Moab Trip Part Three: Paying it forward in Hell Revenge's- 2021
Last-minute, I planned a UVT tour as a birthday treat to myself, though the whole trip itself was a birthday treat. If you don't know, Moab is a BIG outdoorsy place known for off-roading outside the city limits. If you are ever in the city, you will see Jeeps, trucks, 4x4s, ATVs, and UTVs throughout the streets.
I had never been off-roading in a UTV before and wanted to know all the hype about them, so I decided to call one morning when I was in town for tours. This was Memorial Day weekend (a curse and a blessing to have a birthday around that time), and naturally, most places were already booked. If they weren't booked and you weren't part of a group, the only thing they'd offer is a $400 individual tour. I didn't want to drop 400 dollars to rent my own UTV, especially since I never drove one.
After calling like 5 or 6 places, I called Moab Tour Company. They told me they had a spot left for their sunset tour of Hell's Revenge if I rode with the driver. I was soo excited that I almost said yes without asking how much. Luckily when they told me the price was a little over 100 bucks; I was totally fine with that price.
I know most places prefer to have groups of people or at least pairs of people because it's more cost-effective, but here is my unsolicited advice: Tour companies SHOULD have more tours for solo travelers. We like to partake in tours but maybe not pay 500 dollars for an experience. So, thank you, Moab Tour Company, for having a ride-along with the tour guide option!
Now, you are probably wondering what Hell’s Revenges is? Hell's Revenges is a 4x4 trail that is extremely difficult to navigate and is only recommended for UTVs and non-stock vehicles. It is about 6.5 miles and takes about 2-3 hours to navigate because of the terrain. The Hell's Revenge trail entrance is just past the Sand Flats Recreation Area Entrance Station. The course is marked with signs and symbols painted on the rock surface.
I got to Moab Tour Company and felt like I was a 5-year-old high on sugar. I was that excited to go off-roading. The last time I was off-roading was in Steamboat in my ex's truck and his buggy. Plus, it was kind of fun saying I'm riding in Hell. Yes, I know, I am a bit ridiculous! The tour guide had everyone get into their UTVs. While going over instructions, he mentioned that there would be another person joining him and I along for our ride. I wasn't expecting another person, but I was excited that another solo traveler had a chance to do this ride. At least, I guess they were solo traveling. She arrived, and we set off for Hell!
As we entered Hell's Revenge, I had two thoughts. First, "thank god I wasn't driving" because I would have been that person who would derail the tour. Second "fuck yeah, this is awesome" We were going up these very steep hills and going down them, then going along the sides of the trail with two wheels on the ground and the other two on a wall. People were doing these ridiculous maneuvers in Jeeps and other off-roading vehicles. We stopped to get out and watch people do these stunts.
Our tour guide told us stories about people getting stuck or flipping their UTVs or vehicles by doing dumb shit. That’s why tour companies generally will not do the crazier terrain because of liability reasons. Our tour guide told us that another company tour guide once took a UTV out and wrecked it.
One of my favorite stops we made was to the edge, looking down the Colorado River. You could see my campground from there! It was freaking awesome. Who knew when I looked up from the campground earlier that day I was gazing at Hell all along!
In the middle of the tour, the girl who rode with me and the driver switched seats so she could sit up front and take in the views. Throughout the tour, we got to chatting, and she was indeed a solo traveler (my favorite kind of person), and we got along well. She told me that she also booked this tour last minute and planned to go to Arches National Park but had no place to camp, and I offered to let her camp at my spot since it was only 10 minutes from the park.
After we returned from the tour, we kept talking, and she asked if I was sure about my offer, and I said yes. I told her about my two times in Moab when I had no place to camp, and twice people offered me a spot on their site. And it would be wrong of me NOT to provide her with a spot. I wanted to make sure I paid it forward.
As I mentioned in my other posts, the traveling/camping community watches over each other, and I wanted to help another traveler out. She was so sweet and happy she had a place. We ran to get beer and snacks and returned to my camp spot. We discussed our travels, heartache, and why we love solo traveling. We also swapped gear, and I gave her some suggestions for Arches. It was awesome to find another solo traveler to share this experience with and be the person other people were for me.
We called it a night. She slept in her car (sounds familiar) while I went to my tent to read. She left for the Arches the following day early as I stayed in my tent since I didn’t get much sleep because the wind was so bad. Later that day, I messaged her on Instagram asking how Arches was. She had a fantastic time there. A year later, we still chat occasionally about our travels and such.
Besides doing whatever I want, meeting new people is one of my favorite things about solo traveling. We, as humans, tend to forget we have so much in common. The last few years have been hard for everyone, and we are so divided on so many things, but if we take the time to talk to a stranger, it may show that we don't need to be divided. I know I won’t talk to most people I meet on my travels ever again, but it's still awesome to meet people, have a conversation, enjoy that time, learn something, and be connected. I hope you adopt some of these principles when you are out and about on your travels, and if you are already, then I applaud you. Always pay it forward. Keep adventuring. Keep playing. Be free.