Georgia Group Tour

Back Country Adventure Tours spent three great days with a group of Buddy's from Georgia and Cali. This Group really knew how to ride and have fun. It was a blast taking the guys to areas of Utah that they didn't even know existed. They seemed blown away with the wide open spaces and sheer red rock cliffs and formations the Utah desert has to offer. We Toured through Day Two and Day three of our six day tour this took us through the San Rafael Swell and the Moab area. These areas offer a wide range a scenic riding and amazing diversity in riding conditions, something for everyone. We at BCAT look forward to Doing all six days in the future with Daryl, David, Bill, Aaron, Patric, and Paul Thanks again for a great ride.

Man's Best Friend

Three years ago I was 31 years old. At this time in my life, I was not yet married and most of my friends were getting married or leaving. They were just not very reliable when it came to having a friend to be there for me when I needed one.
I lived alone and often went on hikes and explorations alone. At this time, a girl I knew was looking after a giant mastiff for the weekend. It was a huge, beautiful dog, with a lot of drool. This girl thought it was the cutest dog and loved to take it out and play with it. Having this dog around and seeing how girls loved to be around it gave me an idea. Maybe I could kill two birds with one stone; I would get myself a dog so that I could have a play mate and in return the dog would attract the ladies. A little while later, I came across an add that was selling a half mastiff and half great pyranese mix. The best part was the pyranese was supposed to make it so the dog did not have as much drool. I thought this was perfect.
That weekend, I drove to Delta, Utah and picked out a cute little female dog whom I later named Poe Poe. Poe Poe means kisses in Korean. The lady told me that the mix in Poe would make her very loyal and very protective. she would need lots of attention and always want to be close to me. This was exactly how Poe was. She waited with great anticipation when I would come home. After taking her off the leash, she would follow me around wherever I went adn when I stopped to work on a project, she would find a cool spot close by and patiently wait for me to finish. At night, when reading or watching TV, she would lay at my feet. While I slept, she would lay at the foot of my bed. She always had to be close and she always wanted to be as close to me as possible. This was just what I needed. I always had a best friend that no matter where or what I was doing, she was interested and wanted to be with me. For the next 3 years, we grew up together. And as indicated by the other dog, Poe attracted the ladies. I started dating and later married Liz. She fell in love with Poe at first site. Through our time together, Poe looked out for both of us. It only took me moments to understand where dogs got the title, Man's Best Friend, for that is what Poe became to me.
One of Poe's weaknesses was loud noises, especially fire works. They would send her into a frenzy. She would frantically search out a safe haven away from the noise. She ruined our tent and dog carrier trying ot get to me so I would make her safe. Last Saturday, a week before the 4th of July, Liz and I went out to watch a movie. We tied Poe up outside just as we always had done when leaving. We did not know that the city where we lived would be having a fire works show that night. We were not there when they started going off. We were not there when Poe started frantically trying to find a place to get away from the noise. All she knew was if she could get inside she would be safe with me. Her leash was too short to make it to the stairs that led 12 feet down to our basement apartment. The only way she could get down was to jump the 4 foot railing that went around the 12 foot deep stairwell. Thinking by doing this she would find safety, she jumped over and never hit the ground. Her cable was too short.
We will miss her tremendously...

Five Miles of Hell

This weekend started out like the many before it, but with one major difference, I was by myself. With my main support rider, my wife, gone to Argentina,and all my regular buddies unavailable, without a tour to guide, I was left to explore on my own. However, 'on my own' meant I could ride any trail I felt comfortable and anxious to ride. Right away, a trail I had been wanting to ride for many years came to my mind. This ride has been whispered about and been legend to many as one of the hardest, most technical rides out there. I guess by the name, 5 Miles of Hell, I was compelled to believe the stories told about it. However, because of its famed difficulty, I was hesitant to do it on my own. I was told that once you began the trail, you had to finish, with or without your bike. There was no turning back. You must plan for every possible breakdown. My original intent was to go and find the trail head which is located in the middle of the San Rafael Swell and in the middle of nowhere. Once found, I then only intended to ride to just before the point of no return, to scout it out, and then head back. So, that is what I started out to do. I still packed my bike with everything I thought I might possibly need in case of a breakdown.
Now, for all those who know me, once I am faced with a challenge or someone says, "You can't do that", that is exactly what you will find me doing. Sure enough, when I came to the first technical section, my first reaction was not to run away but to say, "Cool, That looks fun. I can do that". For the next hour, I came upon obstacle after obstacle. With my 'go get'em' mentality and determination, I had the most fun I had had in awhile. Now, don't get me wrong. This was the tightest, steepest, rockiest, sandiest, most technical trail I have ever ridden. The temperature, by 9 AM, was in the 80's and every Juniper tree I passed tried to rip me off my bike. It left me sweaty and out of breath and I loved every minute of it.
I have found that in my many years of exploring that no matter how well you try and prepare for the unexpected, there is always something that gets you. This trip was no exception. You just have to learn to be creative and get through it. Because of the slow, winding technicality of this trail, bikes tend to to over heat. My bike was no exception. Well into the ride I heard a loud POP! I was engulfed in steam. Great. I knew I had the tools to take my whole bike apart: master links, chain breaker, rope, zip ties, liquid steel, etc... You name it, I had it. When my radiator line blew, I had a sinking feeling in my fut that this was one of those things I was not prepared for. I had a quick vision of me walking the rest of the way out. Before I would do that however, I took inventory of what I had to work with. I let the bike cool down in the shade of one of the deadly Juniper trees and assessed the situation. This is where creativity and experience comes in handy. My first thought was that my round sockets had put a hole through my radiator line. I took off the hose clamps and tried it. My largest socked is 12mm. To my disappointment, I needed at least a 14mm. It was so close! This did get me thinking about what other tools I had that were round and hollow. After a bit of a search, I found my spark tool. It was round, long, and after I took out the rubber stopper, hollow. To my great joy, after jamming it into my radiator hose, just the right size too. Fixed. I still had enough drinking water to get me the "hell" our of there. I rode two more days that weekend with my spark plug tool in the radiator line. Worked like a charm.
This happening has inspired me to start a "tip of the week". So, the tip for this week:
TIP# 1: Carry a couple of hose clamps and a small piece of pipe that will fit into your radiator hose, or remember your spark plug wrench.
I finished 5 Miles of Hell in time to drive to Moab and do another short but technical trail. This trail is called the Moab Rim Trail. If offers some of the best views of Moab and surrounding areas. The start rises some 7 to 9 hundred in less than a half mile. In Moab I'm often amazed at what a lifted jeep or other vehicle can climb over. A dirt bike is not much different. You just have to be creative with the line you ride. This ride was short and sweet in its rewards. On my way back down I passed a group that was turning around because one of the riders was not up to the challenge. It is not for everyone.
The next day, I had the pleasure to ride a bit of a single track that is also located in Moab. This ride is a newer one that has been put together to educate riders about riding respectfully in trail systems. The idea is to ride with respect so that these trail will remain open. I echo that in ANY riding you do, do it with respect for the beautiful area you are in so that we all may continue to enjoy these areas. This new trail in Moab is called the Sovereign Trail. It offered some moderate slick rock challenges and some good scenery. After riding, I fled the heat and drove home, very sore and tired.

Three activity adventure

Floating down the five miles of flat water, before the first anticipated rapids on the Green River near Green River, Utah, gave me unanticipated time in my little kayak to ponder and take in the beauty of the canyon the Green had carved out. With its high walls of cascading cliffs and rock fall that makes its way ever closer to the water’s edge, the banks are lined with the first of spring’s green-leafed cottonwood trees. Spending your morning in the contrasts of the dry desert and the green oasis’ that form along many of the river banks is a great way to start your day. One of the questions often pondered on the Green, especially with the spring runoff swelling the rivers banks is, where does the name “Green River” come from, especially when the waters are always so muddy brown?
We put our Back Country Adventure Tour group in at the put in named after a great Egyptian Queen, Nefertiti. It is named this after a rock formation with a likeness of her profile. Or as a guest pointed out, the rock looked more like the head of today’s TV character, Bart Simpson. However you looked at it, it was the figure that looked over the start of our three day adventure of river running and rock climbing.

We started out our Friday evening camping on the shores of the muddy Green under huge green cottonwood trees. Maybe that is where the name comes from? We ate well and then slept with the sounds of the river close by. After kayaking the river and loading our boats we made a quick dash thirty miles west to the San Rafael River in the Swell to do some climbing and kayaking of the river. Close to this emerald green river is a little known canyon with great crack climbing. We set up camp at the base of this wall and spent Saturday evening pumping our muscles, and minds, to their limits. We slept well that night, nursing the skin that was now the color of the rock we had climbed that day. The next day we had planned to kayak a section of the San Rafael River called the Little Grand Canyon. Mid May is the anticipated time that the run off of the mountain would allow us to float that section of the river. To our dismay, the river was still low with no additional run off to make the float possible. With our trip cut short and being sufficiently tired and sun-kissed, we headed home to plan our next trip or to prepare for the next group hoping to see these amazing places.

More news from the swell

Riding and touring the San Rafael Swell has been a eye opener because of the many new and amazing trail systems we have discovered. The diversity and beauty of Utah is both staggering and amazing. The last couple of weeks we have been playing down in the swell. This is an area that i have driven by en rout to Moab and other more well know areas. It was an eye opener to ride into the heart of this amazing land form. This area is now day two of Back Country Adventure tours from now on know as bcat. You get the name of San Rafael because that is the river that flowes through it from the Manti La Sales to the west of the area. You get the swell because of the up lift of sandstone the river has carved its many canyons through, forming many spectacular canyons to travel and explore and also view the many panoramic vistas to gaze out from once you have wound your way to the top of the high canyon walls.

The Swell rises a thousand to fifteen hundred feet higher than all the areas surrounding it. as you enter from the north this is the one exception for hear you are even with the top layers. So as we enter a canyon here we enter a canyon that is born in the flat plains below chimney rock. As you make your way to the beginning of this infant canyon you will enjoy watching the walls grow ever higher the deeper in you go making you wonder if you will ever find your way out again with out turning and leaving the way you entered.
In these timeless canyons you will find the signs of the ancient people's of the past that have called these canyons home. They have left there mark on the canyon walls in the the way of paintings depicting there way of life.
In the heat of the summer you will welcome the opening of the canyon walls that is a sure sign that you are about to enter the oasis of the San Rafael River basin. With its many cotton wood trees and tamaracks and emerald green waters you will want to linger as the natives of old did.
The river is a good staging area for expeditions in to the many canyons beyond the river and its always an adventure finding trails that climb out of these walls to the panoramic vistas above. You will love where the trails will take you.

Last weekend in our quest at backcountryadventurestours to find new and exciting routs into Utah's back country we wound up in capital reef national park. On our way down to the area we made camp Friday night in Cainville a notorious dirt bike riding area. It is an amazing place where nothing seems to grow leaving a ride almost anywhere desert landscape of rolling clay mounds that tapper up to long sharp spins ending in Cliff faces. We camped at an old air field above the dirty devil river. The next morning we headed through the scenic by way towards the reef. however unlike most all tourist who stick to the main paved roads we found a dirt road that turned off a few miles before the park entrance and headed into the back country of the park where most have never been. Our first stop was to see how high up Mount Ellen we could climb before we ran in to snow. The road wound through the broken sand stone cliffs as it make its way ever higher in to the foot hills. soon we left the maze of cliffs behind and started to make our way into the pines that grew ever taller as the elevation grew. We finally found snow around eight thousand feet and were forced to turn back as the roads grew deep with snow and mud. As we turned to go the view of Capital Reef was before us. As we gazed on the wall of sand stong the name took on new meaning as you could see most of the Reef extending for a hundred miles before us like the great barrier reef in the ocean this wall separates the rugged country into parts very impressive to see. After leaving the Mt Ellen behind we spent the next half of day driving beside this giant wall of white sand stone skirted by jagged red and purple teeth until we reached the famous burr trail and headed in to Bolder Utah thus ending the solitude of the back country and finding our selves in civilisation once again.