how it ended

There were two more MTB rides before the spring desert sojourn ended.  On the hottest day of our stay (mostly sunny, 90 F, 0% chance of rain), we went up to Dead Horse Point State Park to ride the Intrepid trails.  I know they're not the most challenging trails in the area (except for Prickly Pair, which we haven't done), but they are fun to ride and total standouts for scenery alone.  

Of course, we took no photos that day, scenery notwithstanding.

It had already reached 75 F up at the park when we got there around 8:45 a.m.  There were quite a few vehicles in the main lot and more people out on the trails than we've seen in a long time, including two tandem MTBs (note to self: no thank you on tandem MTBs) and a recumbent MTB.  We did our usual Big Chief, to Crossroads, to Whiptail to Twisted Tree; I backtracked at that point while H continued around Twisted Tree and he finally caught me on Raven Roll. 

Ride stats: 16.57 miles; 1:57 hours; 8.5 m.p.h. average speed; 16.7 H's top speed 

More spring blooms

On Sunday, on our way out of town, we stopped by MOAB Brand Trails again.  Since Milton was with us, he and I walked our now-regular Bar M-to Circle O-to Bar M loop while H MTBed.  It was pretty pleasant - partly cloudy with a high of 71 F - and although H had to dodge other riders on his route, the dog and I didn't see anyone else.  Except for the poor squirrel that Milt would not leave alone after chasing around a sagebrush (like the Keystone Kops) before the little critter dove under a rock.  I had to drag him away from it and put him back on his leash for a good fifteen minutes before he forgot about it.

This is how a desert dog cools off

We met H back on the parking lot cut-off and Milt chased him back to the truck.  By the time I got there, Milton was well into making new friends with the group of five 20-something girls parked next to us.  That dog makes friends wherever he goes.  And that was it, aside from a couple of post-trail beers on the tailgate and then a couple of veggie burgers at a busy Ray's Tavern in Green River.  Man, I love the desert.  I can't wait to get back down there again.

Ride stats:  15.57 miles; 1:33 hours; 10.1 m.p.h. average speed (much faster when I'm not riding); 23.2 m.p.h. top speed