desert trip, part 1

As any semi-regular reader of this blog knows, H and I try to get away to the Moab area a couple times a year, if we can manage it.  This fall, we managed it and even went a little further afield as well.  Fruita, Colorado, is becoming known as a mountain-biking destination - like Moab, before Moab became what it is today - so we thought we'd go check it out for a couple of days.  It's just across the Utah/Colorado border, about an hour from Moab, so it just seemed like a good idea.

18 Road Trails below the Book Cliffs

We got up early enough that we arrived in Fruita around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.  We found our motel but since it was far too early to check in, stopped in at the Over the Edge Sports bike shop for trail maps.  This was a great bike shop, well-stocked and with super-friendly staff who seemed more than happy to give recommendations for trails, brewpubs and restaurants.  There are three main trail systems in Fruita: 18 Road, Kokopelli and Rabbit Valley.  We intended to give each at least a try to sample what was out there; 18 Road, the closest to town, seemed perfect to start.

On Prime Cut

It took about twenty minutes to get out to the 18 Road trails, first driving through tiny Fruita, then ranch land, then out on a washboarded dirt road through BLM land.  The MTB trailhead is just before the turn-off to the BLM campground (primitive sites with outhouses, no water and no shade) and when we got there, it was fairly busy for a Thursday midday.  There is ATV/dirt biking available on other nearby BLM trails but the 18 Road system is just for MTBs.

So windy that I thought I'd get blown off this ridge

Despite the activity in the parking lot, we scarcely saw anyone once we got out on the trails.  We started uphill on Prime Cut (easy), then went across Frontside (moderate), looking for Western Zippity to make a big loop.  We missed a turn, however, and ended up trying to ride (but mostly pushing our MTBs) down a narrow gully.

In the gully

The gully was technically rideable - just not by me, although H did manage a fair bit of it.  We came out on a dirt road and, with a couple of short climbs, found ourselves back in the campground where we were able to get on the wonderful, flowy Kessel Run to return to the parking lot.  We both agreed that we could have ridden Kessel Run all day, with its hardpack surface and gently-banked corners.

Chillin' in the parking lot afterwards

After that, we ended up hanging out in the parking lot for more than two hours, talking with a #vanlife dude, a group of Quebecois guys out celebrating a fiftieth birthday, and Katie, whose husband was doing the 29+ mile Edge Loop.

It's like it was made for us!

Back in town, we checked into the H Motel (a little small and scruffy but clean and just off Main Street).  We cleaned up and during the two block walk to town, decided that we really liked Fruita.  There are lots of very cute little homes and much of the main street (which is only a couple blocks long, really) is original, preserved buildings, with historical plaques and photographs everywhere so you can see what it used to look like.

The shower was actually huge

Dinner was at the best and busiest place in town: The Hot Tomato Cafe.  We scored seats at the small bar and had local IPAs with a delicious Bob Steve pizza (spinach, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and tomatoes, but sans cheese).  We chatted with the bartenders and other patrons, including one young woman who noticed H's Sunday River brewpub t-shirt and then confessed that she was a Saddleback girl herself.

Outstanding pizza

When we'd finished, we then got happily distracted by a free open mic night at the Cavalcade community performance space.  There were both adult and high school performers, playing solo or in groups, on drums, electric and acoustic guitars, saxophones and mandolins.  Everyone took it very seriously - from the musicians to the sound guys to the audience members - and it was absolutely delightful.  After listening to several performances, we continued down the block to the Copper Club for a couple of their beers before continuing back to the motel.  First impressions:  Fruita is great!

H uses pedals like that second tap

Ride stats:  8.3 miles; 1 hr. 22 min.; 6.1 m.p.h. moving average (there was a lot of hike-a-bike in that gully); H's max speed 21.8 m.p.h.