Took a three-day bikepacking weekend and did a late-season ride in southern Utah. I’ve wanted to do this ride for a couple of years- was worth the wait. High 30’s to low 40’s at night, mid 60’s during the day. Short days meant starting at sunset the first day and riding on a moonless night for ten miles. Lights on I crawled up the Reef to camp at 6000 feet. Windy, cold but made for a stunning view in the morning. A true Slope Oak start to the day.

The name? The ride starts on Temple Mountain Road, where it intersects US-24 and heads toward the Reef and the turn-off to Goblin Valley State Park. After climbing up the route heads down to meet I-70. After crossing underneath, it heads to Black Dragon Canyon. A short ride through a drainage tunnel and then on to the Hatts Ranch Bypass road where I camped for the night. A crazy windy night, then back on Hatts to US-24 for a 17-mile road ride to the car.