David Crowell - Mountain Biking Moab: More than 40 of the Areas Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides

Well, here I am at the end of an update to a book I first wrote in 1995. Back then I wrote the About the Author section and continued a story of my life that Id started in Fattracks Colorado Springs (now Mountain Biking Colorado Springs ).

I told of my love for the outdoors and riding BMX bikes on mountain trails near my tiny hometown of West-cliffe, Colorado.

I told of my BS degree in Psychology (go Rams) and being a private investigator and a ski-mountain photographer (possibly the best job ever). I wondered if Id return to Colorado after leaving for California.

Then came the Moab book. I jumped at the chance and moved to Moab. I had been living in Ventura, California, where I was surfing every day. My custom longboard was still new. Now its yellowed and ready to be hung on the wall as art.

I waxed poetic about Mother Earth and Moab. Moab inspires that same oneness with the Earth. The rocks here show the Earths patience and strength. Its a patience that society seems to eat away at with its deadlines and daytimers.

Now, twenty-four years later and thanks to Moabs singletrack revival, Ive had the chance to spend as much time updating this guide as I did writing it in the first place. Moab has returned to its rightful place atop the mountain-biking realm. Yet Moab never really left. Maybe people forgot and needed a reason to rediscover it.

I think Ive changed just as much. Im living in Oceanside, California, with my wife, Heidi, and my two awesome kids, Dawson and Amber. Ive coached years of Little League, watched my girl be a ballerina, my boy learn to sail.... At times it seems everything has changed.

Or has it? I still find myself outside with a desire to share the fun with others.

That old About the Author written in 1995 said the main thing to know about me is that I enjoy life. That is still the case, with one addendum. Now I know that it just keeps getting better!

I hope this guide helps you experience a bit of Moab and its enchanted surroundings while showing respect for our Earth.

Enjoy!
Dave

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Crowell, David, 1965author.

Title: Mountain biking Moab pocket guide : more than 40 of the areas greatest off-road bicycle rides / by David Crowell.

Other titles: Where to bike series.

Description: Fourth Edition. | Guilford, Connecticut : FalconGuides, [2019] |
Series: Where to bike series | Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORKT.p. verso.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019013644| ISBN 9781493045006 (Paper : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781493045013 (Electronic)

Subjects: LCSH: Mountain bikingUtahMoabGuidebooks. | Bicycle trailsUtahMoabGuidebooks. | Moab (Utah) Guidebooks.

Classification: LCC GV1045.5.U82 M633 2019 | DDC 796.6309792/58dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019013644

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

The author and The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

Where to begin? This would not have been possible without Will Harmon, my first editor, Ann Seifert, Lynn Zelem, and Katie Benoit for wrangling the third edition, and Evan Helmlinger, Jess dArbonne and Karen Acker-mann for tackling the fourth.

The town of Moab took me in and shared its energy. Its a special, spiritual place. Moabs bike shops and their personnel kept me up and running through more than 1,000 miles of desert pounding. A lot has changed since I penned the first edition of this book. Even the books name has changed. Yet Moabs welcoming, fun-loving soul remains the same.

Jay Stocks, Im honored to call you friend.

Thank you to Trail Mix and all the volunteers that help make Moabs trails the best in the world. And the folks that name those trails. And the folks that make it possible for them to do what they do.

Judd Freemanits always been good to ride with you. Having you as a friend is even better. You make the world a better place.

I also thank:

• All the riders past and present that blazed the way and continue to explore.
• Trail Mix, Moab Trail Alliance, Moab Trail Foundation, the Grand County Community Sand Flats Team.
• Larry, Ned, Jennifer, Donovan and Monika, Patrick, Anthony, Chip, Rhonda, Rene, Lisa, Harry, Chase, Heather, Timothy, Judy Pentz, Harris the Cozmic Hitchhiker, Tuellan, Mike, Christie McNeil, Dan, Joe Hendrickson, Scott Adams, Dave Montgomery, Ron George, Chad Niehous, Glen Casamassa, and anyone who listened to me babble from my barstool back in 1996.
• Erik Moooooose Molvar
• The 96 White Rim crew: Eddie, Audrey, Lisa, Lisa, Dennis, Donna, Stev6e, Honga, Corinne, and Angela.
• The radio personalities Christie Williams, Keith Simpson, the vinyl dinosaur, Scotty-O, Tim, and Bon Kellyfrom KZMUs dilapidated trailer days.
• Eddie McStiffs for taking me in, Mondos for keeping me awake, and KZMU for letting me be a DJ.
• My brother, Clint, for the morale boost after 500 miles of desert heat and the unconditional support.
• My mom for letting me watch the house and finish the book, and my dad for calling me there and keeping me sane.
• The nameless many that steward our public lands despite challenges from all sides.
• My son, Dawson, who at 10 weeks old visited his first two national parks during the second edition update and rode with me at 10 years old for the third edition.
• My daughter, Amber, who at 7 years old rode her bike with 12-inch tires on the Agate trail to help with the third edition.
• My wife, Heidi.
• The Earth Mother for giving me a place to play, laugh, and love.

Welcome, pilgrims, to the promised land. The land of standing rock, the Toompin wunear Tuweap . For seasoned riders and neophytes alike, this is where all trails eventually lead. This is the landscape our bikes were made for.

If Moab is the mecca for mountain biking, the reason is slickrock. Here, huge beds of ancient sandstone have been carved by wind and water into a maze of canyons, plateaus, pillars, and walls. Slickrock, however, is anything but slick. Tires cling to the sandstone like paint to canvas, encouraging amazing feats of fattire artistry. Riding here will improve your skills and open your mind to new possibilities.