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RR: Kokopelli's Trail - Day One

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01 / Original postRR: Kokopelli's Trail - Day OneRide-A-Lot · 10 May 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–14Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #14Paladin · 12 May 2004

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Mountain Bikes
Published
10 May 2004
Last activity
12 May 2004
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Ride-A-Lot
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  1. Original post
    Ride-A-Lot
    Archived post
    #1

    I'm splitting this into five parts with some video by the weekend
    (hopefully).

    This ride report includes an equipment report and a tour company report. It
    's long, but it's detailed.

    I signed up for the Kokopelli's Trail tour back at the end of 2003. My goal
    was to get into shape to handle the bug climbs and long distances. The tour
    company I chose was Escape Adventures and as you'll read, it was a great
    choice. I really had no idea what to expect other than 28 - 38 mile days
    with what was described as an Intermediate/Advanced tour. I knew I could
    probably handle the technical downhill and distance, but I had no idea what
    would happen with the long climbs and technical uphills. I figured I could
    always hike-a-bike the stuff over my head and sag-wagon it on the steeps. I
    did hike-a-bike a few times, but never set foot in the wagon because of a
    climb. Before I get to the daily grind, a word about Escape Adventures. I
    chose them on the recommendation of another club (JAR) rider. Mark and Pete
    were the guides for this trip. I have to say they are the most
    professional, intelligent, understanding, personable, adventure nuts I have
    ever met. Not too mention, they also cook up some great food. They always
    made me feel very comfortable and were driving force in getting me to
    continue when I felt like giving up. They knew I could do it when I doubted
    my ability. Escape actually ran this tour for me and a fifty-something
    couple (Evan and Sandy) from Indiana. This was good and bad. Good because
    the guides were able to give us all personal attention. Bad because they
    were much better riders (and fit) than me, which often left me trying to
    catch up. I also rented an Ellsworth Id from Escape. I think I have fallen
    in love with this bike! It's amazing what six inches of travel can do.
    Yes, it was the bike going over the drops and step-ups. This bike is on my
    final list for purchase this summer.

    Aside from this being the longest and most technical ride I ever did, it was
    also my first time camping (unless a sleazy motel-6 is roughing it). I
    figured this was an easy way to be introduced to "roughing it" since they
    took care of the campsite and cooked all the meals. It was cool, and I now
    have my own gear to venture out this summer.

    The Kokopelli trail starts in Fruita, Colorado and continues for 142 miles
    of climbs and descents until it reaches the end in Moab, Utah after riding
    along the La Salle mountain range. I stayed the day before the tour in
    Grand Junction, CO to get acclimated to the altitude. GJ is a wonderful
    quant town with a very impressive renewed downtown. I recommend a visit.

    Day 1 (5/3/04)

    The van picks us up in Grand Junction as we're off to Fruita where we are
    prepped to what's ahead.

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0906.jpg

    I'm already nervous as I look at the surroundings and say to myself,
    "Mitchell, we're not in Jersey anymore".

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0909.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0910.jpg

    I may get the order of this wrong, so don't fault me. I think we started
    out on Mary's Loop where after 10 minutes of riding, I draw first blood.

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0912.jpg

    You'll see what happened in the video. Simply put, I tried to do a step up
    of maybe one foot and failed.

    We then drop down onto Steve's loop with some very interesting technical
    sections.

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0913.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0914.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0915.jpg

    We had to climb up some steep rock sections to get to the jeep road into
    Rabbit Valley which would be our first campsite. Obvious hike-a-bike here!

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0918.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0919.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0920.jpg

    So, we came from the other side of this mountain:
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0921.jpg\
    and descended in to Rabbit Valley for the night.

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0924.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0937.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0941.jpg

    Some great stuffed shells for dinner and I was so beat, I fell asleep
    instantly. Although it was only twenty miles, it was the hardest and most
    rewarding 20 miles I had ever attempted. By the end of the day I had
    finally gotten the knack of how to use the cushy suspension on the ID to get
    up and down the drops. It was so much fun and this was only day one!

    Continued..

    --
    o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
    www.schnauzers.ws

    Report
  2. Slacker
    Archived post
    #2
    Ride-A-Lot said:

    I'm splitting this into five parts with some video by the weekend
    (hopefully).

    This ride report includes an equipment report and a tour company report. It
    's long, but it's detailed.

    <<snip>>

    Quoted message said:

    Some great stuffed shells for dinner and I was so beat, I fell asleep
    instantly. Although it was only twenty miles, it was the hardest and most
    rewarding 20 miles I had ever attempted. By the end of the day I had
    finally gotten the knack of how to use the cushy suspension on the ID to get
    up and down the drops. It was so much fun and this was only day one!

    Continued..

    --
    o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o

    Great write-up and pictures. Now I know where you got your name. I also
    know that you can ride, so let's stop the false humility BS ;-)

    Looking forward to the rest of your report :-)
    --
    Slacker

    Report
  3. Dave W
    Archived post
    #3

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> had this to say
    news:[email hidden]

    Quoted message said:

    Continued..

    --
    o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
    www.schnauzers.ws

    Very Cool. Great Shots! Looking forward to the rest of the journey 🙂

    Report
  4. Ride-A-Lot
    Archived post
    #4
    Ride-A-Lot said:

    I'm splitting this into five parts with some video by the weekend
    (hopefully).


    <SNIP>

    Oops. Forgot to add Horsetheif Canyon Trail, which is where the next three
    pics were from (I think).

    Quoted message said:

    We had to climb up some steep rock sections to get to the jeep road
    into Rabbit Valley which would be our first campsite. Obvious
    hike-a-bike here!

    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0918.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0919.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0920.jpg


    <SNIP>

    Quoted message said:


    Continued..

    Report
  5. JD
    Archived post
    #5

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    I really had no idea what to expect other than 28 - 38 mile days
    with what was described as an Intermediate/Advanced tour.

    Their marketing really is something.

    Quoted message said:

    Mark and Pete
    were the guides for this trip. I have to say they are the most
    professional, intelligent, understanding, personable, adventure nuts I have
    ever met.

    That's a riot.

    Quoted message said:

    I also rented an Ellsworth Id from Escape. I think I have fallen
    in love with this bike!

    Fallen in love with "brake jack" on steep descents?

    Quoted message said:

    Aside from this being the longest and most technical ride I ever did

    That's a shame.

    Quoted message said:

    The Kokopelli trail starts in Fruita, Colorado and continues for 142 miles
    of climbs and descents until it reaches the end in Moab, Utah after riding
    along the La Salle mountain range.

    Wrong. The eastern terminus is in Loma, Colorado. Then again, I'm
    sure Mark and Pete didn't even know that beacuse they don't live here.

    Quoted message said:

    I may get the order of this wrong, so don't fault me. I think we started
    out on Mary's Loop where after 10 minutes of riding, I draw first blood.
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0912.jpg

    Your professional and intelligent guides should have told you that was
    Horsethief Bench you were on.

    Quoted message said:

    We had to climb up some steep rock sections to get to the jeep road into
    Rabbit Valley which would be our first campsite. Obvious hike-a-bike here!
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0919.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0920.jpg

    Obvious to whom? Don't kid yourself, that move is rideable.

    Quoted message said:

    So, we came from the other side of this mountain:
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0921.jpg\

    That's a ridge, not a mountain. I guess now we get to hear about all
    of the jeep road riding until a tiny piece of singletrack just past
    Fish Ford.

    JD

    Report
  6. Email address hidden
    Archived post
    #6

    Come on live up to your name Sir ride alot.

    I MTB 2004

    Report
  7. Ride-A-Lot
    Archived post
    #7
    JD said:

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
    news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    I really had no idea what to expect other than 28 - 38 mile days
    with what was described as an Intermediate/Advanced tour.

    Their marketing really is something.

    Quoted message said:

    Mark and Pete
    were the guides for this trip. I have to say they are the most
    professional, intelligent, understanding, personable, adventure nuts
    I have ever met.

    That's a riot.

    Then again, what do you know about being any of the above? I've got a
    t-shirt slogan for you...

    Ride fast, die alone.

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    I also rented an Ellsworth Id from Escape. I think I have fallen
    in love with this bike!

    Fallen in love with "brake jack" on steep descents?

    Quoted message said:

    Aside from this being the longest and most technical ride I ever did

    That's a shame.

    Not to me. Now I have something greater to shoot for.

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    The Kokopelli trail starts in Fruita, Colorado and continues for 142
    miles of climbs and descents until it reaches the end in Moab, Utah
    after riding along the La Salle mountain range.

    Wrong. The eastern terminus is in Loma, Colorado. Then again, I'm
    sure Mark and Pete didn't even know that beacuse they don't live here.

    Actually, they live in Moab. Which was the end of my jouney.

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    I may get the order of this wrong, so don't fault me. I think we
    started out on Mary's Loop where after 10 minutes of riding, I draw
    first blood.
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0912.jpg

    Your professional and intelligent guides should have told you that was
    Horsethief Bench you were on.

    Read my reply to this post. I forgot to mention it in the original post.

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    We had to climb up some steep rock sections to get to the jeep road
    into Rabbit Valley which would be our first campsite. Obvious
    hike-a-bike here!
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0919.jpg
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0920.jpg

    Obvious to whom? Don't kid yourself, that move is rideable.

    Great. Love to see it done, sometime. I think I'll skip it for now.

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    So, we came from the other side of this mountain:
    http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum/paphotos/kokopelli/img_0921.jpg\

    That's a ridge, not a mountain. I guess now we get to hear about all
    of the jeep road riding until a tiny piece of singletrack just past
    Fish Ford.

    JD

    Only if you read me posts 🙂. I'm sure some people will be interested in
    the beauty of the place even though we were riding on Jeep roads. It was
    still a lot of mileage and something that I had never accomplished before.
    I guess you wouldn't understand that being such a perfect expert rider.
    Some of us are still learning. The key is is to have fun. Which is what I
    did.

    Later.

    Report
  8. Ride-A-Lot
    Archived post
    #8
    Quoted message said:

    Come on live up to your name Sir ride alot.

    I MTB 2004

    LOL. I say Ride-A-Lot. I never said anything about riding well 🙂. I'll
    get there.

    Report
  9. P e t e F a g e r l i n
    Archived post
    #9
    (JD) said:

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    I also rented an Ellsworth Id from Escape. I think I have fallen
    in love with this bike!

    Fallen in love with "brake jack" on steep descents?

    Despite being made by a company with a lying sack of [censored] for an
    owner, a bogus lifetime warranty, and a company that seems to have a
    talent for releasing poorly tested bikes onto the market and letting
    the consumer do much of the destructive testing, the Id doesn't brake
    jack on steep descents as it's a horst/4 bar bike.

    Report
  10. JD
    Archived post
    #10

    P e t e F a g e r l i n <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    (JD) said:

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    I also rented an Ellsworth Id from Escape. I think I have fallen
    in love with this bike!

    Fallen in love with "brake jack" on steep descents?

    Despite being made by a company with a lying sack of [censored] for an
    owner, a bogus lifetime warranty, and a company that seems to have a
    talent for releasing poorly tested bikes onto the market and letting
    the consumer do much of the destructive testing, the Id doesn't brake
    jack on steep descents as it's a horst/4 bar bike.

    It does more than any other 4-bar because of design flaws in the
    angles. HAHAHAHA@lying sack...

    JD

    Report
  11. p e t e f a g e r l i n
    Archived post
    #11

    "JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    P e t e F a g e r l i n <[email hidden]> wrote in message


    news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Despite being made by a company with a lying sack of [censored] for an
    owner, a bogus lifetime warranty, and a company that seems to have a
    talent for releasing poorly tested bikes onto the market and letting
    the consumer do much of the destructive testing, the Id doesn't brake
    jack on steep descents as it's a horst/4 bar bike.

    It does more than any other 4-bar because of design flaws in the
    angles. HAHAHAHA@lying sack...

    Uh, nope.

    Tony's ICT [censored] is very, very close to the Horst/Specialized patent.

    No brake jack at all, by its very nature..

    Report
  12. Sunastar
    Archived post
    #12

    Ride-A-Lot,

    Good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to show pics.

    Didn't you say something about video in your first post?

    T o m Dillon
    Lakewood, CO
    Z to S for email

    Report
  13. Ride-A-Lot
    Archived post
    #13
    Sunastar said:

    Ride-A-Lot,

    Good stuff. Thanks for taking the time to show pics.

    Didn't you say something about video in your first post?

    T o m Dillon
    Lakewood, CO
    Z to S for email

    I'm editing it right now. I should have part 1 (Steve's, Mary's, and
    Horsethief) by the weekend.

    --
    o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
    www.schnauzers.ws

    Report
  14. Paladin
    Archived post
    #14

    "Ride-A-Lot" <mitchell@[nospam]schnauzers.ws> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    I'm splitting this into five parts with some video by the weekend
    (hopefully).

    This ride report includes an equipment report and a tour company report. It
    's long, but it's detailed.
    Continued..

    Hey,sounds like an awesome trip. Took courage, planning, organizing,
    money, and instead of just wistfully dreaming about rockin out west,
    you got your butt out here and did it! That's fantastic.

    you're welcome in Idaho any time.

    paladin

    Report

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