This was completely needless: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2816240?rss
Why? Because of all of the information avaialble online (for free) to
prevent it: http://www.dreamride.com/safety.html
There's even a boatload of reasons why Moab is not a good choice of
destinations for mountain biking in Summer in AM-B:
http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?as_q=moab+summer&num=10&scoring=r&hl=en&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_ugroup=alt.mountain-bike&as_usubject=&as_uauthors=&lr=&as_qdr=&as_drrb=b&as_mind=1&as_minm=1&as_miny=1998&as_maxd=29&as_maxm=6&as_maxy=2005&safe=off
(yeah, cut and paste it)
The article in the Salt Lake Tribune stated:
["Sounds to me like they did everything right - woke up that morning,
had breakfast, then hit the trail," Lammert said.
But what the California family could not have known was that
Monday's temperatures would reach triple digits. "They finished their
ride in the hottest part of the day on the hottest day of the year so
far," Lammert said.]
I don't agree with either of the above statements. They should have
heeded all of the advice that's avaialble and not have planned a Moab
bike vacation in Summer months to begin with. Also, 70 ounces of water
is hardly enough to do a six hour ride with, even in cooler
temperatures.
They also should have known that the temperature was going to be high
that day. There is such a thing as a weather forecast, after all.
Even the country & western radio stations have weather info in S/E
Utah.
Almost everyone who has ridden with me knows one of my favorite
statements when encountering heinous derring-do obstacles or
conditions, "Live to ride another day." I have never given anyone
undue pressure to ride something or somewhere they are not comfortable
with, or prepared for. This is why I harp on things that are
preventable by using avaialble resources and common sense. Again,
planning a Moab bike vacation in Summer months is ridiculous. Why?
Again, the only hours the trails are safe from unbearable heat are the
early morning hours and even then you must carry ridiculous amounts of
water to be safe.
"Drink before you are thirsty and eat before you are hungry."
People may think of me as callous or insensitive for my statements from
time to time, but there's a method to my madness. It's called
persistent repetition and even the most thick-skulled eventually get
the message. It's a needless and crying shame that that 15 year old
girl lost her life. Her parents will have to live the rest of their
lives with a terrible loss, though will always know that others will
have learned from their mistakes.
JD