ADVENTURE: Adventure Xstream Series, Moab

MULTI SPORTS

Words: Ico Schutte ǀ Photos: Gravity Play Sports

Adventure Xstream Series Moab A 50+ mile adventure in 6-12 hours.

30+ miles of epic Moab riding.

6+ miles of single-track running.

8+ miles of paddling the Colorado River.

A breathtaking 100-metre abseil.

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Adventure Xstream Series Moab Moab - a town some of you might remember from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade or Transformers: Age of Extinction.

But if you are like me, you will remember it from the many Freeride mountain bike films shot here, such as the Kranked series in the late nineties.

Moab is a small town in Utah, on the western side of the Unites States, and has a population of just over 5,000 people. It is a popular holiday destination for hikers, bikers, 4x4 drivers and all outdoor enthusiasts. 

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Adventure Xstream Series Moab

Over the weekend of 5 April 2014, I was fortunate enough to make a childhood dream come true and ride the slick rock trails in the Utah Desert.

The main purpose of my weekend visit to Moab was to participate in the Adventure Xstream Series (AXS) 50-miles race.

Arriving on Friday afternoon, I had some time to spare and decided to hit the trails around town. Moab has an extensive trail network that is well marked and has varying difficulty, from family friendly dirt roads to gravity chasing, double black diamond trails. Maps and information are available from all local bike shops.

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I was recommended to ride in the Amasa back area and first did the Hymesa trail, a spectacular climb up a valley on a trail that is mostly single track and slick rock. It does require some skill to get up and over the rocks, but the effort is well worth the spectacular views over the vast desert canyons and Colorado River.

Going back down, I chose the Captain Ajab trail, a double black that lives up to its reputation. Boasting big rock drop offs, jumps and technical bits, I truly appreciated the adjustability of my Cannondale Jekyll here. Short travel and firm on the uphill, and with the flip of a switch it transforms into a long

travel, rock-eating machine! After my adrenalin fix for the day, I was ready to attend the race briefing and discover what adventures awaited us the next morning.

Gravity Play Sports has been in the business for 14 years, and it was evident from the smooth operation and great event they put on. This race is classified as a sport distance (50 miles), but they also offer different distances throughout the year, with each event having unique and exciting adventures based on the area. The breakdown of this event was ± 30 miles (50 km) of incredible mountain biking, 6 miles (10 km) of single-track running that also included a massive 100-metre abseil/rappel down into a canyon, and 8 miles (13 km) of flat-water kayaking on the Colorado River.

As with all adventure races, competitors have to plot and navigate their own routes to the checkpoints using only a map, coordinates supplied by race organisers, and a compass. The navigation element in this race was fairly straightforward and makes it an ideal race for first timers who want to taste adventure and build up to the expedition distance races (300 km / 500 km).

SATURDAY MORNING STARTED OF COOL AND CLOUDY IN THE DESERT. There was much

excitement and nerves, with some participants looking relaxed while others were running around deciding what to wear and if the harness should go on the bike or around the waist.

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Adventure Xstream Series Moab

Promptly at 8 a.m., we set off on the first bike leg. Estimated to be around 18 miles (30 km), it was not going to be easy though, as we started the day with a massive, mean climb up between the canyons. The climb lasted

for 8 km and took me 45 minutes to get to the top. My efforts were well rewarded with the famous Moab slick rock and single-track descent to transition. Here I made a crucial mistake and broke my chain, losing 10 minutes while I fixed the problem.

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RIDING TIP: When changing between gears, especially on

an ascent, it very important to ease off the power between shifts and make sure the gear has changed before applying pressure again. Always carry a chain link and chain breaker, especially for adventure racing. I was back on the power too quickly to get over a rock and with a missed shift, snapped the chain.

From transition, it was a short run to CP3 and the rappel, which was spectacular. Looking over the edge, you couldn't even see the bottom of the overhanging cliff. So if you have any fear of height issues, this will sort it out! From the bottom of the cliff we had a scenic but tough trail run back to the transition area, to pick up our bikes for the third leg of the race.

For full results, visit www.axsracing.com

The third bike leg (± 20 km) offered different route options; there was a straight and short option on jeep track, as well as other single-track options. Deciding that I was there for a good time, I opted to experience more of what Moab has to offer. And it was a wise decision; the riding is breathtaking (altitude and heat play a factor) and scenery mind blowing, all of which left the soul revitalised for the last bit of riding to the final transition for the kayak leg.

The kayak leg was an 8-mile (13 km) paddle on the flat section of the Colorado River. Solo racers were allowed to provide their own boats, while team racers had to use the two-person inflatable kayaks provided by the organisers. For me, this presented a bit of a problem as the only boat I have with me, on my travels, is my white-water kayak. So I braved it out on the slowest boat known

to man. The group of competitors that I was riding with shot off into the distance in their long and fast boats, while I tried to find a comfortable position for the long haul back to the finish. With a slow boat and headwind, this leg of the race really took its toll on me. I think my paddle time was close to 2 hours and probably double that of the guys in the faster boats.

There were moments of hunger, thirst, sunburn and leg spasms in the stumpy little boat. But this is the nature of adventure racing, you have to persevere and I pushed through for a 7 hour 30 minutes finish time. Not a bad way to spend a day!

Thanks to Gravity Play Sports for a great event. •

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