Spectrum: If you can't travel, it's nice to read about travel. In the summer of 2020, Hans Rey was on a road trip across the Wild West with his wife Carmen Rey. The two explored the wild and beautiful nature that this incredibly diverse area has to offer with their mobile home and GT bikes and e-bikes.
Enjoy Carmen Rey's refreshing and dream-inducing story of her road trip through the western United States:
Escaping Covid-19 by Carmen Freeman-Rey
It was March 11th, 2020, Hans and I were boarding a flight from LAX to London Heathrow with plans to spend time in the UK. The plane doors were locked and passengers buckled while we waited for the taxi when the captain announced the news of a travel ban on people coming to the US from Europe. It didn't include Britain at the time, but for how long? Many passengers on board became uneasy as permission to disembark was given to those who wanted to. We had to make a decision quickly to stay on board or leave, we decided to leave. It turned out to be the right decision.
The ban was actually extended to Great Britain on Friday, and bars in California were ordered to close on Sunday. Restaurants, offices, schools, and non-essential travel would soon follow. Beaches have been closed, as have local parks, hiking trails and national parks. Two days earlier, Hans and I had been discussing renting an RV and going on a road trip. The plan was to visit some states with beautiful scenery and take some shots along the way. Well, that plan didn't work either. At least not yet.
Let's go, the travel restrictions have been lifted.
When travel restrictions were lifted we thought it was time for a change of scenery and we needed to get out of crazy town. The beaches seemed busier than ever and the hiking trails busier than we had ever seen them. There was little chance of social distancing outdoors, so we decided to head to the wild west.
Our route would take us from California to Nevada, then Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Utah again. We rode bikes, hiked in the national parks and visited friends in an ever-changing landscape with breathtaking views. I feel like we appreciated that feeling of freedom, the open road and a change of scenery even more after being locked away for so long.
On the way there we experienced extreme temperatures, from 37 degrees Celsius in bright sunshine on the one hand to minus degrees and snow on the other. Kobe, our West Highland Terrier, who has Scottish genes, loved the snow but didn't like the intense heat that much, but luckily we were rarely far from a natural water source, be it a stream, river or lake.
Loaded with bikes, gear, food, and enough beer and wine to sink the Titanic, we set out for our first destination, Las Vegas. A quick overnight pit stop and we were back on the road towards Monument Valley UT. It was quite a long drive, but we managed to reach our first camp before sunset, with the magnificent monuments looming on the horizon. As the sun disappeared, it was replaced by the most stunning orange moon, turning the landscape a deep pink. A stunning sight but it was so hot. It was also Hans' birthday so we celebrated under the stars with a perfect dinner in a perfect setting.
Absolutely terrifying. The ride on a knife edge.
The following day began with a stop at the Gooseneck Bends, a series of horseshoe-shaped rocks dug by the Colorado River. We stood at the edge of the canyon, which dropped steeply in front of us. We decided to take some shots so Hans unhitched his GT Force at the back of the van. To be honest I was scared because he was riding so close to the edge, one wrong pedal stroke and it would have been game over. As he inched closer, leaping from one ledge to the next, all I could do was position my camera, close my eyes, and click. I couldn't bear to watch him.
Since the stay at home order had only just been lifted, many of the national parks were not fully open. But we were able to do the Valley of the Gods loop, a bit sketchy in an RV, some warned us to turn back, but we made it along the rutted, exposed switchbacks.
Hans decided to get his bike out and ride some lines, we had been sitting for a long time and he was itching to take his bikes for a spin, if only for a short time. The setting was majestic and wide open with sandstone buttes rising like fingers around us.
Next we drove to the home of our old friend and fellow cyclist, Bill Freeman, who lives in Mancos, Colorado. Bill is an excellent photographer and has worked with Hans many times over the years. He moved here from California a few years ago and built himself a hilltop home at the end of a long dirt road with a huge deck that offers incredible views of the mountains and Mesa Verde. After a BBQ on the terrace and an incredible lightning show, it was time to sleep with a plan for a ride the next day.
Hans and Bill rode the trails at Ramparts while I hiked the same trail with Kobe and Bill's dog Jasmine. The hike/bike ride was a stunning trail that descended from the top of a table mountain before climbing back up. Miles of Aspen forest were traversed by clear, sparkling streams that meandered through the switchbacks. The delicate leaves shimmered in the sunlight while the tall, slender trunks swayed in the wind. There were a few obstacles due to the storm the night before, many trees were down and quite a few were across the path. No problem for Hans and Bill, they just jumped over her. They had a blast and Bill took some great photos along the way.
Another day and another drive, this time to the famous Phil's World Trails System near Cortez. Hans and Bill had arranged to meet up with a few local drivers and trail dog Honzo. The trails had something for most levels of riders, from rocky and loose, steep and technical to slick dirt with flow.
After two nights with Bill it was time to head to Telluride CO. This former mining town is now a famous ski resort in the Rocky Mountains. During the Covid shutdown, Telluride has sealed itself off from the rest of the physical world; this was easy for them to do as they are at the bottom of the valley. They had reopened the road to visitors a few days earlier.
Our day ended at Sunshine Campground, we slept like hibernating bears and woke up to brilliant sunshine. Two fun rides followed, the first being the Bear Creek Trail, a wide multipurpose trail that ran parallel to the river for most of the way along with meadows and smaller waterfalls, driving required some concentration as the ground was a mass of fist sized looses stones and wet, smooth slabs.
The next leg was a switchback-heavy ride up Trico Peak and Ingram Falls. The falls were really spectacular, we got pretty soaked at the end; the drive back into town gave us another incredible view. For me one of the highlights of the day was overcoming my phobia of riding through rivers, I managed several times not to fall off my bike. Of course Hans can ride them, I complain that he has helium in his front tire.
From there we drove to the next valley and there the sunshine was replaced by snow. Our destination was Ouray, which turned out to be the most picturesque and historically-preserved town of our entire trip. The next day, the sun burned through the fog and brought us white snow caps along the crests of the red mesas. Especially pretty against the now bright blue sky.
We were on our way to Utah again, this time to Moab and to see Greg Herbold, known to most as HB. HB is a former downhill world champion and he calls his home trail Slick Rock. Hans and HB were known for their comedic roles in the classic MTB movie Tread, part of which was filmed here in 93'. Slickrock is world famous, a trail on solid rock, the path is marked with color dots. Not for the faint of heart, with steep sections, sudden drops and exposed sections, it requires both skill and stamina. Hans took his e-bike, the GT E-Force, with him. Since e-bikes are allowed there, they figured a little help with endurance would leave more energy for additional fun challenges. The Shimano Steps 8000 motor in Hans Bike provides plenty of tailwind! It's a bit of an oxymoron, but the rock isn't smooth at all, it's actually super grippy.
We said goodbye to HB and his wife Deborah and headed out to Wilsons's Arch. This huge golden natural arch isn't in the park so Hans decided it was time to break out the trials bike for an Instagram moment. We rode up the incredibly steep incline, struggling a little under the weight of my camera backpack pulling me backwards.
The spectacle was so worth it and I got some of my absolute favorite shots there. When I was lying on my back or rocking on the edge trying to keep my balance, I was so grateful for the rock's support.
Hans never ceases to amaze me on the bike, he is fearless and nothing seems to faze him, whether he's riding a steep ledge, jumping from one craggy rock to another hundreds of meters below him, or 180 degrees on a narrow ridge high above the valley below. When I looked at the photos afterwards, I was very pleased that I had a "model" who could do the moves that did justice to the immense, one-of-a-kind beauty on our road trip.
From Moab to Marble Canyon and Lee's Ranch, which sits on the Colorado River. Our original plan had been to drive to Vermillion Canyon, but as it turned out the road was unsuitable for anything but a 4×4. It turned out to be a good omen when we changed our minds at the last minute. That night a terrible brush fire raged in Vermillion and this road and the main highway were closed; fate granted us a lucky escape.
Our final destination was to be Zion National Park in Utah, which meant another long drive. We decided to break the drive and camp at the Lone Rock Beach Campground on Lake Powell, Arizona. We arrived just as night fell.
Off to Zion and the home of the Rampage.
The next morning we were ready to drive to Zion, which is not far from Virgin, home of Redbull Rampage. That night was one of my favorite nights; we found a dry spot just a stone's throw from the Rampage site. Again we were able to park anywhere and although other people were there they were so far away that we felt completely alone. A stroke of luck. I wished I could camp somewhere in the wilderness with no light pollution, and that's what I got. It was awesome; the sky was dotted with the brightest stars and planets, forming a blanket of lights that seemed so close you could almost touch them.
In the morning we headed to Zion, dropping Kobe off at another old friend from California, Steve Peterson, along the way. He and his wife Linda have an absolutely stunning home on the banks of the Virgin River with a view from their patio of the highest peak in Zion National Park. It's hard to put into words the absolute beauty of the light as it etched itself on the red rocks and cast a rosy glow all around.
We rode our e-bikes to the park, Hans on the GT E-Force and I on the E-Verb, which was recommended to us as the best way to explore the park. It was ideal.
Our day was packed with a hike to the Emerald Pools and then The Narrows, a slot canyon that was a challenging hike through the Virgin River all the way. We thought the hike would be along the river and not really in it. Luckily we found two driftwood sticks to keep us balanced as we waded on slippery rocks in sometimes waist-deep water. It was so much fun and once again we were grateful for the refreshing cool water as the temperature rose to 95F.
That evening we parked our RV at Steve's house and enjoyed another sunset in another beautiful spot.
Hans always wanted to ride the Grafton Trails around the Zion but never got the chance. Now he had it, and what better way than with a local guide. He and Steve hit the road after making the difficult decision of which lap to ride when there were so many to choose from.
In the end, they settled on Wire Mesa to Grafton, with a few additional detours along the way. Hans described Wire Mesa as a fun, technical single track with smooth rocks and sand in places. Not for beginners, it requires skill and experience, but not as much as the Gooseberry Mesa. Grafton was similar but with fairly rocky sections in places, mostly moderate but with some difficult sections as well.
When Hans came back I can honestly say I've never seen him so exhausted after a ride as he was after this one. He stumbled into the RV, his face black with dirt, dizzy, dehydrated, and wobbly legs. He said he was so close to throwing up. My quick fix in these circumstances is Coca Cola. He took this with an ice pack on the back of his neck. Followed by more water and pasta, he began to feel more human again. But not human enough to drive. He left that to me when we headed back to California.
It's been a road trip, but also a much-needed break from being locked at home and the tensions that a pandemic brings to the world. We felt a million miles away from it all as we drove down the wide road and let the landscape engulf us.