RL & William's 2003 Moab Ride

During the 2003 Easter Jeep Safari we spent a long weekend riding the Slickrock Bike Trails, Hells Revenge, Fins & Things, and Porcupine Rim Trail. We tried to ride a couple of the other trails, but since Jeeps crawl where we have to go fast, it was too difficult to mingle with the 20,000 Jeeps. The trails we rode were fine as not that many of the Jeeps wanted to tackle Hells Revenge or Fins & Things. We only saw one Jeep on Porcupine Rim Trail.

These trails had painted trail markers to follow. This sure made it easy and a lot safer.

The Slickrock Bike Trails are the most technical of the trails we rode. Access to these trails is limited to walking or two wheels (bicycle & motorcycle). While mixing motorcycles and bicycles would seem difficult, everything worked very well.

There were plenty of times when the trail markers were leading over the edge into an abyss. But the trail would go over the edge then make a sharp turn to run along the edge. On the Hells Revenge the markers would go over the edge and down slopes that still make my palms sweat just recalling what we did.

The Slickrock Bike Trails, Fins & Things, and Hells Revenge were all sandstone with connections of soft loose sand. The traction on the sandstone was beyond immagination, and there was no traction on the sand. A study in contrasts.

I wish I took a photo of how steep the climbs are on Hells Revenge. There are a number of Jeep web pages that have good photos. I would freeze at the edge of a drop-off looking down trying to figure how I would make it to the bottom. While picking a line, all I could focus on was how my body would break if I ended-up sliding over there or there. While the Jeeps have tons of traction, knobby tires have little contact with the rock. Trials tires would be the hot ticket.

This is a view of Moab and the Green River from the Slickrock Bike Trails.

Moab, like many places in Utah, offer dirt bike riders a number of MUST RIDE options. I hope that everyone reading this site have the opportunity to go to Moab and see why the trails there are in my top 10 places to ride list.

I rode the Slickrock Bike Trails in 1972 & 1974 with my Bultaco Alpina. So, it was nice to be able to make a pilgrimage back there with my son to do it again.