JOE'S RIDGE AND CHUTES AND LADDERS

After refueling, I went to check out Over The Edge Sports, which is a mountain bike shop in downtown Fruita. The shop was really nicely set up, and the workers were friendly. I'd suggest anyone who goes to Fruita to ride check out this shop for all your needs.
I then continued north out of town toward the Bookcliff mountains, and onto a washed-out dirt road towards a system of trails which include Joe's Ridge, Edge Loop, Kessel Run, and Chutes and Ladders. By now, it was getting quite warm out- it was around 1:30 pm, and there was not a lick of shade anywhere...I mean, not so much as a tree. I stopped off at the trailhead and noted the shaded pavilion was crowded with other bikers doing anything they could do to stay out of the heat.
I hit the trail, and started off on Joe's Ridge which led to chutes and ladders. After making some wrong turns due to very poorly placed (and oftentimes missing) trail markers, I ended up at Chutes, which was a fantastic uphill/downhill set of runs which reminded me of a much more barren Alafia River Park. Unfortunately, the heat got to me, and I cut my ride out here short and headed back to the truck.
I originally planned to do this ride on 05/12/09, before I left for Moab, but since my legs were fresh, I changed up my plan.
This night proved to be miserable, however. A cold front headed into the area, and the wind began whipping up- I mean, I thought I was in a hurricane in the middle of the desert. Once the wind settled down early in the morning, the temperature plummeted to a frosty 40 degrees.
The Wal-Mart special sleeping bag I had did not cut it. The cold permeated the bag like it was made of paper, and despite bundling up as much as I could, I couldn't get comfortable. I needed a new bag. And I needed one NOW!!