Moab, Part 1: Porcupine Rim

Over Thanksgiving I finally made my virgin trip to Moab, Utah. Since I couldn't be with my family (Grandma and Grandpa are cool!), what better way is there to spend Turkey Day than riding that trail of trails, Porcupine Rim with good friends?
After a late night arrival, I got a call Thanksgiving morning from my pals from the snowy northland--we were self-shuttling to this trail that eventually met in with Porcupine. I still have no idea what that trail was called, but there were plenty of righteous turns, before we dumped out onto the beginning of the plateau/downhill portion of Porcupine Rim. I was riding my hardtail, and don't get me wrong, I love that bike, but I was just starting to wish I had my forgiving full suspension (like all the guys I was with) for the thousands of little ledge drops and loose rocks on the trail, when we rounded a corner and I completely forgot what I was thinking.
That's when I realized why Porcupine Rim is famous.
I was completely caught unawares by the panorama of the Colorado River churning along hundreds of feet below us, and nothing but canyons, red-brown rock, and very determined vegetation along the horizon. It's knock-the-breath-out-of-you beautiful.That's if the trail doesn't knock the breath out of you first, of course.
And it only gets better...because you spend the next dozen miles or so riding down it. Just awesome.
My only regret? We bombed down it so fast that I didn't get a single picture. Dang! Guess you'll just have to go ride it and see for yourself.



Update: Pete Gurney (of the awesome Harbor Springs crowd!) was kind enough to give me this awesome picture from his trip to Moab (I have no idea who the guy in the picture is). You can read about it in the Team Terpening blog: http://teamterpening.blogspot.com/