Weather looks fine when we get up but as we are having breakfast the clouds roll in and the rain starts. The day is cooler with quite a strong westerly wind. But we are not put off and continue on our journey to do Hey Joe Canyon. Mile after mile we drive along dirt roads into the middle of nowhere, weather closing in with rain storms all around us. We park up the van at last, what a desolate place, not a place to be caught in bad weather. The bikes are assembled and silently we get ready hoping that someone has a better idea for a ride! Rain starts to fall again so into the van we shelter as the rain rolls in and out. Eventually we set off along the desert heading for a canyon! Within 10min the canyon appears out the blue, wow gobsmacking, just a shame the weather is a bit crap! Photos are taken, but the descent beckons, with Andy leading we descend to the valley bottom, exhilarating. Grinning like Cheshire cats we blast along the valley floor only to be sheltering from a heavy shower minutes later.

The shower lasts but a few minutes so off we go again and join up with the Green river. We shout greetings to a few canoeists on the river as we pedal up the edge of the river. The going is quite tricky with soft sand being the main culprit, though Andy and John are making little work of it as they blast off ahead leaving myself and Hot-dog to follow their tracks.

Soon we arrive at an old bulldozer signalling the track up to Hey Joe canyon and the mine. The track now turns technical and steep, being a welcome change from the sand. The area is still impressive with 400foot sandstone cliffs either side of us winding all the way up the canyon. We arrive at a clearing with an old abandoned wreck of a truck being the main attraction, Andy and myself manage to squeeze inside for a photo shoot, well it had to be done!

Where has the track gone? We knew there was a carry but up the side of a cliff was asking a bit much! Andy spots a couple of cairns and follows them, a few more are spotted and we wind our way up the cliff, intricaly passing the technical bits where we form a chain of people to pass the bikes up to the next level. Eventually the top is reached, what a contrast flat sandy desert ahead and a steep craggy canyon behind, does it make sense…………

The going maybe flat now but the sand is causing a problem with Hot-dogs SPD's which soon see him floundering in the sand unable to release his feet! After a bit of a giggle on Hot-dogs behalf we pull his feet out the clips and help him onto his feet, he is having a bad day, tired and cold we bash on into the open with storms all around again (come back the valley floor all is forgiven!). The track seems to disappear into the distance getting no nearer the car, but we push on turning into a headwind for the last 6 miles. Andy and myself push the pace a bit duelling for the front, pushing each other to bag the hills then blast off again looking for the next hill. During this time we are buzzed by a bloody big owl seemingly coming out of nowhere to have a look at us then glide off into the distance. Stopping for a pee we regroup at a junction, only a few miles to go we think and set off down a hill to the car! After 10min we arrive at a gate with Private stamped over it leading to an oil pump, we have come the wrong way, shit, about turn then retrace the tracks. We come back to the junction and turn left this time, now we can head back to the car. With bikes sounding like squeaking tanks we finish the ride, cold and tired looking forward to the hot tub and somebody mentioned a Macdonald's mmmmmmmmm!

Total time 5hrs distance 36miles.