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Tips for Moab?

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Great info in this thread! I am planning my first trip to Moab for fall of ‘23. Three of us from the east coast. 25+ year riders. Any guidance/tips/info will be appreciated. Trail info, shuttle info, best bike shops, etc. We will be flying in, and bringing our bikes. Considering renting for the ease of not hauling bikes, but then have to deal with the downside of riding an unfamiliar bike. Anyone have any experience with rentals? Are there “good” bikes to rent? Anything change out there post-pandemic, in general?
Moab Cycles is my favorite shop partly because of location. They have whatever you need. Let us know the week before you go cuz many of us CO Monkeys are out there then.
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
Definitely advisable to be at the Burro parking lot at first light. And it'll still be hotter than Hades when you finish... fortunately there is a river conveniently located to cool off in. :D
Agreed and stocking a vehicle full of ice cold beer w/ limes is advised. The only thing you want after rolling onto the pavement after that ride is to take your shoes off, hit the river, and have a beer.
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
Should we just plan an RM TWE ride? I've been arguing w/ you fools online for 2 decades it would be nice to have the opportunity to drown someone.
 
Jun 20, 2007
349
9
Fantastic info, thank you!

We are planning on late September. Hopefully not 1,000 degrees and no snow.

Fly from Boston to Denver, is that the best option?
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
Fantastic info, thank you!

We are planning on late September. Hopefully not 1,000 degrees and no snow.

Fly from Boston to Denver, is that the best option?
Probably. But it's still a 5 hour drive (at least) from Denver to Moab. And there is a crazy ton of things to do in between. Like bike park lifts might still be turning. Grand Junction shuttles. Fruita. Not to mention things off I-70 nearish Denver. Anyways, there's a ton of riding on your drive to Moab from Denver. Should you hit them? Depends on how much time you have.

Has anyone actually flown into Moab? I know a GI Doc who has his own Cessna who has. But that's it. And he wasn't inviting me with him... You still kind of need a rental car in Moab. Not sure if flying into Aspen is better. Lots of direct flights to there. May save you a few hours. Not sure. You'd definitely have to hop from DIA to GJ or Moab. Which may not actually save you any time. Or worse, cancelled flight. Or is SLC (Salt Lake City, UT) Closer? Never done that math.

I say pack your bikes. Fly to Denver (or SLC). Rent a giant ass SUV. Budget some time to hit stuff on the way to Moab. And/or on the way back. You won't regret it.

<edit> You guys just mentions SLC. I'm too slow! LOL
 

scrublover

Turbo Monkey
Sep 1, 2004
2,886
6,191
I was there for a jeep thing. It was a bit weird seeing all these jeeps lined up at the trail head. They're always usually pretty chill and nice. And they will want to talk about their jeep. So leverage that while you chug one of their beers on the trail and his girlfriend is smoking a jay :)
This! I've managed to snag many beers off jeep folks over the course of my trips out there.
 

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,067
11,302
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Denver if you also want to hit bike parks their last weekend on your way to Moab. The drive direct is 6 hours. Salt Lake airport is 4 hours from Moab.
4 hours…unless it is Friday between 3:30-7:00!
(Just getting to Provo can take a while, as well as over Soldier Summit with everyone and their brodozers, Jeeps, RV’s, Subarus, Sprinters, and Honda Elements…)
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
If I could only get a permit for an ice cream truck at the bottom. Maybe tacos as well.
Food Truck Park?
Who is with me on this?
I'm w/ you. Tacos w/ homemade tortilla shells and beer. After about 3 years of serving dentists on yetis we could buy moab proper.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
its definitely quicker to fly in to SLC vs Denver, then drive.
tons of good rentals in town, but if you can bring your own, familiar bike, do that.

a few years back we rented a house over by the dirt jumps, across from the ER (how convenient) that had a large enough yard for a :monkey: post-ride bbq / party. I'll czech into that !
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
its definitely quicker to fly in to SLC vs Denver, then drive.
tons of good rentals in town, but if you can bring your own, familiar bike, do that.

a few years back we rented a house over by the dirt jumps, across from the ER (how convenient) that had a large enough yard for a :monkey: post-ride bbq / party. I'll czech into that !
Someone called me? I would love to go, would need to figure out the strategy for persuading the spousal unit that I need to do this.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
Someone called me? I would love to go, would need to figure out the strategy for persuading the spousal unit that I need to do this.
"Honey, I need to fly to Utah to go hang out in the desert with some men I've met on the interwebnet"

edit: SLC is closer, but Denver is a more scenic drive with other riding opportunities on the way there and back (imo)
 
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boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
If you've never been to Moab... gotta do it at least once. IMO, it's a 1-2 day stop on a bigger trip. So many cool places and trails to get on within a 4 hour drive. We should entice @gonefirefightin to haul all our shit around and have a rolling SW Monkeyfest.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
If I could only get a permit for an ice cream truck at the bottom. Maybe tacos as well.
Food Truck Park?
Who is with me on this?
I've brought a smoker with me on our past few trips to Moab. With a battery powered controller/blower it's set and forget - smokey tasty treats when you're done with your ride.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
Hmmm...Teh Monkey's could always get a campsite near the bottom of TWE and set up such food/beverage options. Actually sleeping there is up to you :)

Was it Goose Island? IDK. The dudes at GG had a camping weekend a few years back. Big spot, shelters, potty's, plenty of parking, worked out great. Maybe we could even get @mtg to join?
 
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6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
I've stayed at Goose a few times, that's part way back to town. Not sure what the site right at the bottom is called without checking.