Exactly one month ago, I rode my new bike! I’ve been keeping an eye out for a new bike and test rode almost ten bikes over the past year, most of them at Roamfest in Sedona last year. My one non-negotiable was to have full standover, i.e., being able to stand over the top tube and have both feet flat on the ground. The winner was the Pivot Shadowcat, a.k.a., “Sassafras,” or “Sassy Cat” for short. The Shadowcat comes in 2 colours: Danger Fruit (which is really a hot pink) and Blue Mirage. My colour preference is shown below 😉 Sassy is a light, nimble bike that absorbs chunky rock with ease. I’m enjoying smoother rides on Sassy than my other bike and am feeling more confident to attempt small drops and jumps because of the longer travel (i.e., greater suspension). I’m looking forward to getting to know Sassy better! It was so wonderful to have Sassy to ride in Moab — such an epic way to break in the new bike!

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I can’t believe it’s already been 2 weeks since I was in Moab. That was an amazing trip! On my second day in Moab, while my SAT (self-appointed trainer) rode a difficult trail I didn’t feel I was ready for, Jess and I checked out the Navajo Rocks area and rode a beautiful loop full of picturesque views. It was the perfect way to do a recovery ride. It was also cool to ride during the annular eclipse!

As a final farewell, my crew went for a little walk on our last night in Moab. We enjoyed watching the sunset at Slick Rock. This is a popular trail known for its “slick rock,” which is essentially petrified sand dunes and the eroded remnants of ancient sea beds. The rock is really grippy, but the trail has tons of steep ups and downs, which make it very challenging to ride, despite the grippy rock. I’ll try riding it next time I’m in Moab (hopefully soon….next year?).