accident or a long nightmare. I would like you to think of this day as a new dawn, a long awaited morning after the nightmares of yesterday. Are you having doubts about your life? It's time to stop having doubts, face life as it comes, make your decisions and stand by them. This could be your chance of living a good life, of making things right. It's only a matter of choice and don't forget "your choice is your responsibility".
Another thing friend, make the right choices today, so that you'll be glad to shoulder the responsibilities that will come with them tomorrow.
Your Choice, Your Responsibility
MOAB
The following story has a few goals in mind. First, we want you to get stoked on the open road. Road tripping is easy; often much easier than one thinks. Second, anyone can ride Moab. There are a lot of different levels of terrain there. Three, the place is a trip. Riding around every blind corner, I thought I was going to see Jim Morrison wandering about in a daze, wearing jeans, no shirt and some aviators. Needless to say, I wished I were 15 years younger discovering my own psychedelic path through life... in Moab.
Our trip consisted of a Volvo wagon, some life saving Yakima racks, some camping gear and three good friends. Adam works in the gaming industry, Fanny works in a resort as a massage therapist and I work in front of a computer between rides, trying to put out magazines. The reason for the intros is I want everyone to know we are just 3 average people; none of us are superstars in the saddle. We're just your average crew that likes to ride bikes. I purposefully set out with the goal of not telling anyone I was the editor for MB. I wanted the straight dirt (or sandstone, in this case), on Moab. No sponsors. No biased information. The real Moab.
PORCUPINE RIM
After 22 hours of driving, one fight between a couple and a lot of pressure from me to get there so we could catch a late shuttle up Porcupine Rim, we were there. I have been dreaming of my return to Moab for almost 3 years now. Previously, I had done a detour on another trip and got in one ride down Porc Rim. On that trip we showed up at three in the afternoon and managed to catch a late shuttle up. I knew if we hustled we still had a chance to ride on our first day.
As we pulled in to Moab I was slightly disappointed, they had changed the Moab sign; on the old one someone cleverly placed an "I love BJ's" sticker on the "O." The new sign was green and had lost its charm. We pulled into the Moab Cyclery, walked in like a stunned crew of yahoos and the nice lady at the counter said the shuttles were done for the day...bummer. But within a second, a young guy name Mat said he'd take us up. We were stoked! As it turned out Mat was the key to our stay. He gave us a lot of information on the trails we would later ride and places to stay for cheap, which was just what we were looking for. He also mentioned tales of shredding the La Salles on his snowboard the previous week, which I was extra stoked on, since that's another mission I have on my list of things to do before I'm done.
You have the option to shuttle Porc Rim or you can pedal it from town. With desert heat being a little gnarly I suggest the shuttle if you're starting late. It still has a bit of a climb to the top and there is a lot of pedaling on the way down too. The first three quarters of the trail is mainly double track jeep road. A lot of people bag on double track but here it's pretty damn fun. Most of it is a choose-your-own adventure with rock slabs and various loose lines. Your mind and technique are constantly challenged; it's not just a mindless pedal over dirt roads.
The trail was firing and everyone was stoked, until it happened again. I snapped my chain (last time here I had a similar mechanical). After digging through my bag I realized I switched bags last minute and failed to transfer my chain breaker. After half an hour of unsuccessful Macgyver attempts, I was rolling down the trail chainless. About ten minutes later, I flatted. I was just about to throw my bike of a cliff into the canyon. I was hitting the downhill as fast as I could but with my single wall tires it was inevitable that I was going to flat with the rocky and often sharp ledges. After a quick temper tantrum I fixed it up and selected my lines a little more carefully. I knew I just had to get through a few uphills and eventually I would see the "Singletrack" sign that has been in my dreams for the last three years.
Past that sign is what my brain compares all trails to; buff packed trail that rips along the side of a spectacular canyon ledge. It's up to the rider on how to interpret a trail like this; my interpretation is to ride it fast, rail the corners and pop transfers off all the natural tables and hips. For me this is mountain biking. The fact that I had no chain just meant I would have to dig deeper and carry more speed. I did, and my hunger was filled. I arrived at the trail's end to Adam grinning ear to ear. "Sorry, I just couldn't wait," he said. "Once I saw that sign. I was too deep in the zone to consider waiting." I wasn't too fussed.
It's a bit of a pedal back to town and it's even longer trying to skate your bike. Adam and Fanny went for the car as I started one footing my bike along a dark highway. I tried to hitchhike when a vehicle would pass but nobody was stopping. I gave up on hitching when a random guy in a big truck decided to slow down and take the time to laugh at me. Whatever dude! I eventually made it back, got a greasy Denny's burger and called it at night at a local motel.
Moab Travel Tip 1: Most of the restaurants stop serving food at 10-ish. Unless you want to eat the gnarl they call food at Denny's you best plan accordingly. Tip 2: Don't go riding with out more than one spare tube, a chain breaker, a pump, levers and Allen keys. Moab had a way of beating up light travel bikes and it's a long walk out!
AMASA BACK
We woke the next day to unpleasant housekeepers staring us down (not cool). Our plan was to hit another Moab classic, the Amasa Back trail. We also wanted to secure a campsite for the rest of the week. On the advice of the kind folks at the Moab Cyclery we decided to camp just to the west of downtown along the Colorado River in a tree-lined and shady area along Kane Creek Road. The campsite is set up for basic camping (no showers and no running water). At five dollars a night you couldn't expect more. Across the road is another site, the Moonflower campground, an 8-site area that is quite the opposite of our choice. Moonflower is set in a typical Moab ambience, sculpted by bright sandstone formations and a moon-like landscape. I would much prefer this place to our spot, especially since it was free. However, it didn't have much in the way of protection from the sun and it wasn't lucky enough to be along the river. Escaping the sun in Moab proved to be a mission at times. Our location was well shaded and also offered us a dip in the river after a long hot ride. I highly recommended this spot if, like us, you're doing Moab on budget.
The Amasa Back trail is an 'out and back' type ride. This area was the western edge of the continent 200 million years ago so it's loaded with ledges of sandstone and amazing rock formations. We were advised of another trail off of Amasa named 'Jackson' which we decided to look for. After an hour of climbing technically challenging double track laced with more 'whoa' views than your camera card will hold, you will eventually cross a pipeline. While the pipe interrupts the naturalness of the ride, it sure makes for a good trail marker. You hang a right, punch up a small ridge and greeting you is an overview of the Colorado River. We didn't know it at the time, but if you look to the right you can see where the trail ends up. In retrospect it was a long way away. The crazy thing is, when you realize that the miles of canyon wall you will be traversing across is the actual trail. Before you drop in though, go back to the double track, keep your legs moving and ride up to the top. It can get a bit tricky staying on the right trail but it's well worth the confusion. At the end of the trail is a cliff-edge lookout. The lookout is on top of what is likely a few hundred feet of straight down cliff with a spectacular valley below. It's a good spot to get some food and drink in you and take minute to get philosophical with your existence (whoa dude, we're all so insignificant...). Now give your head a shake and head back to Jackson trail.
Jackson is one for dreamers like me. If you ever wanted to scare yourself while in the surroundings of one of the longest lasting and overwhelming views this is the trail for you, a photographers dream. We started riding later in the day with the idea of irie sunsets and light that changes lifestyles. When we pulled up to the Jackson trailhead, the golden hour kicked in (Ed's note: late day light will make your ride one hundred times more epic). The trail dances along the side of a canyon wall. This trail's a real mind f#ck. Pardon my language, but there are a lot of technical sections on the trail. While few I would consider very challenging, most are just your average random rock piles with a ride-able line through them. The problem out here is these seemingly "average" sections are often a wobble away from a hundred foot tumble in to the big brown drink called the Colorado River. I have to admit I walked more than a few sections of this trail and looking back I have some regrets, but whatever; at least I can look back and I'm not dead floating down the river...right?
After a few more ridiculously exposed corners, the trail finishes with long wide-open rolling singletrack, so really it could only be described as... perfect. At the trail's end we we're "haulin' oats" when we were abruptly surprised to find a river crossing. I guess when the river is backed up it floods a low spot in the trail. After a lot of "this can't be?" and "how deep could it be?", Adam said he was going for it. The river had to be at least waist deep and with a Camel Back full of camera gear I wasn't about to find out for sure. While Adam prepared for a wet crossing I wandered desperately looking for a drier route. The river's banks were steep and mostly not walk-able but just when I was about to turn back I saw four dogs prancing around the banks. I hollered at the dogs hoping their owner would appear and she did. While she gave us enough info to lead me to believe we could skirt the edge of the banks out of here, she was one mysterious lady! She seriously left me stumped. For every question I asked she provided me with some sort of riddle to figure out. What a tripper... but a nice and helpful one.
After our less than graceful exit we hit Kane Creek Road and a quick and slightly dark road ride lead us right to our campsite. This was our first night out in the elements and Fanny made us some of the most gourmet salad I've had in ages. It was a perfect cap for a long day of adventuring.
SLICKROCK
No trip to Moab would be complete without riding the legendary 'Slickrock' trail. Of course it was next on the list of classics to ride. This is the trail that put Moab on the map so we were pretty excited to ride it and see what the legend was all about. Once again, the day proved to be more of a mini-adventure than simply going for a ride. The Sand Flats Recreation Area is an immensely elevated platform of sandstone surrounded by cliffs, canyons and massive rock formations. Ancient wind blown sand dunes have created this unique treasure. Simply put, it's like riding on the moon.
We paid our park fee, found the trailhead and started to pedal. The fact they have a practice loop to see if you're 'up for it' lead me to believe I was in for a long day. We decided against the warm up and marched on. The trail itself is well marked with paint markings every so often. At first I wasn't so stoked on the markings but later realized that they are needed. Not only is it easy to wander off the trail and get lost but it also keeps all the traffic on the trail, leaving the rest undisturbed. The actual trail is littered with hours of tough short climbs, followed by flowing ridgelines. When I say it's like riding on the moon it really is. While I personally didn't find the ride to be on my list of all timers, Fanny loved it. I think the ride is likely a favorite of those who thrive on challenging ascents. That's not to say old lazy bones didn't have a screaming time, it just doesn't stack up to the "singletrack" section on Porc Rim that my brain uses as a measuring stick.
The loop is about 13 miles, which is pretty short by Moab standards. It can be ridden in 2 1/2 to 3 hours but you need to take into consideration the heat and the challenge of some of the 'up' sections. By the time we reached the halfway point nasty weather was starting to move in. We could see lightning striking in the distance above the glorious La Salle mountain range. While some might think this is a sign to hurry up and get out of there, I found it a good opportunity to absorb one of Mother Nature's greatest shows, the lightning storm. I was in Moab, riding my bike on the legendary Slickrock trail while watching a magnificent lightning storm; how could that be any more epic? The haunting dark purple skies raved on above pink canyon walls and white snowcapped peaks; it was one hell of a show. But, perhaps I enjoyed it too long. Just as we got back to the car the downpour started, which was cool because we were done and in the car. We decided it really wasn't that cool when we realized we left the tarp off the tent which was a 20 minute drive away. By the time we got back to the campsite the storm had passed, it was quick and to the point. I opened the tent to find a healthy sized puddle had formed on my sleeping bag. I zipped the door back up and a said "I'm willing to cut my losses here, let's get a room." Everyone agreed and as fast we arrived we were out of there.
Moab Travel Tip 3: We crashed at the Ramada Inn that night. The clerk was blunt with us and told us it is midweek and she needs to fill rooms. She discounted the rate to for a double, other places asked for more. I think it was fair price for being located downtown on the strip; and it was a nice room to boot.
We were HUNGRY! So we went to a place that had all you can eat pizza. Other than the bus boys giving their best Jerry Seinfeld pant hike impersonations and 8-foot tall guy with a foot of 'party in the back' mullet action named Billy Bob, this place was a little less than charming. The pizza was a lure for hungry suckers like us. Lucky though the beers were gigantic and rinsed my memories of bad over priced pie away.
SOVEREIGN
The next morning we had smoothies at our new favorite stop in Moab, the Peace Tree Café. If you're into organic food or tasty treats I highly recommend frequenting this place. After our smoothies, we headed back to camp to survey the previous night's damage. With a quick trip to the 24-hour laundromat and the hot sun to dry things out and we were ready for the next adventure. We stopped at the Cyclery, and after talking to some seasoned visitors from Whistler (who I would later realize was the McSkimming family - Rob plays a big role in the Whistler Bike Park development) we decided our next ride would be Sovereign, a relatively new singletrack just north of town in the low mesas of the Klondike Bluffs.
The ride is less of an all day 'epic' ride like Porc Rim or Amasa Back but was still super fun. It offered us buff singletrack on rolling terrain, some nice sandstone features to climb and twisty singletrack to rip. We drove the 10 miles out of town, turned right at Willow Springs Road and found the parking lot. It was overcast when we got started late in the afternoon, but still really hot because the area is in the high desert. A short sandy double track led us to the trail, which started with a series of climbs up the mesa on some shale slopes. The trail is well marked with blue paint on the rocks to guide you. Sovereign is highlighted by a couple of grueling climbs and again, more amazing views. It's generally pretty flat with not much in the way of elevation gain but every time thoughts of "when is this trail going to pick up?" entered my head, I would be treated to a high speed ripping section of singletrack, and I love single track, so yes I loved this ride too!
Just before the turn around point you'll get to a ridge. You'll see some marveling views that really make you wonder what's going on in this world. After you're done with deep thoughts the trail drops in and it's a good rough and bumpy ride down with lots of corners to dig deep in. The only problem is, you have to make your way back up this section you just ripped. To me that steals a little bit of the charm of that descent. Not a big deal, but I think the climb up zonked me for my energy. Then there it was; that oh too familiar crackle of thunder. Just as we were pedaling our butts back, the skies changed. I have never seen skies change like they did early that evening. That rich shade of dark purple quickly filled the horizon, the bottom of the clouds were a watery yellow flushing rain from its bowels. It was a beautiful sight contrasted against the colorful rock and plant life that stood guard on the edge of our precious trail. We were going to get wet. I accepted it and was content with it, mostly because we only had about 5 miles to go and I remembered to put the tarp on the tent.
What I didn't mention earlier was the first 5 miles up was mostly a gentle climbing pitch over mixed rock slabs and sandy singletrack. The 5 miles may have stole some of my mojo on the up, but like a good mojo; it was there for me when I needed it. The rain spotted the rocks to what looked like a giraffe's coat. Eventually the trail and rocks would be covered in rain and that mojo thieving up hill would turn into the most refreshing downhill section of my year. Honestly, I was feeling so alive; bombing the trail and then hitting the nicest corner of my season. You know the feeling when you look back at a corner like it was an attractive looking lady you just passed and were lucky enough to make eye contact with? That's what it was like...so stoked! After what seemed like half an hour we rolled into the parking lot. We admired the red sludgy muck caked to our wheels and bike frames. On the road back we were treated to a clearing sky and a triple rainbow over Moab. Do those even exist? It did that day in Moab.
Moab Travel Tip 4: The weekend is busy in Moab, plan ahead or get there early. People are after the campsites early in the morning and hotels are booked solid. We checked just about every hotel thinking we were going back to another flooded tent. Every place was booked. Plan smart!
As it turned out the rain didn't make it to our campsite, which was a bit of a trip because the road, which is less than 60 feet away was wet and caked in sandstone sludge. We weren't going complain and wrapped up another eventful day in the desert.
KOKOPELLI
On our first day in Moab, Mat mentioned some trails that were high above Porcupine Rim that eventually connected with the trail. It sounded unreal, some 9,500 vertical feet of trail sounded too good to be true. We booked a ride up early to the Kokopelli trail head, which is at about 8,600 feet. From here there was some confusion; another rider in the bus made small talk on the way up and mentioned how his crew was going higher to ride some new trail that connected with Kokopelli. Obviously, any chance to make the ride even more epic I was going to listen in on. He wasn't shy on giving away his information but when it came to actually getting directions, he shut down. Whatever, no biggie. What we did learned was the trail ended at the drop-in at Kokopelli, so we just pedaled straight up until we hit the lush alpine meadows. The climb turned out to be my favorite of the trip, the singletrack was like no other in Moab; it was twisting and rolling through flowery alpine meadows; green, fresh and healthy, with stunning views of the snow covered La Salles.
We pedaled for about 5 miles until we turned back and ripped the same trail down. We were all in the zone on this one. This was as dreamy as single track comes and while totally different than Porc Rim's track it sure gave it a run for its money. It never seemed to end and when it did we cried both from joy but also from the pains in our calves. Truly a must ride!
Here's where there was some confusion. I thought Kokopelli was the actual trail you ride but you actually want to ride UPS and connect with LPS. Fanny who has to ride everything was a little disappointed when we learned this. But we would later learn from a local guide that UPS was actually closed. Which contradicted what the cowboy from Coyote Shuttles said when we were slightly lost changing flats on the road. We did manage to get confusing as hell directions back to LPS though.
While changing flats, Adam realized he had a bigger fish to fry when he noticed his sidewall was blown out and torn. He put a tire patch on it and chose to ride the road out because he had about 4 hours of trail left and felt it was a little risky (wise move). So Fanny and I continued on, we found our trailhead again and LPS turned out to be another astonishing ride. This trail tracked the rim of the canyon wall. On what seemed like every other corner we were literally looking at the valley floor hundreds of feet down, after a few bobbles from admiring the view and not the trail, I quickly smarted up and stayed focused on the ride. It was long and twisted and turned like one of the many snakes I saw in the desert. Eventually we met up with the lookout at Porc Rim. At this point, Fanny and I both sun burnt on the left side of our bodies, took a break and prepped for the final leg.
Today was the day, although a little nervous I packed 3 spare tubes, a chain breaker, extra links and a bunch of other stuff to insure that I was wasn't leaving Moab without riding the Rim with a fully functioning bike. Fanny sensed my stoke and together we charged every uphill and absolutely bombed every downhill. The trail had so many sections where you dive into a line and you can't get out of it until it lets you out; you just have to pray the exit is clean and head sized rocks don't take you or your bike down. On more than a few occasions I felt like I was Rennie on a DH rig ripping apart DH trail. Quick reminders were often, when I'd get bucked on some loose stuff and look down and see my little 2-inch single ply tire begging for me to let up.
Once again I pulled up to the "Singletrack" sign, this time my heart was racing. The starting section I was forced to coast last time was now a full out assault on my cranks. I hit that section of winding corners so fast and out of control and I don't even remember the rest of the trail as I was lost in trance. An accumulation of three years of anticipation, a botched ride just days ago and heat that was melting my brain had me zoned. As my brain oozed down my shoulders, which now matched the color of the red rock I noticed Fanny was nowhere near. I hid in a shaded cave and waited, she showed up with a story of three flats and no more tubes.
We continued on and ignored the people soaking in what seemed like a pool but turned out to be only a 2-foot in diameter puddle. Fanny coasted on her rim and I milked the last section for every bit of pump, bump and rip it was worth. I had a feeling our last day of riding was here and grinned my way down to the car. Adam who waiting in a 1 by 1 foot patch of shade handed me a Gatorade. I slammed it back, it was warm as p...! You gotta love the heat.
With mechanicals that were going to cost a hundred bucks or so we decided that we were content with our trip. We decided to get a good meal at an amazing Mexican restaurant called Fiesta. They have good prices and killer ambience. Across the street we found a classic iron-on shirt shop and bought retro Moab tees. It was such a chill night in Moab, but it was Friday and we could see things were starting to pick up. The 4X4 trucks got bigger and more frequent and after a bit of wandering we headed back to camp anticipating a long drive home the next day.
Before we hit the road home we stopped in for a quick tour of Arches National Park. Quick was probably the wrong idea; the park is huge and nothing short of spectacular. We checked out the Arches and Windows, and again I waited for Mr. Morrison to wander up to us, say something like "the windows are only gateways to your perception..." and then hand me a fistful of peyote buttons. But it wasn't to be on this day. We hit the road before he could track us down and headed north.
Moab - Road Trippin' & Mountain Biking
Moab is a spectacular mountain biking experience, for more on Moab and images of other exotic trails visit mtbiking.com
Imagine your roughest day at work. For some reason, nothing has seemed to go right all day long. Even from the first moment you woke up, your day has been going wrong every step of the way.
For starters, you thought you set the alarm but you ended up waking up late and running out the door without having time to fix any breakfast. Your stomach growls throughout the morning and your hunger pains are distracting you. Thinking about that delicious ham sandwich you are going to get for lunch has made you completely forget about those important reports you were supposed to send out.
And as the day goes on things just get worse and worse. You eat so much during lunch to make up for your missed breakfast that you fall asleep and your boss catches you.
When you pull up in your driveway, you have had it. Your day was a wreck and it is your fault. You feel miserable and you blame yourself. You walk in your front door, fully content to just feel sorry for yourself for the rest of the night, when suddenly everything changes.
You are greeted at the door by excited barks and a wet tongue slobbering all over your excited face. You might feel like you completely ruined your day, but your dog forgives you. Your dog does not care what idiotic thing you did that day. He is just completely thrilled that you are home and ready to hang out for the night. And suddenly, you realize that you are excited for that too. The stresses of the day evaporate and you settle down to play with your dog and forget about the whole thing.
But having a pet isn't all fun and games. They are a world of responsibility. For all the joy and happiness they give you, you have to work hard to repay all of that. Whether you have a cat or a dog, they rely on you for food, shelter, and plenty of attention. It isn't enough to just make sure you pet has food and water. They need love and affection from you as well.
Having to get up three or four times a day to take your dog out for a walk might feel like a hassle sometimes, but it also forces you to get some exercise, which never hurts. But that isn't the only frustration with having a dog for a pet.
Let us go back for a moment to that instant when you walk through the door after a hard day of work. The entire situation is the same, but imagine as well that you just got a brand new sofa. You saved up for it and you cannot wait to just plop down on it and watch the game.
You still come in the front door and your pet greets you lovingly. However, when you get to the brand new couch you realize that your dog has taken up residence on it all day long. Your beautiful new sofa is now completely covered with pet hair.
In that instance you fight the urge to get angry at your dog. After all, they have just completely made your day. And what do you expect from them? Do you really think your dog is not going to want to have a nice comfortable seat on that brand new couch that is suddenly in there?
Once again, you can only blame yourself. But unlike all of your frustrations at work, you can find a simple solution for the problem of pet hair on your furniture. Pet covers for furniture are a fantastic way to keep you and your pet happy.
Linen Pet Covers
With a pet cover for your furniture, your pet can enjoy the comforts of all of your furniture without making a mess of everything. These linen pet covers drape directly over top of your furniture, protecting the seat, the back, and even the arms from wear and tear your pets might inflict.
The best thing about these covers is that you can wash them in any standard washing machine. You can find these covers available for sofas, loveseats, and even chairs.
Taupe Quilted Suede Pet Covers
If linen isn't necessary the color that suits your house the best, you can also find them in taupe. The taupe pet covers are also made from nice quilted suede fabric. They once again are machine washable and available for a variety of different couch and chair sizes.
Don't get frustrated with your pet when they take up residence on your favorite piece of furniture. Protect your things and let your pet enjoy themselves with handy pet furniture covers.
Pet Hair All Over Your Furniture? Take a Look At Pet Furniture Covers
Evan Bach is a freelance writer who writes about pet supplies such as pet furniture covers.
