Tag: Colorado

Mountain Biking in Fruita with OutdoorFamilies.com

In October my mountain family forayed into new territory. Mountain Biking. You’d think we’d be mountain bikers already, I mean we live ON a mountain. Although we have mountain bikes (Mountain Dad has a pretty nice one) we’re not what I would consider mountain bikers, mostly because it’s hard to ride single track with a kid on training wheels and two tots in a trailer. However, I was determined to change that with a trip to Fruita, Colorado.

Most people haven’t heard of Fruita. It’s a suburb of Grand Junction if that tells you anything of its size. The ones who have heard of Fruita probably know about it because of Mountain Biking. It’s world renown because of its great terrain, proximity to Colorado National Monument and the annual 18 Hours of Fruita Fat Tire Festival. 

Our Mountain Family camped in the North Fruita Desert. It’s a BLM campground that serves as a base for trails like Zippity Do Da, Chutes and Ladders, and Kessel’s Run. Although the camp is bare bones – pit toilets and no water – it’s location for riding the trails is great.
Overall our trip wasn’t great. Mountain Dad fell on his bike and broke a rib, Big E had a meltdown riding on the paved Colorado Riverfront Trail (which doesn’t actually go by the river in Fruita), and little G refused to try out her balance bike. I had fun on the Pumps, Bumps and Rollers trail and was proud of myself for trying out something new, but the majority of the Mountain Family would’ve rather thrown mud balls in the river.
Along with trying out a new activity, I was also trying out a new look. The Wheel Clever shirt by Club Ride Apparel. I was given this piece to review by the online store OutdoorFamilies.com. They have a wide selection of gear for outdoor adventurers.
When I first received the Wheel Clever shirt I was in for a big surprise. It’s described as lightweight but I didn’t expect it to be see through. The fabric is thin, which is good for something breathable to wear over spandex, but I was expecting something a bit more substantial. Maybe in the darker color it would seem different.
Looking at it in the package I didn’t really like the shirt, but after wearing it while biking I changed my mind. The sly bicycle wheel pattern is really cool and I also liked the thumb holes and hidden pocket. The small zippered compartment is big enough for a car key and maybe a credit card, don’t expect to fit a phone in there. The incorporated reflective accents are a nice touch as well. 
It’s a well designed long sleeved shirt that looked cool, protected my fair skin from the sun and allowed me to not feel near naked in skin tight spandex. Do I think it’s worth $64.95? Not with plastic snaps and the snag holes that appeared after just a few wearings. Do I think it’s a good shirt? Yes and I will definitely wear it again.
Pros
  • Cool bicycle wheel fabric 
  • Lightweight, long sleeved
  • Comfortable
  • Could wear biking or in public, great cover for spandex
  • Secret Ninja pocket 
Cons
  • Snaps and thin fabric seem cheaply made
  • Price – $64.95
This post is part of my Wednesday Gear Review Series. Thanks to OutdoorFamilies.com for providing the Wheel Clever shirt by Club Ride Apparel. All opinions are my own.
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The Worst Campout Ever

Last weekend Mountain Dad and I were excited to get outdoors on the first campout of the season. That excitement blinded us to the fact that camping with a two month old, three year old and six year old in the rain may be a tougher task than we were able to handle. We so wanted to get out! So what that the forecast called for rain all weekend. Surely it wouldn’t actually rain all weekend?

Thus began the worst campout ever. It started with rain while packing up, a registration mistake requiring a trip to the DMV and indecision on the destination. Our camping confidence was artificially inflated and instead of taking the downpour and DMV as omens of a terrible weekend we plowed on, thinking of the promises made to the preschooler and kindergartener.

We had decided to go to Fruita, Colorado because of its off road and mountain bike trails. Then the weather made us consider a destination in Southern Utah, but we ended up in Fruita after trusting too much on our phone’s up to the minute satellite weather report and taking a detour into a blizzard. Well, not quite but pretty cold and slushy.

We arrived late and hungry, set up camp and had a fire. I spent most of my time taking care of Mountain Baby leaving Mountain Dad and his brother to start a fire, set up tents, prepare dinner, cook, wash dishes and entertain Big E, little g and their cousin Eden.

Over the next few days the problems continued. We got lost. Little g refused to use the pit toilet. Rain kept us in the tent. One morning Big E puked. Mountain Baby needed to be held, fed and changed at the most inconvenient times. Kids fought. Parents were exhausted. We packed up in the rain. And on the drive back I had a minor accident, bending the metal on the trailer’s wheel well, just to add a rancid cherry on top of an already putrid cake.

Never before have I had such a hard time camping. Our family enjoys camping. We’re normally good at it. We have good gear. We eat good food. We all have fun. But sometimes it’s just not worth the extra work. Now I know. There is a point where getting outdoors just isn’t worth the extra effort.

I’m counting this trip as a learning experience. It would’ve been better to disappoint the kids and stay home on this one, but we couldn’t have known that when we started out. Now I’m implementing a three strikes policy. If three unforeseen problems arise on our next camping adventure it’s a sign that it’s not meant to be.

Rustler’s Loop, Fruita Colorado

Fruita, Colorado may not be well known in most circles, but to mountain bikers it’s a veritable Mecca. I’m slightly ashamed to admit that I have very little experience mountain biking, being a Mountain Mom after all. Lucky for you readers, that shame led to me try it out on my recent trip to mountain bike paradise.

The tots and I were in Fruita to visit an old friend, author Renee Collins. Her debut novel, Relic, was inspired by the local landscape – juniper bushes, desolate red rock and dry Colorado washes.

Renee took me on what she described as a beginner’s mountain biking trail. I would describe Rustler’s Loop as an expert route compared to the flat, paved, traffic free bike path I am used to riding. Rattling along rocky ruts and puffing up steep inclines, was difficult but surprisingly fun.

Rustler’s Loop started out with an intimidating incline, that I only rode for about twenty feet. The rest of the way uphill was me pushing my borrowed bike and wondering what I had gotten myself into. After that rocky start, the single track trail meanders over the plauteau, offering beautiful views of the Colorado River and Colorado National Monument across the way.

Sign posts along the trail and Renee’s coaching helped give me confidence on the bumpy, rock strewn path. I was glad someone was there to remind me, “Don’t panic and squeeze your brakes too hard downhill” and “Keep your speed up in this area, you’ll need it in the uphill section that follows.” Once I got past the fear of destroying the borrowed bike on the rocky road, I became more comfortable with pedaling and steering and even hit this amazing section of road!

The whole 3.5 mile trail only took about an hour, and I had so much fun I’m ready to do it again. It was a blast!

For directions to the trailhead click here.

Rustlers Loop
Length: 3.5 miles
Time: about 1 hour
Elevation Change: about 300 feet
Tips: Signs along the trail help beginners like me know what’s coming next.

Coke Ovens Overlook Trail, Colorado National Monument, Colorado

On our recent visit to Colorado National Monument, the tots and I explored the Coke Ovens Trail along with an old friend, author Renee Collins, and her daughter. The trail is about 0.75 mile round trip, and was relatively easy, the only rough spot being some switchbacks just after the Upper Monument Canyon trail head.

Coke Ovens Overlook Trail connects with several other trails in the Colorado National Monument system. Along the way, Big E pretended to be a jedi, randomly making light saber sounds toward juniper trees, rock cairns and his sister. We chose this trail because it was short, relatively flat and featured a fenced off viewing area at the end, where the tots could all climb and play two year old hide and seek in safety.

The quick descent featured several sharp switchbacks, which I knew would be tough on the way back up, but were fun on the way down. The view was amazing with red rock and juniper as far as the eye could see. Everything was great until we tried hiking back out.

Little g hated being wrestled into the hiking pack, but since nap time was rapidly approaching, I knew hiking uphill would only be miserable if she tried to walk on her own. I wasn’t expecting Big E, my normally avid trekker, to make such a fuss about the hike out either. Every curve of the trail brought more complaints.

“Why aren’t we there yet? Where’s the car? I’m tired. Carry me mom.” When we left for the trail I had expected good exercise, beautiful views and a little fun. I hadn’t expected to slog uphill for ten minutes to a chorus of complaints.

Luckily the hike ended quickly and we all went out for lunch to celebrate. We needed it.

Coke Ovens Overlook Trail
Length: 0.75 mile
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Tips: Don’t go with cranky kids.