We are back! This time with a custom private cycling trip in Utah!

With very little training, unfortunately.
I was diverted by my half Marathon training (along with life stuff) and neglected the bike. I even thought about pulling out, but “The Year of the Smitha” needs to be seen through and it was the bike tour for the month of December.

Day 1 Capitol Reef National Park

We started off with a wonderful ride through Capitol Reef National Park, one of the most underrated places that sees far far less visitors than the more popular Arches (and Canyonland due to proximity), Zion and Bryce National Parks in Utah.

The roads were newly paved butter smooth, the temps were perfect, the landscape dramatic, and my heart was swelling. I just knew that in spite of very little

Day 2 Capital Reef to Boulder, Utah with @cyclinghouse

A beautiful day but also a tad different for me. I think I let it get to me mentally more than physically. Oh well, happens.

Spending time outdoors with friends is worth all the mental games!

Day 3 Burr Trail

Absolutely one of my favorite sections of a ride – Dramatic views, Red Cliffs, climbs and descents, flat coke, the best of people. In a much better frame of mind than yesterday, knowing that all I can do is one pedal stroke at a time.

Starting in Boulder, Utah, Burr trail took us through the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument into more remote sections of Capitol Reef. We wove through red rock canyons, atop ridges and saw incredible scenery! Could it get any better than this?

I also got my “strava QOM” of the trip! Had a lot of things from work on my mind and even after almost 5 days away, I wasn’t able to let go. And in the Burr trail, I finally let go and cleared it from my mind. And that process showed on strava – I rode HARD and fast and Brendon describes it as giving poor Zeb a full workout to keep up.

Day 4 “Hell’s Backbone”

Boulder, Utah to Escalante via Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with @cyclinghouse

Another beautiful even if slightly overcast day to ride through the dramatic landscape of Utah.

I never thought I’d say that I preferred the climbs over descents – descending when trying to not look over the edges which were sheer drop-offs was making me nauseous to the point that I’d off the bike at turn out points and try to serrle my stomach!

But oh, the grand beauty of it all! Worth the effort it took to breathe through the vertigo fear.

Day 5 Snow Canyon, the 70.3 St. George Bike Route

Highlight of the day – eating the best darn pie!