[.ca] Mountain Biking Moab, 2nd: A Guide to Moab's Greatest ... (ISBN 0762728000)

From Amazon.com:
Moab is a mecca for mountain bikers, who come from around the world to ride its challenging trails. Whether you're a newcomer to the area or a frequent fat-tire flier, Mountain Bike America: Moab is a great addition to your fanny pack. Local cyclist Lee Bridgers blends his passion for mountain biking with his obvious love of Moab, describing 49 rides ranging from easy (Old Moab Highway, Dalton Wells) to "very difficult to abusive" (Porcupine Rim). Each starts with an overview--where to start, how far the ride is, how long you can expect it to take, warnings, environmental concerns, and how to get there--before launching into a detailed description of what you'll experience along the way, be it slick rock, deep sand, dinosaur tracks, or rusted mining equipment. Bridgers is careful to point out places where cyclists should use caution, encouraging less experienced riders to dismount--"if you are pushing a mountain bike, you are still mountain biking. Live to ride tomorrow." Detailed maps will help you plan your days--especially the cross-sections of each ride's ups and downs. Throughout the book, Bridgers emphasizes the need to protect the environment--"as mountain bikers we had better learn to co-exist with nature or else we'll lose the privileges to enjoy it from the saddle"--and offers up stories from his experiences as one of Moab's leading bike tour guides. Special sections on safety (carry more water than you think you'll need), bike selection and repair, Moab-necessary techniques (sand riding, dealing with flies), and area food, lodging, and services make this a useful all-around resource. --Sunny Delaney

Not what I thought!:
I went looking for the well-known book that got a good review in Mountain Biking Magazine a while back.. it was called Mountain Biking Moab... but it was by David Crowell.. it has (I found it in Moab!) maps and profiles and such in a carry-along format.. This book is a good read.. but buy the other book if you go. It is now called Mountain Biking Moab 2nd Edition Pocket Edition or something like that... I don't know what's going on with this publisher.. This book that I'm reviewing used to be called something else too.. but it looks like the publishers of the good book (the pocket edition) bought this one too... whatever.. but get the pocket edition if you're riding the trails! Keep the Rubberside Down!

This Book Rocks!:
I wish all guide books were like this one! I have tons of guide books for areas all over the U.S., but this is the only one I've read cover to cover. Not only do you get the facts you need for the rides, you also get entertaining and humorous stories every few pages. The section on equipment even helped me decide which bike I wanted to buy! Not thin and dinky like many other books of this type either. Just order it! You'll like it!

Shameless Self Promotion:
I just finished a trip to Moab and used this guide in selecting a few mountain bike routes. While I found the route finding and descriptions helpful, i couldn't help feeling Mr. Bridgers real motive for writing the guide book was to scare people into hiring a guide instead. (perhaps even Mr. Bridgers own guide company?). If I could afford to hire a guide I wouldn't need the book. Mr. Bridgers describes most of the Moab rides as extremely dangerous and requring expert skill level. While I agree the area needs to be ridden with respect, if I had taken his scare tactics seriously I would have backed away from some seriously great rides. Use this book as a description of routes only and ignore all the garbage narrative.

Mountain bike heaven:
Most guide books give you an idea of the route, good ones give you a feel for the area, this one makes you want to leave your job, sell your house and move to Moab immediately. The book combines excellent factual information and clear maps (the kind of thing my husband likes) with great stories of colourful locals and less than perfect Moab establishments (the kind of thing that appeals to me). It is also environmentally obsessed, which is pretty important in an area that could become ploughed by tires and safety mad --- which is great if you don't want to die in the desert. It stirs all this up with an appealingly cranky style - imagine a mountain bike guidebook written by Edward Abbey and you are just about there. A book to make you love mountain bikes and the fragile desert landscape

Even if you have other guidebooks, get this one.:
I have gone to Moab a couple times with my hard core mountain bikers friends. They have several guidebooks, but always checked out this one before starting on a ride. It is a little big to tuck into a small camel-back, but is great fun to read. I read the entire thing and tabbed the rides I wanted to do before we left home. This guy is clearly a true mountain biker, not a writer. It was more like he was just talking to you, telling you humorous stories and about his favorite places. Very folksy.