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The Whole Enchilada is a 34.1 mile mountain bike ride. My partner and I rode on a hardtail, not recommended.

We also have been climbing in the Creek and Kayaking, not mountain biking, therefore we are not in shape for mountain biking. However, when someone invites you on something this epic – and you are in shape, you go.

Also since we have been busy with our jobs and other sports, we didn’t really pack as you should when you do an epic.

Basically, I worked Saturday and ran around grabbing cliff bars and making sure we had extra tubes. Meanwhile, my dear friend who is an excellent mountain biker asked if she could take a nap before heading out. I know this to mean there is a 50/50 chance she slept through her alarm. I told her to fit into the car and sleep on the way. When I went to buy the dog sitter beer, I came home to friend asleep on my couch

My partner, friend, and I put three bikes and camp gear into a Subaru and headed out to Moab, rolling into camp way after dark. We had planned on meeting everyone by using an In-reach. But, the unsuspecting a group decided to host a rave in the same location. The silver lining, we had Porta-Pottys.

As one does when you camp next to a rave. You attend, do a little wet noodle, then head back to camp to pass out. There were Hobbits, angels, fairies dancing until 4 am. A little rough start to a 34.1 mile ride though. The rave boosted on dancing until sunrise, they only made it until 4 am.

The next day we made it to our shuttle. And all in good spirits.

We all stuck together, and had a hell ride down the La Sal Mountains. From the steep drops to the gorgeous views, we were really getting into the groove. When we reached around mile 12 miles in, one of us took a turn too quickly on sandy. Then there were two less, as they headed to the rode to be picked up by doctors in rich 4 wheelers and taken to the ER.

My personal favorite was the slick rock, I had never really encountered large amounts of slick rock – and let me tell you – it is a delight!

Most of us brought only water and a ton of it, but one of us had a pack full of powerade. Every 5 to 10 miles one of us were rubbing against him with big ole heeey therrreee do you have an extra powerade?

Towards the end everyone started eagerly looking for the river, the sign that the end is near! Towarda the end, there is one hop that is near impossible. I say near because all of us walked it, but we saw a single rider achieve it.

Just as I approached the jump up, a biker showed up with a pack of boys. And he hopped that bike right up, None of the other boys tried it. One of my friends tells me, “it is so impressive what we humans can do.” That brings a warm vibration through my weary bones.

We biked all the way back to our shuttle. I would not recommend this. If we do this again, we will certainly park a car at the “take out,” ot book a closer shuttle. Instead we biked the river trail all the way back to the shuttle on the other side of town.

Once back in town we all stripped down and put on our comfy clothes literally in the parking lot. Everyone could feel the swirl of a snow storm beginning to brew.

We quickly packed everything into the vehicles. Our car stopped at fast food drive thru and drove the three hours back home. Once we arrived home we left unpacking for the next day. Our friend drove herself home to wait until tomorrow. After a slow rise, we all sank into her glorious hot tub in the morning and dropped off her camping gear.

Success.