Moab!!!
Oh man, sometimes you forget how refreshing it can be to get away. Jenna and I were fortunate enough to recently spend a week in Moab. It's been over 2 years since we'd been able to ride out there, and I already cannot wait to go back! Here is a quick recap of the trip.
Our friends at Crankjoy invited us out for a week of riding bikes, campfires, and great company. We spent three days riding high up in the La Sal Mountains above Moab (9,000-11,000 feet to be exact!), riding with Ibis Cycles and their first ever Ibis Migration. We had awesome local guides show us phenomenal trails, cook meals, and shuttle us to the best trailheads. Ibis provided a full fleet of bikes for us to ride, and mother nature even cooperated perfectly offering beautiful fall colors and cool dry weather. In short, it was a trip of a lifetime. We finished up the final day by ripping down the Whole Enchilada culminating with the classic descent down Porcupine Rim into town. I cannot thank Scot and the rest of the crew enough for putting on such a great event!
Seriously, this is tough to beat!
So after the Ibis Migration, we moved our camp to just outside of Moab and prepared for Outerbike.
Outerbike is one of the largest mountain bike demo festivals out there. Most of the top mountain bike brands, along with several smaller brands, bring their demo fleets to one place, providing you with your pick at riding whatever bike you want! You can either shred the trails right there at the event or grab a shuttle to the chosen Moab trail of the day: Navajo Rocks, Mag 7, and Amasa Back Trails this year! It honestly was just as fun as it sounds. We got to ride some of the coolest new bikes available for three days straight on some of the best trails out there. What more could you ask for?! There are also shoes, hydration packs, nutrition, trail advocacy groups, and all other kinds of vendors there. Oh, and I cannot forget to mention the incredible food provided at lunch to refuel you each day for round 2!
And a little Outerbike tradition you might want to know about if you decide to attend: Each morning starts with a mad dash with everyone running to get the bike they want! Here is a video of the day 2 morning rush... Jenna nearly goes down, but saves it by grabbing on to some guy, totally nuts!
Outerbike puts on a great event and I totally recommend attending, especially if you're searching for the perfect new bike.
So after about 4,000 miles of driving, 9 nights of sleeping on the ground, one broken helmet, countless new memories, some awesome new friends, sore muscles, and smiles that just won't quit, we are happy to be home in North Carolina, but dreaming of next time.
-Barrett