Utah Epic - The White Rim

This is a MUST ride for all adventure unicyclist. Eye Candy for 106
miles of Dirt in Canyonlands National Park. It is a loop ride, a
permitted trip, and permits are hard to come by, and or just take time
to acquire. I will write up a report on this one for sure, just don't
have the time today. Pictures, I do have, 350 of them. This ride,
not technical, but long and in the desert, has never been unicycled
before. I was the sole unicyclist on this trip, 11 people total.
First Day - 30 miles
Second Day - 15 miles
Third Day - 30 miles
Fouth Day - 31 miles
This pace was great for me, three days would be ok, two days would be
hard core, but rideable. B**** are doing it in one day, but that is
super gonzo. There is no water, and it is pure epic desert riding, with
at least one killer climb every day. It is a place to chill out,
meditate, ride, and party with your group, not a place to set records.
I would not recommend being in a hurry at all on this ride, just to
damn beautiful to miss anything. The pace of my 29er was perfect, I
certainly saw allot more of the ride then the bicyclist did.
So, put this one high on your list, and include me if you get a permit

I will post a few pictures here, starting with Day 1.
Peace

First pic is on top of the rim, at the Island in the Sky Visitor
center, Shaeffer overlook. This is where I was headed. At this point, I
had a strong feeling that my fun meter was going to bend big time on
this epic adventure.


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This pic is of me about 1/2 down the switchbacks, can you see me?

Day 1 you drop steeply off of the mesa top, and hit the white rim.
Absolutely world class beauty, with the adrenilene rushing through
every artery in my body.


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After you drop off the edge of the world, or it seems anyway, you hit
the flattish white rim, which meanders in and out of these majestic
canyons. This was one of my favorite viewpoints. Colorado river below,
with the massive thunderstorm building over the Blue Mountains to the
south.


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Awesome, as always. That second picture looks like 'this place'
(http://tinyurl.com/3suxkx). A long way down! In one of those shots you
can see a tiny guy on a bike down there. I was there in 2007 on the day
before the Muni Fest. Must have been quite a ride!


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Can this trail be ridden on a 36er?

Great pictures, as always! I look forward to reading more about it
later.


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siafirede

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Wow! This one is definitely on my short list. I know people who have
bicycled the loop and who have run it but never unicycle. One of these
days when my wife and I finally move out west.... ahhh... Anyhow
congrats again!


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Awesome! How did you carry supplies for the days, like extra water,
tent, etc. Did you have a support vehicle?


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johnfoss wrote:
Awesome, as always. That second picture looks like 'this place'
(http://tinyurl.com/3suxkx). A long way down! In one of those shots you
can see a tiny guy on a bike down there. I was there in 2007 on the day
before the Muni Fest. Must have been quite a ride!



Yes, that was the spot. That was our starting point, we rode it
clockwise. It was quite a ride John, you would love it.


sirafirede wrote:
Can this trail be ridden on a 36er?
Great pictures, as always! I look forward to reading more about it
later.



At least 80% would be great 36er ride, the other 20% would be tough. I
thought heavily about which wheel to bring, and would bring the 29er
again. It is plenty fast enough, remember, you want to seet the area,
and was perfect for the steep climbs.


MuniSano wrote:
Wow! This one is definitely on my short list. I know people who have
bicycled the loop and who have run it but never unicycle. One of these
days when my wife and I finally move out west.... ahhh... Anyhow



Thanks MuniSano, yeah I believe I am the first to unicycle it. Kind of
suprises me, because it is not technical, just an incredible adventure
on a unicycle. Glad it is on you list already, you will not be
disappointed.


unicycle6869 wrote:
Awesome! How did you carry supplies for the days, like extra water,
tent, etc. Did you have a support vehicle?



You take a sag vehicle, which carries all the goods. 4 Wheel drive
though, as the climbs are technical and steep. IMO, it would be
impossible on unicycle to do it any other way. There is no water
It is like a river trip, but on wheel(s) and land instead of rafts and
water.

Can you say solar powered blender for margaritta's after a 30 mile day
of unicyling in the desert?


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Well since I probably won't have time in the near future to be "the
first to unicycle ___ ." I'll reveal one idea I had (I'm still keeping
some to myself ) how about riding the Kokepelli Trail in 3-4 days (or
all at once)? That was one I had been planning to do but since I won't
able to it would be cool if someone else would give it a shot and then
provide some good beta for when I and others will have time to do it!!


I'm already planning on embarking on a possibly new form of mountain
unicycyling next spring when I ramp up my training for the Hardrock
100. I've really been wanting to mix more of my ultra-marathoning
background into my mountain unicycling activities and I think I've
found the perfect event to do next April (semi locally too). Ultra
Muni Cross? Essentially what I can't ride I'll run/shuffle and when I
can ride I will. Much like what muni riders do now but I want to do it
in a 100km mountain bike event and with in their time cut-off window...
I think it can be done but I will have to be moving all the time!
Anybody else thought of doing stuff like this?


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MuniSano wrote:
Well since I probably won't have time in the near future to be "the
first to unicycle ___ ." I'll reveal one idea I had (I'm still keeping
some to myself ) how about riding the Kokepelli Trail in 3-4 days (or
all at once)? That was one I had been planning to do but since I won't
able to it would be cool if someone else would give it a shot and then
provide some good beta for when I and others will have time to do it!!




Kokopelli is doable, and logistically sets up like the White Rim. I
don't believe you need permits, so can be done anytime. Except mid
summer, yikes. I have ridden multiple sections of the Kokopelli, but
just day trips. Fruita to Moab, yeah. I have rafted that stretch also,
beautiful country.


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