"Update Dan"

This past week has been marvelous.  Great weather, great biking, and fun times.  I had the privilege to go biking while the weather was great.  On Wednesday, I went up the Flume Trail.  Thursday, a moderate intensity ride along the base of Bald Mountain, through the farms and around the base of Black Hill, all on the roads, then Sunday after church, I went on the Flume again.  In the nice weather.  Probably the last time when I go out with no jacket or arm warmers but it was great while it lasted.  Now tonight, it's pouring rain and it's going to be cold.  Also snow in the mountains. 

That's means I got my fat bike ready.  I had a good winter last winter on it, and hopefully a better one this year.  The only changes I did on my Moonlander was new red water bottle cages and nylon Fyxation pedals.  These pedals should be a lot better.  I also bought a Pearl Izumi thermal jacket last Saturday at a Trek store.  It fits really good but I am worried about how warm it is when I go out in single digits in January.  My XC ski jacket works really good for it but I'm hoping its the same thing though.  I am asking for a frame bag for fat bikes and winter hiking boots for Christmas, then I am all set for a few rides this winter.  It might be until middle of December until I actually go fat biking when the snow is better.  If it's an early winter, great!  I get to go fat biking.  If it's a late winter, then great too!  I'll just keep riding my mountain bike.  Either way, I'm happy.  As long as I keep pedaling.

Good Water Rim Take 3

This is the third year in a row I do this trail called Good Water Rim Trail near the San Rafael.  Otherwise, called the Wedge Overlook, or Little Grand Canyon.  I love this trail because it's very unique and scenic.  There are no major climbs or anything and you can just go really fast through a maze of turns following along the rim.  And it goes on forever.

This is same self-portrait I do every year right in the same spot.  Hopefully many years to come!

I like this trail because it's 15 miles singletrack one way then 5 miles on the road on the return trip.  This time I parked right at the kiosk halfway right on the road so I wouldn't have to do the climb on the way back to the car, I did the climb first on the first couple of miles on the road then did the trail, then did the 3 miles back all downhill to the car.  It's nicer.

After my ride, which took 2.5 hours to complete, I decided to drive down to Buckhorn Draw to see the pictograph panel there.  They were amazing.  I had a good alone time trip and a great way to enjoy a fall ride this time of the year.  The trail is getting easier every year though, probably a good sign!

Arches

My brother and his family invited my mom and I to go to Moab, UT last weekend.  My dad was invited too but he didn't want to go.  So we went on a Saturday morning to meet them to go to Arches National Park.  I've been to Arches many times before but there were a few things I haven't done there before.  Was to hike up to Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch.  The great wonders.  Hiking up to Delicate Arch took faster than we thought, it took us 2 hours instead of three, pretty good with a bunch of kids.  I carried my 3 year old niece on my shoulders most of the way.  Then we were done for the day and we went back to camp. 

 The next day, we walked around the visitor's center for awhile, watched a movie, and had the kids earn their Junior Ranger badges.  Then we hiked up to Landscape arch and some other arches on the way.  Landscape is amazing.  So was Delicate Arch.  So unique.  I carried my niece again and she had a blast while I was hiking.

There's my brother's family.  They ran out of battery on their camera so I took this picture of them with my cell phone.

This is the little thing I carried with me on my hikes.  Her parents call her Thing Three and I call her Little Thing.  She's too cute.  My brother carried Thing 2 and Thing 4 sometimes, maybe Thing 3 while I was taking breaks from Thing 3.

The only thing I didn't like about the park was the people, a lot of them.  So I had to deal with it.

After 2 days wandering around the park, I barely had enough time to go for a 2 hour bike ride.  I decided on the Moab Brand Trails just north of Moab because it's more convenient for me and for everybody else.  Plenty of fun trails with all different kinds of terrain for all levels.  Also the parking is so convenient to get to from the highway for my mom.

While riding, everybody else went to Dead Horse State Park.  I always wanted to go to Dead Horse State Park again but I wanted to ride instead still.  I took my bike with me all the way to Moab so I had to ride.  My mom was going to go to Dead Horse State Park and she was waiting for my brother and his family but I guess there was some miscommunication going on and I guess she ended up going to Moab to get a drink and gas and waited for me at the parking lot enjoying herself.  Speaking of the ride, I had a very good, fun ride.  I did North 40 Trail, the EZ Trail, then Deadman's Ridge, after that was some other trails in the south of the Brand area like the Bar B and Bar M trails and then the Lazy Trail back to the parking lot.  Great, great riding.  Made me want to go back.  I rode for a good 2 hours and the weather was very perfect.  Couldn't ask better than that.  Well, that was it, what a great weekend, saw Delicate and Landscape Arches, camped, and biked hard.  Especially with my family.