{"id":1773,"date":"2019-04-16T14:45:23","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T14:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whitethaiger.net\/hikers\/?p=1773"},"modified":"2019-04-16T14:45:29","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T14:45:29","slug":"white-rim-trail-10-12-april-2019-by-uwe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whitethaiger.net\/hikers\/2019\/04\/16\/white-rim-trail-10-12-april-2019-by-uwe\/","title":{"rendered":"White Rim Trail, 10-12 April 2019 (by Uwe)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 1995, the year after we got our Gen 2 Toyota 4Runner, we did the famous White Rim Trail in summer. It was brutally hot and we spent a lot of the day time hanging out in the shade, limiting travel to early morning and evening. So when Jack suggested this bike ride for April we signed up immediately to see the place in cooler conditions. Well, it was cooler, really cold actually, and we got another weather extreme for day 1 of the ride since it was raining all day long. The idea was for 5 of us to ride mountain bikes along the whole length of the 100 mile long trail and to have 3 support vehicles with all our gear and supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Horsethief camp morning (by Greg)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On day 1 we woke up to snow flurries and freezing temperatures. These adverse conditions delayed our start a bit. When we finally got on the bicycles it was snowing and the snow tried to stick to the trees and accumulate on the ground. No big deal, precipitation was supposed to stop early afternoon. We started in good spirit and rode along the paved road from Horsethief campground outside the Canyonlands NP to the start of Shafer Trail. There we hit the dirt. It was snowing when we started our decent of this steep, winding dirt road. Initially the road kind of contours along the canyon wall. Just before the steeper switchbacks I heard on the radio that our support crew had some issues getting the vehicles ready (there were some unexplained warning signs when switching into 4×4 low). Jack and I stopped to hear if they needed assistance. This took a while and it started to rain hard, we got soaked. The other 3 riders had made it to the bottom of the climb and found refuge in a little restroom avoiding some of the heavier rain. Jack and I finally continued, by this time water started to flow on the road. This is not a good thing on this kind of road. The dirt quickly gets very slick and conditions turn tricky even for 4×4\u2019s with good tires. We were a little concerned about our drivers since Dorie and Srisuda did not have much driving experience in the trucks, let alone in 4×4 and the present conditions. We were glad to know that they had Keith with them to advise and coach them. We waited in the restroom until we heard on the radio that vehicles had made it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it was time to get back on our bikes. It was still\nraining, as it would for the rest of the day. Around dinner the rain slowed\ndown to a drizzle, but it never completely cleared up. We just kept on fighting\nour way through the mud, wind, rain, cold. It felt like we were dragging\nanchors. It became a mental challenge as much as a physical one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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