April 19: Today we rode a trail network north of Moab called Souvereign. We rode out in a chilly morning, quickly starting a technical single track climb up a ridge that had our lungs on fire! Enjoying the blue/greenish tint of the rocks in this area, we biked up and along the ridge for about two hours, on what turned out to be the wrong trail.
Korrie & crew: lost at Souvereign
Continuing on sense of direction, we headed into a valley toward an area of slick rock. A few black markers lead us on a circular quest to find a continuing trail, but without luck. Once back on the Souvereign trail network, we rode an incredibly fun double diamond trail that was worth all the effort of getting there.
This first ride of the trip tested our skills: Sandy experienced a slow-motion sideways fall, Mary- Ellen completed a couple of handlebar flips, and Korrie found herself stuck in a sand wash, and on top of a cactus! After pulling a few tens of prickers out of Korrie's leg, we headed into a valley and up a long climb. Lori got her second wind here and pulled us all up the ridge. We found a lot of playfully fun terrain before we looped back to our car with a short sprint on the road.
I tried out my Nulethics bamboo shirt on the bikeride today. Bamboo has antimicrobial properties, and I was determined to put that to the test by heading out on a near 5-hour bikeride without deodorant! I was also curious about how well bamboo wicks moisture. The shirt performed great on both! After 5 hours on the trail there was barely any odor to speak of in the shirt (unlike myself....). Riding with a camel pack all day, my back stayed fairly dry and the shirt dried very quickly over a short lunch break. I would wear this shirt any day on a ride or run. The shirt seems true to size and has a comfortable fit. The material is 40% bamboo and 60% recycled polyester, and offers the right amount of stretch.
In the afternoon, we headed out for a 4+ mile trail run up Negro Bill Canyon, ending at one of the world's longest natural bridges.
Korrie and Sandy, and Lori running in Negro Bill Canyon
The day ended with fajitas and margaritas back at camp. Lori, Korrie, and Mary Ellen sported their Nulethics bamboo jackets when it cooled down at night. All reported that the jackets are soft, a great weight, comfortable, and warm! The sizing is best for women who have narrower shoulders and a smaller chest. The jacket sizes run very small - order one size up from your usual size!
Nuletics bamboo jacket keeping Lori warm at camp