The Slickrock Trail

Thursday, March 27^th  (Moab)

Me following the white lines on the easy section

This is The Slick Rock Trail. For the uninitiated, this trail is the mecca of mountain biking in North America. We have done our homework.  It is a strenuous, physically demanding, highly technical trail. The guidebook says plan on 3 to 5 hours. Do not ride alone. It is not for beginners. At the entrance gate the attendant suggests my son, an experienced rider, will do it in 3.5 hours. The oldest will do the whole trail, the second oldest and I will do the practice loop with him. We arrive at the parking lot. There are many, many cars in the lot and riders dressed in the right gear, sleek and fit, swarming over the slick rock. I feel sick to my stomach. Even my oldest says, “This is intimidating.” The first steep 3 foot bench onto the slick rock seems like a cliff. I walk the bike up it. We ride the next ridge but there is a steep dip. I walk the bike down the dip and up the other side. We ride up higher and then we turn a corner. Now

Completed the practice loop and a little bit more!

we see more of the trail and this is not funny. My 14 year old is not impressed either.  The 17-year old is off down the deep descent. I am freaking out. My brakes are on overdrive and yet my sensation is one of toppling over, I do not think my butt is behind the seat enough. I walk more dips and up the other side. The 14-year hits an unexpected drop and tumbles over into the sand. I am walking my bike and that saves me from disaster. We work our way around the labyrinth of slick rock, following the painted white lines. I ride and walk 50-50 of the trail. Our legs our screaming up the inclines as we try to stay on the bikes. This is an anaerobic workout beyond expectation and my thighs are going to be two inches wider after this trip. We hit the fork for the main trail. The oldest remarks that he can handle it technically but the physical exertion is supremely taxing. He considers not doing the trail; then, in the next moment he is gone. We ride back to the lot where the 9 year old waits for his chance to go. This is no ride for him. Not even the practice loop. He wants to go and my husband decides to walk with him. I recover over water and lunch. I cannot let my child go without someone to ride alongside. I head up that same first steep 3 foot bench but this time I ride up it. The initial shock of the trail is gone. I ride more down and up than the last time. A group of riders sitting on the rock, two with their arms wrapped in ice and slings, cheer me on as I successfully ride down and up a steep gully. It is an audience I didn’t expect. We stay on the main trail and do a segment. It is steep and he is

Finished.

pushing. He is better at riding down than me but the up hills are too challenging. We decide that is enough and return to head to the motel. We will come back to pick up my oldest son 3.5 hours after he started. Upon the return, we are surprised to find him grinning and spinning wheelies in the parking lot without his helmet on. I am relieved to see him (I didn't realize the extent of my worry). He has completed the trail in just 2 hours. He has waited in the parking lot 1.5 hours for us. We blast back to the hotel and pick up the remainder of the team and head off to hike the 5 km up to Delicate Arch in the late afternoon sun. Each day we try to cram in as much as we can. We are running out of time. 
By mom.