The Best of Brian Head and Gooseberry Mesa

Having had such a good time with the Alaskan Girls in New Mexico last year, we all decided to get together for another tour. This time it was Utah. Since we had a large group Escape Adventures made a custom tour just for us, taking the most challenging and beautiful rides of a couple of their Utah tours and packing them into one six-day fun-fest.

Cast Of Characters

Jacques - Tour Guide and Chef Extraordinaire. Despite fracturing his femur in several places in the spring, Jacques was there for us with wit, terrific displays of riding skill, and of course his renowned cooking.

Nikki - Tour Guide, Honorary Alaskan Biker Chick, and Pastry Chef. Don't talk to her before breakfast and you'll be treated to great stories, great riding (doesn't she ever get tired?) and of course desserts to die for.

Andy - Venturing far from his humble rural Pennsylvania origins, his Arlington, Massachusetts home, and his eight-month-pregnant wife, Andy's primary job was to provide comic relief.

Barbara -

Deenie - Booking the tour for us and riding her new Giant, Deenie proved to be not only a great climber like last year, but also a brave descender.

Janice (aka "Booté Sister") - With racer roots and scars that have to be seen to be believed, Janice showed her stuff both on the bike and on the dance floor.

Jim - Despite having the lightest bike on the tour by far, Jim consistently proved that it is the rider and not the bike by being the last one up every climb. On the other hand he was one of the fastest on every descent even though he had the only hardtail in the bunch.

Joe - Andy's brother, now living in Los Angeles, riding a Fisher Sugar and never found in bed without his football.

Jolie (aka "Booté Sister") -

Pam - Proved she had what it takes, and then some, by starting the tour with her fourth-ever mountain bike ride.

Sharon (aka "Locust," "Viper," "Crank," "Little Pigger") -

Stacey (aka "Dr. Nieder") -

Terri - Ultra endurance athlete who never met a climb she wouldn't like to do several times in a row.

Wendy -

-- JimF - 09 Oct 2005
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