Enough of rest days, today we combine 2 rides from Moab setting off from the Motel. The road out to the start of Moab Rim warms the legs up, the weather is warm and sunny now for a bit of sweat! The climb is 1 mile with 800m of climbing all on slick rock with sections very technical more than we hoped! Initially you think wow what a challenge, but after half way your back is aching, lungs bursting, legs screaming and half a mile still to go. We regroup and pass comments on the ascent, non I can print! Last push and the top comes into view at last we rest, drink, eat and Panoramic John goes into action. Moab looks small but quite busy set in the valley bottom, good views of slick rock over the back and the La Sals still in snow.

The track keeps its interest with slick rock, loose single-track, undulations and sand, we miss the turnoff to miss the sandy track (John not paying attention to the map again!) and end up pushing for a few hundred meters. We come to a small coll where the track descends into the hidden valley, food time!

The descent is fantastic single track winding through the meadow, passing large boulders getting steeper and more technical then, carry…………Yes the track decides to go very steep, very bouldery and very technical. I carry off down the hill leaving the others to see what they can cycle, all I hear is shouting then boulders coming down towards me? In amongst this is Andy trying to stay up right as his bike had just ejected him, nice crash, Andy happy now as he has drawn blood!

Soon the valley floor is reached and within minutes the main road is reached and we head up to the start of Flat Pass.

6 miles of tarmac why does it seem to drain me! Andy and the Dog get ahead while John stays with me and brings up the rear. Branching left now heading into the mountains again the track gets rougher and steeper, Andy and John are soon duelling for the front, I hang onto the back trying to feed up and drink. Flat Pass is excellent with all sorts of terrain coming up including river crossings, in the desert!

10 miles of very good riding are marred at the end by three river crossings followed by very sandy tracks. Wet bikes attract sand and sand gets everywhere chain, gears, pedals all are taking a beating but when Andy and Hot-dog are left floundering in the sand (much to the amusement of myself and John) because they can't unclip, it is almost the last straw. Tarmac is reached not soon enough for some of us, then the coast into town commences with John taking the lead and hammering into the distance! Nobody can stay with him all are left floundering in the wake!

A great ride with all sorts of terrain ends in the early evening sun, great day.

34miles, 6.5hrs.