Trip Report: Road Bike - Draper Trax to Tibble Fork Resevoir
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Road Bike - Draper Trax to Tibble Fork Resevoir By Matt Davidson |
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| BIKE | 08/15/2024 | MOD- |
| Every time I explore the outdoors I learn something new. And this Road Bike ride did not disappoint. I almost decided not to post my activity on the WMC calendar, but posted it at the last minute - guessing that possibly someone would like to start riding in the brisk, early morning air and sounds of birds greeting the day, before the searing August sun tests our SPF-30 coverage. One brave soul, Gregg Lott, signed up for my early morning 50 mile bike ride to Tibble Fork Reservoir up American Fork Canyon. In an attempt to avoid riding all the way in mid-90s temps, I set the ride for an eye-popping 6:15 a.m. start. Luckily, cool breezes greeted us and few cars were out at our pre-commute hour. Once we reached American Fork Canyon, we were covered in shade and slowly pedaled towards Timpanogos Cave as a resting point. This is where we met Mac, the 77 yr old, retired Park Ranger. Even though he doesn't work at the park anymore, Mac still walks the 1.5 mile cave trail, ascending 1100 feet to the entrance three times each week. He explained that the Timp Cave Park Rangers have issued over 1,000 recurring walker passes. Enthusiast dedicated trail walkers/hikers create practically a constant stream of people arriving to use the free asphalt paved pathway regularly each week rather than walking on their neighborhood streets or hiking on uneven dirt trails. Most interestingly, Mac The Retired Ranger was carrying a walking stick that appeared at first glance to be homemade. Sure enough, I then quizzed him on the stick's outer markings. The wood burned inscriptions mapped the Timp Cave trail milestone benches. "Heart Attack Bench" was once labeled by the Park Rangers to mark and turn back walkers that were gasping for breath after their first switchback. Mac then hands me his walking stick and instantly I felt something lighter and seemingly stronger than my adjustable Black Diamond hiking pole. How can that be? Mac explained that they needed portable maps to communicate with other rangers the various locations on the trail. So every January he travels down to Snow Canyon areas and cuts dead Agave flower stalks with optimal diameters. Growing these flower stalks siphons all the plant's remaining nutrients, killing it after flowering. After adding a hardwood cap, sanding it lightly, and applying dutch oil, he gives these works of art to fellow rangers and friends, 175 sticks to-date! Gregg and I are each holding one in the picture above. Informed and enlightened about agave flower stalk walking sticks and the Timp Cave trail hikers, we left and spun up to the reservoir, soaked in the awesome mountain view and spied Timp off in the distance. A great experience and would have missed it if we didn't wake up and start riding listening to birds announcing the day! |
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