Moab (or similar) weekend with a 11yo - adrenaline and views

Fellas,

since my Colorado trip with him was already 4 years ago, he's been asking about doing something similar.

main objective to haul the mail with a SxS for a couple of hours, see some scenic tuff and burn a Delta companion certificate to get there.

I am thinking Vegas or SLC to fly into, get a rental, drive to rent a SxS . Vegas would be cool for the glam and the fact that i could possibly burn an amex fancy hotel voucher, Salt Lake for the salt flats ... really no preference.

any better or worse places to do so?
His dream would be going somewhere and riding a 2-stroke dirt bike ( he's only ridden 4 strokes , i assume it's something in his genes ) but i think a rental for a kid will be hard to come by.

I also prefer the cage around us since i have work and other commitments, so getting stranded with a fracture halfway across the country is not in the books.

should happen the weekend after next.

what sayeth the beeb?

 

I'm in Vegas a few times a year (including next week and was debating staying for the weekend), so subbed to this.

Would've been nice to see you guys again

 

ok extension of the request, who wants to come along

 

We're heading to Page, AZ in 4 weeks, using Vegas as our fly-in. From Page, you're within a couple of hours of a variety of totally cool places, plus Page is a pretty cool town on it's own.

We rented a pretty phat house

 

@brex is your reference here…

for UT at least….

 

Moab is a DRIVE from Vegas. It's also very crowded and not the town it once was. The trails around Moab are slow rock crawling, but scenery is cool. There are beginner trails for those not accustomed to crawling or SxS in general, and there are trails you don't want anything to do with unless you have plenty of experience with both and don't mind scratching, denting, rolling a vehicle. But it is fun.

However, if you're already leaning towards Vegas as a starting point, there is a large riding area with flats and dunes just north of the speedway called Apex. They even rent vehicles out there on the spot, and you have wide open mash the gas riding, sand dunes, whoops, it's a big playground. There's a decent sized Terrible's right there for gas and food.

If flying into SLC, you can do the same at the Little Sahara dunes, which are about 2 hours south of SLC. It's much more remote, services are a half hour or so away. So you'd need to bring anything you need with you and rent something somewhere along the way. It's a popular riding area, and there's a ranger station, so it's not like you'll be totally alone.
Closer to SLC is the Knolls riding area, but similar to Little Sahara you'll need to rent and trailer it in, bring whatever you need with you.
Both of those riding areas have similar terrain to Apex in Vegas - it's all desert type riding.
For more alpine riding, you can hit Wasatch State Park and explore mountain riding with a completely different experience. Dirt rather than sand, Aspen and pines, wildlife, might not see others for a while, etc. they do rent SxS on-site.

Short version - unless you're set on it, I would skip Moab. Which is hard for me to say. I used to love heading there for a weekend - Arches, Canyonlands, fun trails, quiet little town. It hasn't been that for a long time. Crowded as hell, bus loads of foreign tourists (literally) to the National Parks, a complete change to the town. I mean completely different. The old quiet town and people have been run out. Now it's overcrowded with, um, how do I say it...the town makes Berkeley feel right wing. I still head that way for MTB riding here and there, but it's a quick in and out.

I really like riding both the mountains and the desert, and you could experience both ends of the riding spectrum in the same day if you wanted.

Wasatch would be the least crowded of these options, but all on trails and not as wide-open throttle. The other areas will have plenty of crazies, just pay attention to surrounding riders. Some fun people watching as well, because someone will be doing something stupid, guaranteed.
There are other options in UT, but those would be the major spots.

However, Vegas would be the easiest option. It's maybe a 30 minute drive from the strip, and everything is there on-site.
You can just show up, ride, then leave when you're done. No other prep necessary.
You could also go to the south of Vegas rather than north and do the Speed Vegas thing. Exotics on the track and/or baja trucks on their desert course.

 

great insight @brex - thank you! i was leaning towards Vegas for the sight of it all alone, the excursions, hotel and touristy options as well. convenient off roading is a big plus.

 

Vegas is hot, like 110 this weekend.

 

I've said it before, I'll take out west in 110 degree heat all day over the Southeast at 90 with 70% humidity. We've hiked Death Valley in July multiple times with no issues at all.

 

Went cross country on a bike years ago, and when I got to Moab, I liked it so much I stayed for a week. Did a mtn bike tour of the north part of Arches, saw dinosaur footprints, rented a jeep and did Canyonlands. Cool place!

 

yeah, i just checked temps...

not saying it's not hot, but hey, at least it's not humid

 

My son and his friend rode The Whole Enchilada last time we were there. I'd never heard of it but it's a legendary trail. They were beat when they finished.

https://pedaladventures.com/the-whole-enchilada/

 

Agreed Moab will be crowded this time of year. If you've never been, it might be worth it. A few shots from back in March when I took the family out. Rented a couple of Jeeps for two days.

 

this was 4 years ago ... Colorado, can't recall the name but there was a School bus in the mountains at the end of the trail.
looking for a repeat

 

it was 99 here in FL yesterday… but it was a wet heat

 

Make sure to put Trailmater's number in your phone before you leave. Because you just never know.

 

U guys are slow!

Crew cab diesel dualie, 40' fifth wheel toyhauler!

Oh whats the question?

 

It's 90 and 63% humidity here in Boston right now. I know everyone always says they'd rather have the dry heat over humidity, but this is nice. Thick air you practically eat rather than the thin air. Nice and sweaty, but so far I'll take it over the 100+ degree dry blast furnace at home.

 

i mean...

got a link for the jeep rental?
we are not limited to sxs ... but that's where the action is.

found other spots in Idaho or elsewhere, prefer easier logistics and wider hotel choices.

 

I'm in Miami. Fuck this humidity. 89 F, 60%. I'll take AZ blast furnace all day over this.