kidscrossutah2008

Day 2:

The second day of riding was only a little bit shorter than the first day.We rode about 102 miles of rough trails.Some trails were easy dirt roads surrounded by grazing cows, while others were rocky switchbacks with very little room to fall.Towards the end of the day, we rode on the Great Western Trail and it almost felt as if we were riding on Mars.Most of the trails were really dusty, so by the time we finished the ride, our faces were covered in dirt.Like the first day, there was fantastic scenery and awesome views.We completed our exhilarating day of riding at Austin’s Chuck Wagon in Torrey, Utah.

Day 3:

The third day was a little more difficult than any of us expected.We started off riding on easy dirt roads for several miles until we came across a difficult trail that we were supposed to take.Before the trail there was a sign that said “Caution: Sharp and sudden turns with drop offs exist for next 6 miles.”Well, the sign wasn’t lying because the trail was rocky and very difficult for us to get through.We kept at a slow, even pace and eventually got through it.We also went through many water crossings.Some of them were as small as a little puddle, while others were as big as a mini van.We stopped for lunch at a nice, shady spot and enjoyed turkey wraps and sandwiches.After lunch, we continued our ride and came across a meadow that was filled with cows.We stopped and ran after the cows, trying to pet one.The cows ran away from us, but we still laughed and had fun.We sustained riding and finished the day with smiles on our faces at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon, Utah.

Day 4:

The fourth day was one of the best and one of the worst.It was a short riding day, only about 70 miles.We rode on easy trails for the first 40 miles or so.We went through a Castro Canyon that was surrounded by gorgeous red rock.Then we stopped in Panguitch, Utah and had some lunch.While we were eating lunch, the dark clouds started to move in outside, and soon, it started to rain.It rained hard for an hour and we just sat outside waiting for it to lighten up.Eventually, the rain started to let up a little, so we put on our rain gear and ponchos and headed out again.The trails were extremely muddy and slick, which made it very tough riding for us.We slid and got stuck, but, in the end, we all got through it.Covered in mud and wet from the rain, we arrived in Bear Claw, Utah.

Day 5:

The fifth day was the day that we all took a break.We were staying at a little place called Bearpaw, which rented out cabins as your room to stay in.They were small and stuffy, but it was a fun experience and much different than your basic hotel room.This day was supposed to be a day of relaxation, no worries and definitely no riding.But, of course, all anybody wanted to do was ride.So, we did a short ride down into a little town called Hatch for lunch.As we were eating, the dark clouds slowly started to roll in, so we hurried ourselves back up to Bearpaw before it could start raining.We spent the rest of the day relaxing and getting ready for our last ride the next day.

Day 6:

The sixth and final day was one of the best.We only rode about 60 miles, which was nothing compared to some of the other days.The first 20 miles were all easy dirt roads in which we could go faster, making better time.Then, the next 20 miles were all ATV trails that were still muddy from the rain a couple days before.It was tough, but we got through it okay.We took a break on the road after all the hard stuff.We had fun playing with a grasshopper and putting it on our heads.The break helped rejuvenate us and we were back on the road again.After 45 miles, we came to a water crossing and decided to stop and go for a swim.We swam and played in the creek for about an hour.It cooled us off and we were all ready to hit the road again.We finished the day at about 1:00 in the afternoon, Utah time.That was the end of the day and it was time to pack up and go home.

We all enjoyed the ride so much and we would definitely do it again.I think the one thing that we can all say about this ride is: It made us better riders. .....Kaitlin V