more Moab singletrack

[land lover]

Have you given back to the trails this fall?

Along the Westwater road we've built a couple miles of motorcycle trail in cooperation with the BLM, but have a couple more to go, so please help while the weather's good!

Last Saturday's trail work went so well (including a half-dozen members of the Motorcycle Trails Riders Association from Grand Junction) that we'll do the next two Saturdays as well.

On 11/11 and 11/18, join Ride with Respect again at Interstate 70 a quarter-mile south of Exit 227, this time at 8:30am.

Bring a bike if you have one, and RSVP with me in order to get a sandwich from Love Muffin Cafe.

[99klr250]

Wish I could, but I'm in Ohio.  We have plans to make it out to Moab in April.  We usually stop ride Rabbit Valley #8.  How does this new single track compare in difficulty?

[mrgem]

Good work.

New motorized trails are rare these days. Your work and that of the MTRA are crucial to the sport.

The FS and BLM on this side of the Divide are so cash strapped its all they can do to keep existing trails open. Volunteer work (and activism) are critical.

Are there still places for a travel trailer parking off Westwater? 

 

[redhurricane]

Where is this in relation to Overlook/Arch loops? 

[zzsean]

17 hours ago, redhurricane said:

Where is this in relation to Overlook/Arch loops? 

+The first section from last weekend is here: https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20822862

For context here is a recording of a loop from rabbit to westwater and the eastern edge of Mel's Loop: https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=19901127

If you have ridden Arch loop and remember a left option towards the end of the Arch loop. That connector has been there a long time and the trail work Ride with Respect and MTRA are working on takes that connector from the other side of the road it currently ends at and continues over to Mel's Loop.

I am excited to see how it unfolds as so far the first part looks like a great option once the non-slick rock sections have settled in and firmed up.

[land lover]

Sorry for the delay. I "followed" the thread with daily email updates, but TT didn't actually email me with an update until today. I even checked my "spam" folder.

Anyway, thanks for the questions from 99klr250, mrgem, and redhurricane. I was glad to see answers from zzsean, who had put in a long day, and even brought his own tools.

Some experienced riders would consider the new trails to be easy by singletrack standards, but anytime you mix some turns, sand, and steps, things can get tougher (especially as the trails will age). Yes, there's room for travel-trailer parking a few-hundred yards south of Exit 227, and more room a few miles further south on the left side where BLM installed a kiosk (i.e. sign with roof).

Thanks to 11 volunteers affiliated with the Buzzards MC, today we finished the South Link, and tomorrow I'll have another 11 volunteers start on a route that's further south. By Thanksgiving, RwR plans to groom the worst-whooped parts of Mel's Loop. There will probably be a week after that when it's still warm enough to ride, and some precipitation would really help the sand (mainly south of the RR tracks), although too much precipitation could become slick (mainly north of the RR tracks).

I hope to hear if any of you can make the next Saturday, November 18th!

[land lover]

This past Friday, eleven volunteers from northern Utah affiliated with the Buzzards Motorcycle Club helped to finish the South Link of Mel's Loop (first photo).

Yesterday four faithful MTRA members were matched by that of the Bookcliff Rattlers Motorcycle Club, including Mel himself (second photo). Plus we had an engineer from Alta Motors, the head of Timberline Trailriders, and the owner of Moab City Car Wash (north of City Market) who has supported RwR for fifteen years and counting!

To finish making Mel's Loop longer with less whoops and more slickrock, Ride with Respect needs another big group this Saturday, November 18th. Join us again at 8:30am a quarter-mile south of Exit 227 along Interstate 70. Bring a bike if you have one, and RSVP with me in order to get your gourmet sandwich!

 

 

[dmac1]

On 11/10/2017 at 8:20 AM, zzsean said:

+The first section from last weekend is here: https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=20822862

For context here is a recording of a loop from rabbit to westwater and the eastern edge of Mel's Loop: https://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=19901127

If you have ridden Arch loop and remember a left option towards the end of the Arch loop. That connector has been there a long time and the trail work Ride with Respect and MTRA are working on takes that connector from the other side of the road it currently ends at and continues over to Mel's Loop.

I am excited to see how it unfolds as so far the first part looks like a great option once the non-slick rock sections have settled in and firmed up.

Thank you Sean, for the tracks and for your contribution!!

[dmac1]

On 11/12/2017 at 4:04 PM, land lover said:

This past Friday, eleven volunteers from northern Utah affiliated with the Buzzards Motorcycle Club helped to finish the South Link of Mel's Loop (first photo).

Yesterday four faithful MTRA members were matched by that of the Bookcliff Rattlers Motorcycle Club, including Mel himself (second photo). Plus we had an engineer from Alta Motors, the head of Timberline Trailriders, and the owner of Moab City Car Wash (north of City Market) who has supported RwR for fifteen years and counting!

To finish making Mel's Loop longer with less whoops and more slickrock, Ride with Respect needs another big group this Saturday, November 18th. Join us again at 8:30am a quarter-mile south of Exit 227 along Interstate 70. Bring a bike if you have one, and RSVP with me in order to get your gourmet sandwich!

 

 

RwR - You ALWAYS make stuff happen and get concrete results. Keep up the awesome work!!

EDIT - so I looked closer at pic 2. I met Mel when I joined a BRMCC ride at WW back in 2010 (if I remember right)!!  Thomas Hundtoft made it happen for me back then. Dunno how this got to be Mel's loop, but thanks Mel!  And all who participated in the trail work!

Dave

Edited November 16, 2017 by dmac1

[land lover]

dmac1-  I appreciate the encouragement, and the times that you've traveled over the Rockies just to lend a hand.

 

All-  For this Saturday, so far there are only five people signed up, so I hope to get more RSVP's soon! With at least ten volunteers, by Saturday afternoon there will be four new miles to ride, not to mention all the old trails.

[redhurricane]

I really need to retire so I have time to do these things. 

[land lover]

redhurricane-  Yes, retired guys are our most avid volunteers, but keep in mind that RwR can schedule additional dates to match up with your work / vacation schedule.

 

All-  Last Saturday's volunteers were top notch, but there were only three of them.

So RwR will host a couple more trail work "parties" to be sure that we connect with Mel's Loop. The forecasted high is 66F, but we'll meet a bit later just to let things warm up.

This Saturday, November 25th, and next Saturday, December 2nd, join us at 9:00am a quarter-mile south of Exit 227 along Interstate 70. Bring a bike if you have one, and RSVP with me to get a sandwich. Thanksgiving treats (aka leftover Halloween candy) will sweeten the deal!

 

 

[Josh Ouse]

Thanks for all the hard work, I can't wait to check it out!  I haven't ridden any trails that far out of Moab.  Just out of curiosity, on the 2nd link you posted, that crosses over into CO, do you need to get an out of state registration if you cross state lines?

 

[zzsean]

20 minutes ago, Josh Ouse said:

Thanks for all the hard work, I can't wait to check it out!  I haven't ridden any trails that far out of Moab.  Just out of curiosity, on the 2nd link you posted, that crosses over into CO, do you need to get an out of state registration if you cross state lines?

 

Yes. If you end up down in the Rabbit Valley parking lot they is a decent chance chance in prime season that you might bump into a ranger checking for Colorado OHV tags.

[land lover]

I'm thankful for another ten volunteers this past week (mostly from MTRA and BRMC), and looking forward to more!

On Saturday, December 2nd, join Ride with Respect at 9:00am a quarter-mile south of Exit 227 along Interstate 70.

Bring a large backpack and motorcycle if you have one, and RSVP with me to get a sandwich.

[dlee]

You guys are awesome, thanks for making a difference

 

[land lover]

dlee-  Indeed, the volunteers are awesome, as some have shown up for four weekends in a row!

[land lover]

Yesterday seven volunteers helped RwR finish up by delineating corners, blocking off the old route and posting signs to explain the switch. A couple of MTRA members even donated $100 each ( http://www.ridewithrespect.org/supp27.php )! Over the next couple years, the new route should prove to improve Mel's Loop and provide a singletrack alternative to Kokopelli's Trail so that there's something for everyone.

 

[land lover]

For extra credit, last Monday Ride with Respect got help from another volunteer to groom old sections of Mel's Loop that had whooped out and consequently braided. We also installed gates to convey that singletrack means a single track. Ultimately it may require routing the trail away from such sandy soil, but grooming and gating will help us figure out what's needed. Thanks to Utah State Parks for the equipment plus BLM for planning and supplies, not to mention RwR's volunteers for over fifty days of honest work!