Presidents' Weekend Get-away - 2013

Kodachrome Basin State Park on Friday was almost entirely snowless with a gorgeous clear blue sky.  It was so fun scrambling around with our good friend Anna and her 9 year-old son.  I'd forgotten what a great place this is for families.  

Kodachrome Basin State Park - Ronelle and Phil

Kodachrome - notice the famous "pipes"

Bryce Canyon on Saturday; we'd planned to snowshoe but decided we could hike it.  There were places snowshoes would have been good but mostly they would have been in the way - it was 4 hours and 5.5 miles of red rock hoodoos, archways, narrow paths (no path in many places) in snow and ice surrounded by the most breathtaking blue skies you've ever laid eyes on. 

Bryce Canyon - Brooke and Jayson

Bryce Canyon-almost to the Peekaboo loop

Randy - literally in snow up to his knees

Yours truly sliding from an upper path to a lower one-
no, I'm not carrying a purse; its a bag of snowshoes.

Heading up Navajo Loop trail to the rim trail

Bryce Canyon - Navajo Loop - headed up to the rim trail.
 Little did we know we still had a looong way to go!

Bryce Canyon - look close . . .
Randy had switched to shorts!

Looking back down at the switchbacks coming
up from Navajo Loop - Bryce Canyon

On to St. George for 50-60 degree bike riding!  Can I just say biking in Winter, Spring and Fall in Southern Utah feeds my soul!!

Anna, Ben, Kim, Brooke, Jayson, Todd, Ronelle, Phil
Entrance to Tuacahn Amphitheatre

Like us on facebook at Recreate In Utah-Specialty Publications

2013 Road Bike Rides We Recommend

#1 - March 9-12 - Skinny Tire Festival - Moab, Utah - will be our first time at this event.  We are really looking forward to it.  Hope to see everyone there!!  If you haven't already, you need to reserve your lodging very very soon (today).  I'm especially looking forward to the yoga classes being offered the morning after the ride - designed specifically for cyclists.

#2 - April 20 - Spring Tour de St. George - St. George, Utah - Our 3rd year at this one.  Absolutely wonderful!!  The views will blow you away.  The terrain is so varied, the ride so well supported - this is a ride for all levels and ages.

#3 - May 18 - MoonShadows - Moab, Utah - Ride starts on the north end of Moab at 5pm; goes to Deadhorse Point where dinner is provided as the sun sets over Canyonlands National Park.  After dinner, the bike lights come on and we ride by moonlight back to Moab!

Antelope Island by Moonlight 2012 - KarinMarie and
Brayden about to start.

#4 - June 1 - Ride The Gap - Parowan, Utah - Another ride sponsored by Spin Geeks; the flattest ride in their series and great for first time riders.

#5 - July 19 - Antelope Island by Moonlight - Great Salt Lake, Utah  - This popular ride will celebrate its 20th year this summer.  Always held on a midsummer Friday night with a full moon, Antelope Island by Moonlight is a WONDERFUL event for the whole family.  Road is closed to cars and bikes must be fully lit with tail and headlights.

#6 - July 20 - Desperado Dual - Panguitch, Utah - This is Utah’s only fully supported one-day, 200-mile cycling adventure.  There are also 50 and 100 mile options.  I always thought these Jerseys are the coolest of any race.

Finished!  Fall Tour de St. George 2012 - Phil and Ronelle

#7 - Sept. 20-21 - Salt to Saint - Starts at Utah's State Capitol and ends in St. George.  This race can be set up with relay teams of 8 or 4 or even just the brave solo rider.  Don't be intimidated by the distance, this is a great ride for cyclists of all abilities.  An eight man team averages 3 legs totaling about 50 miles a person.  We've done it the past two years and had more fun than you can imagine.

#8 - October 26 - Fall Tour de St. George - St. George, Utah - This is the Fall version of April's race.  The routes are changed and so is the scenery.  Nothing matches the temperatures and colors of Utah's Dixie in October.