Getting Skinny in Moab, Utah – Riding the Moab Century

Friday night, my girlfriends and I walked down Main Street after a satisfying meal at Pasta Jay’s, and I couldn’t help but wish that I had a week to spend enjoying the flavors and landscapes surrounding Moab. The Archway Inn teams up with Skinny Tire Events to host this ride that supports cancer research and survivorship, a cause dear to my heart after losing my very healthy 72-year-old mom to CNS lymphoma last year. The Inn has a beautiful lawn out back, with majestic views of red rock – perfect for hosting hungry, tired cyclists coming in from the ride. They provided a hot, abundant breakfast served early enough to fill every cyclist’s needs.

The event is a ride, not a race, and although there is a formal start at 7 am, riders trickled out onto the road for the next hour. The three of us pulled out at 7:20, and the air was brisk and inviting. Quickly, we were on the Moab Canyon pathway that parallels HWY 191, crossing the Colorado River on a pedestrian bridge, and within minutes, views of Arches National Park rolled into sight on our right. The bike path includes a surprising amount of climbing over the 7 miles and then enters a short, thrilling tunnel beneath the highway as it approaches Moab Giants, where we turned onto HWY 313 and began the climb towards Dead Horse Point State Park.

If distraction is what you desire as you climb, this is the place to find it. The picturesque red rock provided a jaw-dropping panorama that just kept feeding my soul and powering my legs. There are dozens of places for photo stops if desired, but I chose to file the images away in my mind and absorb the energy of the land.

Arriving at Dead Horse Point was the culmination of the event. We parked our bikes and walked up the path to take in the breathtaking views. We visited with several riders, took pictures for one another, and stocked up on calories from the well-stocked support tent, complete with volunteers in costume. In the past, the ride provided a century option, but this year the long route was dropped for unknown reasons (rumor was that they didn’t have enough radio support) and changed to a metric century. My friends and I were aiming for more miles, so we turned left toward Canyonlands National Park, rode to the entry booth and back, which amazingly provided uniquely picturesque views, then took another trip to Dead Horse Point, waving to and cheering on the riders headed back.

I had done most of the pulling up until this point and was relieved that my friend took over for round two to the Point. Having a friend or two to ride with makes every day on the bike a better experience. Once we headed back down HWY 313, I was surprised to discover that the views were even more stunning than the ride up. I just can’t emphasize enough how beautiful this land is.

The ride was well supported, with rest stops available at very accommodating intervals, staffed by a host of friendly volunteers eager to provide nutrition and encouragement. Four or five SAG vehicles roamed the course, watching for riders in need of assistance. Even with the extra 28 miles we added, we made it back in plenty of time to enjoy lunch—smoked brisket and chicken with all the fixings, a live band playing on the stage, and a cooler of adult drinks up for grabs. The camaraderie of cyclists getting to know one another was another high point of the event.

After lunch and a dip in the pool and hot tub, my friends headed home and left me to ride day two on my own. I spent the afternoon resting, had a date with my roller and massage gun, then grabbed a juicy burger and a ginger beer from the Moab Grill in town.

We were strongly encouraged to begin with the mass start at 7 am for the 63-mile, 5500 ft LaSal Loop ride on Sunday. After some instructions and encouragement, they sent us off to conquer the Big Nasty, a 3000-foot climb over 7 miles. Again, the air was crisp and inviting, sending energy through my body. The route sent us down Main Street, then east to Milt’s Stop and Eat famous burger shop, where we turned onto Millcreek Drive and gently began climbing. Somewhere along this stretch, I met a couple of men from Park City, and we chatted as we rode. The one benefit of riding without friends is that I’m more motivated to introduce myself to other cyclists and enjoy the benefits of working together out on the road.

Soon the Little Nasty sign came into view, and the real work began, continuing upward through the Big Nasty. Luckily, the anticipation of such a monster climb meant that the reality of the thing was less intimidating, and soon the summit rest stop came into view. Photo opportunities included signage reading “I conquered the Big Nasty!” Perhaps the more difficult part of the road came next—a long stretch of rollers that I had not anticipated. But, working alongside my new friends, we pushed through and then welcomed the “steep grades ahead” sign that led us into a precipitous, hairpin-laden descent. Looking back, I was actually grateful for the chip seal that kept my speeds lower while navigating the descent. Disk brakes would have been nice on this section! The views through this section changed dramatically to include fascinating red rock formations, and I understood the sentiment shared by one of the cyclists earlier in the day: “the backside of the loop has some of the most amazing views in the U.S.”

The ride back into town snakes alongside the Colorado River, with the red rock cliffs climbing up on the left. Memories of former camping trips at some of these riverside sites flooded my mind, and I felt another strong desire to return and repeat. Thankfully, I was still with some of my newfound friends, and I enjoyed the drafting and took a few short turns pulling along the route. With a few miles left, we merged onto the pedestrian trail and slowed a bit as we navigated other Sunday nature-seekers on foot and bike. Soon the iconic pedestrian bridge at the entrance to Moab rose into view, and we were minutes from the finish.

Beth, one of the ride founders and organizers, was waiting to greet us and take our photo as the first riders to return. The food was hot and delicious, more “adult” drinks were available in the cooler, and there was great company to boot. I can’t wait to return for more of the beautiful Moab terrain and enjoy another Skinny Tire Event. Come join me next time!