What an adventure it has been the last few days. After our last day of riding in Telluride we spent a nice evening cooling off on a short hike to a waterfall. It was spectacular! The group enjoyed standing in the the falls to cool off. The next morning we went rock climbing in Ophir. I could not believe how skilled the group was at scaling the rock side! We set three belay systems up and everyone had a chance to try all three sections. Pete was our rock star and made it to the top or each climb. Way to go!
After leaving Telluride,CO we spent three hours in the van driving to Moab, UT. We just finished spending a wonderful two days mountain biking with Mr. Tim (as Gregory likes to call our guide) from Moab Cyclery. We have experienced everything from dirt singletrack, slickrock riding, and sand in Moab. Everyone handled themselves like professional mountain bikers and are continually improving their skills. Most importantly the group is enjoying the riding and always ask to go longer.
Yesterday (6/29) we spent riding the Moab Bar trails which includes a variety of skill levels. We stuck to the easy and intermediate trails and even rode on slickrock for three miles. Mitchell V. carried a walkie-talkie as leader of the day and made sure the group stayed safe and were hydrating. Good job Mitch!
After our morning of riding we went swimming in a nearby creek. Perfect for an afternoon break and lunch area! Jordan enjoyed swimming through the water and splashing his leaders. The water felt wonderful! After an hour or swimming and resting we went back to camp for dinner. After finding our stove broken again, Jeff and I worked our magic and borrowed a different hose for the propane tank. Finally the stove was fixed and all was well again. Students are now calling Jeff ‘Sir Jeff’ and we enjoyed a pesto pasta and chicken dinner.
Today (6/30) we spent riding in an area called Klondike Bluffs. These trails gave students a variety of challenges including sand, rocks, and biking uphill. Logan handled riding through the sand very well as did Benton. Both boys are serving as awesome leaders for the group! Jeff and I are so proud of how far the group has come with just a few days of riding.
Our campsite in Moab is nestled in between a creek next to the grocery store and Moab Cyclery. We have running water, soft sand, bathrooms, and shade! We found a soccer ball for the boys to play with, a favorite activity of Mitch A.
Tonight we plan to have Terriyaki Chicken as Chef James shares his cooking wisdom with the group. We are lucky to have him on the trip! Jeremy continues to share jokes and common sense, he has been a great addition to the trip!
Students are looking forward to white water rafting tomorrow in Fruita as well as mountain biking in Keystone/Breckenridge. While it has been fun in Moab, the mountains are calling!
