Video: Livin' Well in the Swell

Nov 14, 2013
by Mike DeBernardo  
Views: 19,402    Faves: 97    Comments: 4


After cracking a celebratory beer I was sitting comfortably in the warmth of my sleeping bag in the small camper trailer. I wasn't really asleep but my brain was floating in that space between conscious thought and dreams. It was about midnight and we had just got done with a very slow 5-hour drive. The light from a little flashlight filtered through the whiskey bottle that I just took a warming pull from and dimly illuminated the space in a pale orange glow. It was peaceful and it was quiet.

The loud blast of the 12-gauge shotgun only startled me a little bit. The childish laughter that followed seemed appropriate. I knew we were in for a good time when John came back in from rummaging around the back of the Jeep and shooting random things in the desert and asked if it scared me. Drifting to sleep was easy enough, although with the anticipation of riding some of the most technically challenging trails in the state my dreams got the best of me. I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night because I thought for sure that I had at least three broken spokes on my front wheel.

Hot weather and hot babes, okay maybe the weather wasn't that hot, on the second morning the water jug had chunks of ice in it. And okay, maybe there were no chicks, but it was still really fun. In fact, there was hardly anyone around except for us. The San Rafael Swell is a big, desolate place. Perfect for switching off the cell phone, playing in the sand and relaxing for a bit. Bikes, beer, guns, and bacon; all is well in the Swell.

Music:
Can You Get To That - Funkadelic
Ivory and Blue (Reprise) - Menahan Street Band

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Member since Sep 19, 2011
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33 Comments
  • 20 1
 Awesome song choice. SO JEALOUS OF THOSE TRAILS!!!! That little techy climb was badass!
  • 3 0
 Climbs like an ibex..
  • 16 0
 Dude on the Giant climbs like an animal.
  • 4 0
 Is that a trance or reign? Climbs outta the saddle really well. Nice form!
  • 1 0
 Trance X Advanced with a 150 Rev
  • 11 0
 Totally nice to see some real riding! The glory videos will always be the downhill guys, but stuff like this totally hits home. This is what gets me stoked to ride.
  • 6 0
 A pair of two wheeled mountain goats is what they are.
  • 6 0
 is that a canfield "the one" I spy??!
  • 2 0
 It sure is! It's a 2011 The One!
  • 1 0
 On the bucket list for sure! Been out there doing some canyoneering, but have only caught wind of the riding recently. Adventure Cyclist Mag just had a cover story on riding in the Swell and the White Rim. A little place called Moabbbb!
  • 4 1
 now that's what I call real mountain biking, down hills good but its not the only type of biking people on here are into, so pinkbike please show more vids like this
  • 3 0
 Those are some of the best (formerly under the radar, lol) trails in Utah. 5MOH is so good and so difficult.
  • 1 0
 5moh has some walking and some sand, It's a great trail but it's not all fun and games. the second part of the video is devils race track, a little bit more flow and less walking / no sand. Great out and back.
  • 1 0
 Oh ya!! I know all about it! You got me stoked to ride! Good thing I'm in Fruita and about ride some sweet trails on a my new bike!
  • 3 0
 Holy Shredding rocks batman. Animals!
  • 2 0
 I love 2:20 when the canfield rider is like, "oh, shit, yeah, that pothole."
  • 2 0
 it was actually a small dead tree that I ran into.
  • 3 1
 Several guys I know ride with a pistol in their hydration pack. One of the perks of being in the U.S. I suppose.
  • 2 0
 Mmm tech climbing. Nothing better then techical ups followed by blasting back down!
  • 1 0
 Also. That area is added to the bucket list. I miss utah.
  • 1 0
 Awesome boys! Haaa I new it was you two jokers in the first 10 seconds of the vid.
  • 1 0
 Just got back from Moab. Lots of new great trails making a very worthy destination out of an over-hyped one. IMO
  • 3 1
 Fox vs. Rock Shox
  • 2 0
 Nice vibe!
  • 2 0
 5 miles of hell??
  • 1 0
 It's more like 10 miles. Been there, done that, can't wait to go back!
  • 1 0
 Nice climbing! Nice to see some real riding, like a lot of us do.
  • 1 0
 Great vid with riding you don't normally see in edits.
  • 1 0
 It's a Trance
  • 1 3
 why do you have to start a nice bike video with stupid guns?
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