RAWROD 2010

My 3rd RAWROD (Ride Around White Rim One Day), and 4th time around the White Rim.

I'm just going to cover some highlights. If you want more details of the ride, see my 2009, 2008 or first-time (self-supported, not RAWROD) reports.

The brat dinner and conversations around the fire are the perfect prelude (thanks to Kenny and Elden).

The weather was excellent - sunny, refreshing breezes and no significant wind, perfect not-too-hot-not-too-cold temperature, and the recent rain kept the dust down.

Brad M. and I rode up Horsethief and down the road to Shafer talking about this and that.

Pleasant surprise, we hit fee-free week for that national parks so no $5 entrance fee.

dug flew past me on his new full-rigid single-speed as I lallygagged down Shafer on my full suspension bike. Thanks for waking me up, dug.

Visibility was excellent making Canyonlands look even more vast. Photos don't do it justice, ever, but perhaps this picture gives you some sense of the immensity.



I can't not take a picture at Monument Basin. It just grabs you.



I stopped and took this picture because the scene was just crazy looking.



Lunch was at Vertigo Void this year - a location I thought I knew from years past, but I was mistaken. It's a BIG drop. But that's not the vertigo inducer. When you look under you see you're overhung 20-30 feet with the only 6 inches of rock at the lip. You get a creepy feeling as your mind figures out if the rock broke you'd plummet to your death. This is the standard posture for observing the void:



Didn't make it up Murphy Hogback, but I believe if I got in a bit better shape I think I could.

Did I mention this place is big?



Between Murphy and Hardscrabble I felt pretty good. I rode a lot with Eric B., Erik R. and Brandon (I rode down and back to Fruita with them). When someone felt good they took the lead and it worked well to keep us moving along.

I didn't make it up Hardscrabble either, but went a bit further in a few spots. Maybe some year.

I didn't fade too bad in the home stretch, and even made it through all the sand (love the 29" wheels).

Grinding up the Horsethief switchbacks it was helpful to know where the hard sections were, but they still hurt and several parts of my bad were yelling quite loudly to stop and rest. But I didn't want the shame of not making so I persevered and reached the top.

A burger at Rays and a nice drive back with Mark. Back home I showered and fell asleep in mid-sentence.