Kokopelli Trail 2005

At Roel's urging I go with him to do the Kokopelli Trail mountain bike ride May 2-6, 2005.

Roel said this ride was intermediate to advanced. To this old guy, I would say it is advanced to extreme, but you young pups will have no problem. I trained for the ride, doing about 500 miles on a mountain bike before the ride. Only trouble is that I am at 1200 feet in Iowa, and not 6500. I ran out of air and power. Subsequently, you fall down if you don't maintain a fast enough forward speed. Coming down is a different story...if you can go over 3 feet or higher multiple ledges or jump similar rocks! Then there is the rim riding which, while I could do it, I walked some. The penalty for an error was too great...like falling over a 200 foot or higher cliff?

Fortunately, Roel wanted a day trip before we left on the tour. This was good, because Erin, our guide, pointed out the modifications desired for our bikes. Their rentals are superb. Otherwise, make sure you have disk brakes and a suspension bike. I had never used a Camelback, and at Roel's, etc. urging, bought one. A good thing, because not just hydration, but the stuff you need to ride for a day was in there. Plus, the balance of the bike is better for maneuvering with all the weight on you. Water bottles bounce out of cages, and if you bend down to get one moving on the trail, you will probably lose your concentration, line of travel, and fall.

Here are some pictures of the tour. We camped out, but the guides fed us and pampered us. Rim Tours is a good outfit, and you will be happy with them. Chili Pepper Bike Shop in Moab is top drawer, and can do anything you need to prepare your mountain bicycle.

Our ride ended the last day with the Moab Porcupine Rim Trail Ride...one of the most premium Mtn. rides in the US....caveat...come prepared, as it is not for the faint of heart!

Most of the Group.

Colorado River Valley is behind us.

Start of the Ride

The Kokopelli starts in Colorado, near Fruita.

Slick rock overlooking the Colorado River.

Slick Rock is named because horses can't walk on it when the rock is wet.

First night camp.

Brewsky time...for some. Keith looks the part.

First night camp.

Peter in front. The eastern guys were all strong riders.

First night camp.

Brian and Jenna start the salads. A husband and wife guide team.

First night camp.

Brian stirs it up.

First night camp.

Ray with yellow bag. Brian with back to us. The Colorado River gorge is beyond us. Magnificent campsite.

First night camp.

My view of the canyon from my "Dune" tent. A long story. An old Eureka 4 man Ranger canvas tent...a lot of memories in there.

First night camp.

I took advantage of the sag, and we drove there. Others rented smaller tents, flying in from the east.

First night camp.

Packing up after morning breakfast. The guides were good cooks, and the food was plentiful.

On the trail.

David and I ham it up. The Colorado River is background.

On the trail.

Roel rides up to the rim.

On the trail.

Shot over the slickrock of the canyon rim, Roel and Ray ride around the corner trail on the left.

On the trail.

Roel in the lead.

On the trail.

Roel stayed with "road" jerseys. I wore a Paramo smock the whole trip.

On the trail.

Roel and Ray. Ray was the back guide that day. The guides watch their clients closely.

On the trail.

A 400 ft. climb up. He didn't go all the way, but Jenna and Ray rode the whole way...I watched in awe.

Water Hazard.

Swollen wash in the desert. Storm or snow runoff from far away, strange to see suddenly on the trail.

Water Hazard.

Roel tosses his bike to Ray, who is vertically challenged.

Water Hazard.

Ray makes a great catch.

Water Hazard.

Roel, easily over 6 feet, makes the great leap easily.

Water Hazard.

He makes the leap, but finds the mud...I went through the bushes. Jerry helped out.

On the trail.

David stops at the top of a climb out to take pictures. The 2 track was a fast rolling down. We camped in the mountains to the left.

Brian pops a wheelie.

He wasn't showing off. I asked him if he could do one...no problem! The guides were olympic caliber.

Brian points out the camp to David.

Yeah, its way up there, and you got to pedal up there, too.

Dewey Bridge.

Roel comes over the bridge. Bald Ray walks with Jenna while Brian feeds his face. Frank watches.

Dewey Bridge.

Roel comes over as Keith fixes his gloves.

Dewey Bridge.

Built after 1900, the Dewey Bridge was the only Colorado River Crossing. Built for horses and wagons, not used now.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The guys push their bikes up the other side across from us.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Roel and Skip ride up to the down turn corner.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Roel at the canyon corner. The down is about to stop.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Ben, Skip, and Roel survey the group trudging up the far side.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Jenna blasts down, and then up the other side. Awesome power to weight ratio.

Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Roel and I plod up. Note the trail coming down in the upper right of the picture.

The big up. 2000 feet.

Ben and David pushes up the hill.

The big up. 2000 feet.

Peter, Ben, and David pushing up the hill. You ride until you go anaerobic, then push until you compensate.

The big up. 2000 feet.

A cool shady stop to recover. Energy bars all around.

At the top.

Brian sits in the shade of a bush...waiting for the others to reach the top and this campsite.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Hors d'oeuvres before dinner. Ray made a great guacamole dip.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Brian, Jenna, and Ray cook the dinner.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Paul talks to Frank. The Susquatch came that night, thanks to Frank.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Morning coffee with the "Dune" in the background to the River Valley.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Cold up there in the morning. All human solid waste is taken back. You use a "groove". Only number #2 and TP go in there, no number #1. It took great sphincter control on my part.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Camp flows to the rim beyond. Mobil did a test well here.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Ben and Roel share the morning.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Breafast is served.

Camp at the 6304 ft. top.

Roel chows down on a power breakfast. No fancy diet stuff up here!

Rose Garden.

Don't know why it is called that. I walked all the way.

Rose Garden.

Brian films Jenna coming down. The ledges are 3 feet or more.

Rose Garden.

Jenna takes an outside line.

Rose Garden.

Keep your butt off the back of the seat and scan the line.

Rose Garden.

Jenna uses the single tube front suspension. Most rentals in Moab use this now.

Rose Garden.

She traverses across the ledge.

Rose Garden.

This part of the ledge looks like a good down point.

Rose Garden.

The rest of the group looks up from the bottom.

Rose Garden.

The "line" becomes apparent, but I didn't try it yet.

Rose Garden.

We wait for Brian and Roel. Frank (looks like Rocky, doesn't he) looks on.

Rose Garden.

Roel nears the bottom.

On trail.

Jenna waits at a fork, so I don't miss the trail. We are going to the mountains to the left.

First big down.

Sulfur cliffs along the stream on the 2000 ft down. Smelled like hot springs, but none there.

Into the canyon.

Jerry shoots me descending into the narrow red rock.

Into the canyon.

Strange carved formations in the red rock.

Into the canyon.

2 track here. A Jeep came up the road.

Into the canyon.

Jenna shoots Jerry at the canyon bridge at the bottom.

On the trail.

Everyone gets a picture with the "finger".

Waiting for the sag.

Brian and Ray play Botchie ball.

Waiting for the sag.

We eat lunch. Jason walking.

Waiting for the sag.

Jason and Jerry get their cameras. Roel reads the regs.

Waiting for the sag.

Here comes the sag. They bused us up to the 7500 level for the last camp before Porcupine Trail.

Last camp.

Trails end. The first drop is about 12 seconds or so.

Last camp.

Those are roads, houses, and trees down there...not bushes!

Last camp.

La Salle mountains (salt) behind. I didn't get too close.

Last camp.

Sun setting over the valley beyond the Porcupine Rim.

Last camp.

Roel and I. Yeah, it got cold up there...rained, too.

Last camp.

Sunset over the valley.

Last camp.

We climbed the highest rock to do sunset...just like Key West.

Last camp.

Campfire after dinner. Becoming a rarity now.

Last camp.

Roel wasn't sleeping.

Last camp.

Jason talks to Frank, who has a warm drink. Rim Tours gives you the insulated mug.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

We descend, then climb 1000 ft. before going down.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Last check of the bikes before descent. You carry everything you need today, including lunch.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

It is all down from here...over 2000 feet to Moab.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Ben poses with the valley in the back for the last time.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Very technical, ledgy down. Ray had just fallen and got a lot of "rash". Nothing broken.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Trail runs off the plateau in the distance.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

My bike near the edge of a technical turn. Miss and you drop 20 feet.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Single track rim trail. River and highway below. Dot is a car.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Over these ledges and thorough the slot. Some can ride it. I like my deraileur.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Get out of control here and you need a parachute.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

The trail follows the ledge. You don't fall more than 20 ft though. I walked it.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Technical turns through the boulders. Make a mistake and you lose hardware.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

A fast sweeper with a stiff penalty if you miss the turn. There is a narrow hidden ledge there to keep it interesting.

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Jason walks his bike down the trail here. Even Jenna said she did, too!

Porcupine Rim Trail.

Jason crosses the wash to a 4 ft up ledge. The dirt bikes had to go all the way back.

Rim Tours facility.

Humble front of Rim Tours at the south end of Moab.

Rim Tours facility

No rest for the guides. They unload and starting washing.

Rim Tours facility

High sign from Keith. Frank, Jason, and Paul talk over the ride.

Rim Tours facility

Busy day. Christina tries to find us all rooms in Moab.

Well, that's it. I will give you a link to a few of the other pictures. They are all under 1 megabyte. The directory of Roel's pictures...these are all over a few megabytes each. Roel and I are going to do the San Juan Hut to Hut in the fall. That should be technically easier for us "old men".

Paul sent me his website pictures: Paul's Kokopelli Pictures