Columbus Day Special
October 12, 2011
Columbus Day is my new favorite holiday.
Brandon, who serendipitously works in the mortgage industry (it’s his fault), gets Columbus Day off. And a few years ago he began the tradition of heading to Moab to ride the Whole Enchilada on Columbus Day.
One long day, one long trail, home before bedtime. What’s not to love?
Last year I rode it on my Sabrosa. Wherein I discovered that the main difference for me in going downhill on a rigid single or a Trek Scratch with 1,000 inches of combined travel isn’t so much the speed, as the comfort.
Okay, maybe there’s a little speed difference too.
Orange is getting some shop love right now, so I began a new tradition. Once a year, on, say, Columbus Day, I shall rent a big, fat, squishy behemoth of a bike, and take it down the Whole Enchilada.
This year, due to snow levels, we didn’t get the Burro Pass or Hazard County sections. Turns out, you can have a whole lot of fun on the UPS and main Porcupine sections.
And with a free afternoon because of the truncated morning ride, we got to do some ‘splorin.
Welcome, Pipe Dream. With weary legs, riding it south from town was hard enough that Steve and I renamed it “Suck.” But once we turned around and rode Pipe Dream north, we changed our minds. They can now change the trail signs to “Doesn’t Suck.”
Jesse brought the family car:
You’re going to have to excuse me for letting the video run a little long. It’s hard to capture the full day, 3:45 am start, 3.5 hour drive, shuttle, Whole Enchilada, lunch, Pipe Dream, and ride home, all in one video.
Okay, it’s not that hard.
Little slice of heaven:
Might be the best burger I’ve ever had. Brandon enjoyed his, I think:
A good day. Thanks Brandon.
dug 
October 12, 2011 at 9:24 pm
That was a good day. I could grumble about how slow and timid I was, but being in Moab riding with the guys on a bluebird day is always a joy. Nice video, dug – you captured it.
October 13, 2011 at 8:26 am
not homesick at all
October 13, 2011 at 9:57 am
just glad you said HOMEsick
October 13, 2011 at 8:35 am
Pencil me in for next Columbus Day. Its on my calendar.
October 13, 2011 at 9:48 am
I hate myself.
October 13, 2011 at 9:48 am
Very nice work on the video. I really liked how your shadow was out in front of you on UPS. Oh and also the two arm raised salute was cool and definitely summed up the day. Awesome riding and good company. Fun to see how I came down some of those sections.
October 13, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Awesome. I love the shadow headcam stuff.
That new trail seems really technical. Is it all like that? I’ve never heard of it before.
October 13, 2011 at 2:54 pm
pipe dream. and yes, it’s all like that. might be my new favorite trail in moab. easily ridden from town.
wait, lemme esplain. it’s easily GOTTEN to from town. riding it from town is, um, hard.
October 13, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Wow. I mean, really.
Nice work with La Grange. Good shit.
October 13, 2011 at 3:24 pm
NICE – makes we wish we were able to to the whole thing last Fall Moab – certainly haven’t found riding like that in Aus
October 13, 2011 at 9:05 pm
We have to pencil that ride in for next year’s Fall Moab. Or maybe do a special Spring Moab in June.
October 14, 2011 at 9:13 am
I usually take my scouts down in June and you can only get up to Kokopelli or Hazard County. Still too much snow to get all the way up to Burro pass in June.
October 15, 2011 at 12:18 am
mmmm….cookies.