Quick summary of the trip... Travis and I skied and boarded at brighton per handos recolmendation Thursday 3/16. Warm day with icy but groomed conditions in the morning giving way to more slushy conditions but still good conditions, no crowd spent most the day off snake Creek lift and enjoyed the run Thor. Great little resort.... legs were smoked after 5 hours non stop and we headed back (20 min) to hondos office. Jb was already at the mules house when we got there. Changed out tires on the trailer, loaded up bikes and gear, jb had Katie and Dixon. None of mules kids could make it. Rolled out about 5 or so. Met Morgan, Cole and Christian at Cafe rio in Orem. After the requisite stuffing headed on down to St George, arriving about 10pm to Mike's place. Mike the most gracious host and great for me to see his condo 85% finished and hinshaw realizing the vision he first aspired to on the inaugural Kash trip on 2008. Was a wonderful subtext to have ncaa tourney rolling in the background. Good filler for the evening gaps.
Slept in on Friday but eventually stirred and headed out to bear claw poppy, a convenient 10 min bike from the condo. I rode marees bike definately small but adequate. Katie was bring up the rear on the gradual ascent, wondering why it was so hard after a semester of tough weight training with the football coach, I may later did jb discover her front break was rubbing. As we made the cross over via a mildly technical wash, Dixon was plagued with the first of two flats. Hondo took the pause as op to launch his latest gadget, the drone. The whoop de Doos going down were great but we slowed up do you a second flat tire. Eventually we all rendezvoused and instead of looping it again, gave in t ok hunger and headed back for lunch about 1230.
After lunch we headed to green Valley gap for rock climbing. We strung up ropes at the same route wed climbed a few years ago. The temp was unseasonably warm so after we each climbed we opted for two routes in the shade both with chimney qualities, one tighter the hand the other. The sun was setting as I nervously performed my first clean out with jb having exited the gap and sitting on top walking me through it, hondo on belay. The "kid napper" crept back over the ruddy road and soon we were munching tacos and burritos (but no frijoles) at the favorite dirt bag haunt, coyotes.
Christian and Morgan rolled in about 9pm as we were back at Mike's and we dozed (at least I did) while watching games.
Saturday morning we aspired to start earlier, but red Rock bikes didn't open till 9 so hondo and I ran out at 845 and for $75 I rented a nice full suspension bike, very glad we hand brought bikes for everyone else. Finally on the road, we made out way toward Zion and wire Mesa loop, a 7 mile loop I and researched on the mtb project app from 1230 to 230 of my sleepless night (who knew psuedafed keeps you awake, oh ya, jb).. I chose it due to being shorter than the Mesa ride And it's mix of tech and flow portions... AND the nice bail out option of a dirt road intersecting the midway point. Jb and remembered the road to be very rough if we went in from one direction and the mtb app confirmed that. Unfortunately we chose the wrong direction and we're confronted with an impossible climb just a few miles after the pavement ended. Undaunted we saddled and locationed up and walked out bikes a Mike up the steep terrain then to a nice easy role to the trail head. Found out at the TH the road is graveled the other direction. We headed west? (To the right of facing TH) where we were told the more tech portion was along the edge of the Mesa and an easier climb before the Sandy rolling portion. Wasn't long before we realized several in out party were going to be able to navigate the Rockier portions, greatly slowing the pace, but they seemed to maintain good attitudes, even as Christian took a spill delivering shoulder rash like Katie's from the day before. The drone was launched and eventually we made to the halfway point. The climb up marked the end of the more technical section and all enjoyed the smooth Sandy roll down to the mid point. Here we took stock and decided jb and hondo would carry on and I'd lead the rest back to the bisecting road which wed missed. I figured it be an easy Ride which it was, dumping us back at the TH in 13 minutes, but I was concerned they'd not find the road which did take a bit of Bushwacking to locate. Very happy to have the mtb app for Intel and knowing where you are on the train, great gps, trail map combo.
Due to slow ride and longer drive, we're back at condo after 5. Jbs crew headed out to green valley so Reagan and Noah could climb. Katie want shopping with Mike for BBQ supplies. Typical Mike, it was a feast and we had a gourmet burgers, fruit and chip feast, joined by his golfing buddy and former nfl player Halbert and his son. Ball games and food after a day of biking and sun we watched snow cranes glide over the 9th hole while (I know, I know, I sound like flipping Rutherford).
Sunday Christian and I went to church, hearing a very odd home coming talk. We headed up to snow canyon and climbed down the lava tube. I was wishing we had time to climb as the park (cast $6 to enter) seemed to boast several long 5.8 or 5.9 routes. But time didn't allow. We headed back to Mike's at 1:15. Cleaned up and headed to kannaraville falls. Wouldn't be a bad little jaunt if there weren't 75 or more people with the same idea. Travis, Morgan and Christian had gone on ahead to afford time and we met them coming out as we went in. Once the canyon closed and the only way forward was on the water you realized how cold that water was. We made it to the falls and standing on rocks to get feet out of the water watched for several minutes as hoards came down the latter, finally deciding to abort.
Stopped in ceader city eating panda wok as we watched unc come back and bear Arkansas on jbs phone. Stopped again in sypio (DQ was closed again!) For fuel and snacks, watched south Carolina thump duke and with the typical ribbing, joking and political discoursing I was dropped off in Orem at Christians house (Travis having ridden with the girls) and the "summer of George" had official begun.
(Written on the plane back to nc)... What's next?!?!
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