So my brother turned 40 this past October and he thought it might be fun to do the 100 mile White Rim trail loop in one day.  I have done it previously in 4 days, camping 3 nights along the way and thought this would be awesome.  Be a good time to take the family down and hang out as well.  Here was the problem… That day, there was a 70% chance of rain.  It was the best day for me and Chris really wanted to do it on his Birthday.  So, after many calls to the ranger station, my wife and others, we made the choice to still go.  I saw the forecast dip to 40% and hoped for the best.  Hats off to my wife for letting me go.  Thank you.

Chris at the beginning

That morning we woke up bright and early and got to the trail head about an hour before sunrise.  We sat for a few minutes and then decided to take the lights and head out, getting an early start on the day and the storm.  The first part was a gentle downhill on a wide, smooth dirt road.  We started at intersection of 313 and Mineral Bottom Road using lights for the first 20-30 mins.  When we reached the edge of dropping down in, it was now light and starting to warm up.  As we decended (That was fun!) Chris launched his bottle I think three times.  He explained that he had tons of gel in there making it a bit heavier than usual.  We were totally alone.  Doing some Woot Woot’s along the way hearing it echo on the canyon walls, knowing we were just starting our awesome day.  That was a cool spot.  Down at the bottom it got a bit sandy and rolling flats.  At 36 miles we past Potato Bottoms.  I found it interesting this trip to see campsite number 1 where we stayed last time I did this.  As we passed, I said, “Ok, that was a good first day.”   Felt invigorating to know we had two more camp sites to pass and all within the same day.

Trail through Potato Bottoms

Here comes the Green.

Rain began to hit us just a bit then blew over and I thought ah man.  If that’s it today we are in for a treat!  Well, treat it was but not exactly on my agenda.

Next up was Hardscrabble.  Not bad really, but one part nailed us all.  Sandy and steep with rocks about.  It was good to see Chris get ticked and frustrated at it especially when both Geoff and I stopped in his way, but then he still managed to get around us and the obstacles.  Nice. At the top of the top Chris had the camera and Geoff was walking… hmm what should I do… Of course WHEEELIEEEE!

Pulling a Wheeliee at the top of Hardscrabble

Me and My Bro

Now we come to a beautiful place where we see the beginnings of the actual “White Rim”.

The begin of the "White Rim"

Feeling good

After this picture we had the rain clouds coming in.  We could see it from way off and was coming in fast.  Carring with it Thunder and Lightning.  We were headed to our next major mile stone… Murphy’s Pass.  As you can see there is not really any shelter for the things were were about to encounter.  Rain, Wind, Lightning and soon cold.  We could see a break in the clouds headed our way so at about the midway point up Murphy’s we stopped under an overhang and waited for the break.  It came and we headed up the rest of the way.  The trail after this point would be a rolling decent.  A welcome terrain most of the time but to us right now it brought wind and not much blood flow… which to me equaled COLD.  At the bottom of this post click on the link for the pictures.  From this point on was spectacular images and thankfully Chris had a camera and was waterproof.  Beautiful shots of the landscape and weather we were in.

Yes, soaked all the way through. And yes... Keep moving.

Now it started to really come down.  I was soaked to the BONE.  My poor little wind breaker turned into an airconditioner type thin, now soaked fabric with the wind blowing right through it.  With little movements I could feel cold water trickle down new areas on my skin.  Down my back.  Then the sides until I was completly soaked.  This was happening over a period of about 2-3 hours.  Passing amazing scenery and oh yes, wanting to stop but now way I could.  Stop for 5 seconds and takes an hour to warm back up to were you were.

The remains of the storm - Flash Floods

At some points we would stop and the looks we exchanged were “You know we can’t stop.”  Although at one point I was so cold and now searching the terrain for something.  There has got to be some kind of alcove or cave or something.  Ahhhh!  yes I found something up ahead.  I was picturing how all three of us could squish in, and by having all of us in we could maybe create enough heat.  But when we came close to the out house the smell was pretty bad and I was judging whether to ask the others or not.  I think we all kind of answered our own question.  Keep going.   It was difficult to think of stopping and getting out food to eat, but I knew I needed some or would need some rather.  I had a hard time moving my fingers.  They were cold.  Now try to shift gears with thumbs that don’t work and shift cables packed with mud.  To shift I took the palm of my hand and cranked the gear to get it up one slot.  Bikes were aging quickly.  Putting about 7 years on it in 4 hrs.

Even through being so cold I loved seeing the cliffs to the right of me and thinking how cool it was to be here. If this wasn’t going to let up, I started to get a little worried.  Hypothermia?  Would we get out with all the mud going up the steep road on Shaefers trail?  And then…. It broke.

What a welcome site!

Trail goes up to the left on the switchbacks

About six miles from the end Geoff’s chain broke.  Chris pulls out his “Bag o’ Treats” with extra cables, chain and a chain link.  We put in the new link and while doing so Chris made contact with his wife and family who were up on top via the radios.  We started and not 500 yards later it broke in another place.  Doing the same thing.  The chain was so void of oil and was scraping against the de-railer it shaved off the link.  Chris had three different sizes of links with him just in case and this was “in-case” so we used another size which worked.  This was taking us some time and darkness was setting in.  We decided that if it happens again I would take the keys and go get the truck.  Up schafers trail we went.  Switch backs all the way up.  Roughly 2000 ft elevation gain right there at the end.  Sure enough Geoff’s chain broke a 3rd time.  Chris caught up to me and told me so we kicked it up a notch to get up and out to the truck.  Chris being the strong rider that he is left me in the dust (or should I say MUD) and headed for the top.  It was now dark and I kept thinking I would see the top but it continued for quite a while.  Maybe wasn’t all that far but feels like it and the end of a long day, being cold, wet, tired and it’s now dark.  I got the truck and headed back to Geoff and he was right there.  He walked up the switch backs and rode on the flats to about where I was.  Chris’ family had a hostess cupcake with a candle and sang happy birthday to him.  I think that was the highlight of his trip.  Good to see them supporting him the way they did.  Takes a lot of patients to sit at the end of a trail waiting for someone.  Way to go.

We headed back to the hotel and found Jenny and my kids there.  Geoff went out to get us a hearty mexican meal and I could tell he was hungry as he returned with a Feast!  Now we were warm, clean and full.

What a memorial epic trip.  It surely would have been without the rain but now it is engrained in my memories.  Good company, great scenery, and awesome ride.   I hoped to see it done in 9 hrs.  I felt great physically and even with all the rain, mud and wind riding time was 9:45.  Total time with our chain breaks and stops I think was 13 hrs.  Long day but so worth it.  Thanks guys.  Next time better jacket, and ride faster.

I put together a video for Chris as a Birthday present.  Turned out pretty cool, check it out:

WRIAD 2009 Video

Pictures