June 5, 2011 : Island in the Sky to Grand View Pt.

This link will show a National Park Service Slideshow of the park.

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We seem to be stuck in winter mode. Press Democrat Letter-to-the-editor writer, Brian Narelle, coined a most apt name for the month: "June-uary". While the unseasonable weather is putting a damper (pun intended!) on riding here, it's not so bad everywhere. Here's a little something to warm you from 'Desert' Don:

Mark Griffith invited me to do a road ride out in Canyonlands Nat’l Park. Since it was Sunday I thought this was appropriate. We met at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center at 10am. We started into a breeze. This ride climbs about 300’ on the out bound leg and a lot of that is in the first climb. This is augmented by an immediate descent from the parking lot. Oh well a good steady climb does warm you up but it took me a bit to get to an aerobic state. Once up that first climb, we started a series of rollers that lasted all the way out to Grand View. Island in the Sky is a massive bluff cut out of the earth by the Green River to the west and the Colorado to the east. As you ride south you are treated to views of the rivers a well as the White Rim Trail which is a signature MTB ride. On the way out a couple of riders caught us and we rode the rest of the way out with them. Turns out they are down from the snow country to enjoy some good riding weather.

After a break at the view point Mark and I enjoyed a brisk tailwind on the way back to the cars. At about 3 miles from the finish this blast was interrupted by a flat of my rear tire. Quick change of the tube and we finished the ride.