We’ve had only a few clear days for videography since we moved to Fruita at the end of August this year. This problem is not new to those living in the U.S. West and many other countries.
I have most of the shooting done for the 18 Road / North Fruita Desert trails video but nothing else. Moab last weekend was the same. While the smoke wrecks the distant views, not the trails, I’m sure all of us want to see beautiful views and the crisp colors of Red Rock Country. I ride for the scenic value as much as the technical challenges.
Photo: Me searching for the canceled Outerbike event at Moab Brand Trails last weekend. Love that event! The smoke doesn’t look bad here but the La Sal Mountains were not visible at all. Everything closer was rather grayish.
Most of the smoke seems to originate in California but there are contributions from Utah and Colorado wildfires also.
I’m finally getting to use my new GoPro Hero8 camera. I’m no longer using a gimbal and the GoPro’s stabilization works great! A little bouncer than with a gimbal but more like a real ride. Not the chatter of the bad old days of MTB videos. I bought this camera for my usual spring road trip to Utah and Western Colorado but the pandemic blocked that.
I show and explain the best sections of Moab mountain bike trails by trail system. Please watch these on a big screen, preferably 4K. They are much more immersive.
I’ll be adding Moab trails throughout 2020 and also trails in the Grand Valley (Fruita / Grand Junction) and Zion / St George areas. I may do some shooting in Sedona during 2020 but certainly some time soon.
After not publishing for a couple of years as I shot videos with a gimbal and 4K I finally had a little time to publish 4 in January. Long dry spell but I was learning to be a software developer, my 11th career, and didn’t have the time and attention to publish.
I published the Klonzo Trails Highlights today and last week the Klondike Bluffs Highlights. More to come.
I really want the new Skydio 2 drone for shooting this spring and fall. However, I found that I would need a reservation to buy one and the next batch of deliveries is in the fall! It would be a great addition to my next videos series. So I’ll shoot a bunch this spring in the SouthWest and then ride some of the trails again in the fall with the drone. Hopefully it will arrive by then. The new series will launch next fall but I’ll continue with the highlights series.
Two more months to the Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival and the beginning of the 2020 high desert riding season! Also, this year I’ll start shooting our interesting side trips.
I’m starting a new series of Trails Highlights that are short and I present and explain just the more interesting features in trail systems. Check out my first one and let me know your thoughts.
This April I begin shooting for a new series of videos and we’ll ride along together so you can sit at home in front of a 4K TV and enjoy the experience! A big 4K TV will give you a much more immersive experience than a smart phone 🙂 These should be good videos for home gym workouts.
I’m going to buy a gimbal and reshoot the trails of Moab, Grand Valley (Fruita), and Zion / St. George, and all in 4K. I tried working with what I have this winter and wasn’t satisfied.
Meanwhile I’m changing format and will soon have videos of me explaining the trails on maps in 4K while showing my 1080p videos as picture in picture. Â They will be replaced with 4K gimbal shots of trails after that for the best ever explanation and orientation of these trails.
This is only interesting if you haven’t rode the area before but want to know what is there. The next step for you would be to focus on specific trails that interest you at http://utahmountainbiking.com and YouTube.
Katya and I will be riding Sedona near the end of March then hanging out at the Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival. Â See you there?
I’m trying something new, basing the videos on me explaining the trails with maps and added a few images and videos at the more interesting trail sections. Â I’m experimenting and progress is very slow. Â Also swamped with work if I’m to get back on the Moab trails in April.
Somehow I have to stop coding for a while and get this done but not easy to do. Â Meanwhile, I’ll be in Hurricane, Moab, and the Grand Valley (Fruita / Grand Junction) for much of April.
Christmas Day and starting the long edit process for new videos. The first one will be Moab West Side, then North Side, then East Side. After this I’ll move on to Fruita / Grand Junction, Lake Tahoe, and remake my Zion / St. George production which will include new trails and clips.
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I’m using an editor that is new to me, Apple’s Final Cut Pro, and a totally different approach to telling the story about MTB trails. It will be modeled after how I advise riders on the trails but with video clips of what is in my head at the time. Voice-overs of course but very little music in these videos.
I’m riding the trails here for another week and then home to Silicon Valley for the winter. Â I don’t have much left to shoot for my next Moab Mountain Biking Trail Analysis videos for this area.
The upper Whole Enchilada is open but very cold and muddy when not frozen. Â Not sure I want to ride it now.
Trying out my new Fox Factory Float 34 2017 fork. Â So far it is amazing!!! Â Blog post to come but so far it is far safer and more plush at low speeds than the Rockshox Pike or Revelation. Â My Revelation will be on eBay next week!
On the Alaska Trail, Klondike Bluffs, Moab Ut. Arches on the left and Salt Valley far below.
I added a short video of biking this amazing slick rock area north of Moab!  Much more beautiful slick rock than usual, and mostly very smooth.  It is like powder skiing 🙂  A real bonus is that the climb to the top is easy and scenic.  Perfect beginner / intermediate terrain with some scary stuff for advanced riders.
Explore the top trails with me in Southwest Utah! I’ll take you on a quick ride on 7 major trails including South Rim, Hidden Canyon, and North Rim on Gooseberry Mesa, JEM, Guacamole Mesa, Little Creek Mesa, Quail Lake / Boy Scout Trails, Prospector and Church Rocks, and Barrel Roll with a mention of the more technical nearby Zen Trail. There is a lot to ride in the region that hosts the famous Red Bull Rampage free ride event.
