Every time we visit Moab, UT, to go riding we are reminded just how many trails and areas we have yet to discover.
That happened again this past May when we headed to Moab to attend the 2014 Rally on the Rocks. So at this year’s ROTR we mixed it up a little. We rode a couple of trails we had yet to experience and, better yet, tackled some obstacles we have always bypassed in years past.
Most riders probably already know, but the Discount Tires ROTR, sponsored by the Polaris RZR, is an annual side-by-side riding event and powersports show we look forward to every year.
To kick off this year’s ROTR we participated in the Tread Lightly! trail maintenance project, sponsored by Discount Tire and KYMCO. See the report on the project elsewhere in this issue.
This year we rode Fins-N-Things (rated a No. 4 trail in difficulty), Steel Bender (a 6 rating), Hell’s Revenge (a 5+ rating) and Top of the World (a 3 rating) as part of the ROTR. We also struck out on our own one day and tackled Rusty Nail (a 6 + rating)—not a part of the guided rides at the ROTR—and parts of the Gold Bar Rim (a 6 + rating) and Golden Spike (a 6-7 rating).
The Rusty Nail/Gold Bar Rim ride was excellent. We really had fun on the obstacles and the view at lunch from the rim of the rocks overlooking the valley below was stunning. The same can be said for our ride on the Top of the World trail. The views from the top are amazing and help you really appreciate all that Moab has to offer. A shout out to the guys at Starting Line Products for the ride on the Top of the World trail and, as usual, a big thanks to KYMCO for letting us tag along on the rides during the ROTR.
We posted daily reports and lots of photos of each of our rides on our website www.dirttoysmag.com as well as our Facebook page so if you would like to view that information, visit those websites.
After the work project mentioned above we also took a quick spin around parts of Hell’s Revenge and hit some obstacles riders are not allowed to tackle as a part of the ROTR guided rides. Those obstacles include Hell’s Gate, the Escalator, Hot Tubs and the Tip-Over Challenge. Just to be clear, the Tip-Over Challenge is one obstacle you can try during the ROTR guided rides.
While challenging, these obstacles are fun to navigate and experience the thrill of driver ability and vehicle capability.
Something we haven’t really experienced in nearly a half dozen or so past trips to Moab was all the water in the holes and low spots on the trails, especially Hell’s Revenge. All that water—a result of plentiful rainfall previous to the ROTR—created even more excitement, and to a small degree, small obstacles along the trails. And there was plenty of water in the Hot Tubs.
And, of course, all that rain provided a timely shot of moisture for the desert surrounding Moab, adding to the spectacular beauty of the area.
We view the ROTR as a kick off of sorts for our summer off-road season.
What a great start to the season.
