Snowflake Monday

The Kokopelli Trail

Hi folks, this will be my last manflake post from the high desert canyons and ancient traveling route of Kokopelli. Indigenous people of the southwest US have myriad colorful tales and descriptions relevant to Kokopelli. Let's just say he was a hump-backed, flute-playing, fertility deity presiding over agriculture and childbirth. Kokopelli lore has been around since the early pueblo people. Ancient images adorning Hohokam pottery date from 750 to 850 AD. Mr. K got around the southwest when get'n around was no simple task, and he is quite worthy of his own manflake.



Kokopelli is a fun topic to study on a rainy day, especially if you find the American southwest as mystical and magical as I do. Dig into Everett Ruess while you're at it. Or, peruse old canyon photography of enchanted Glen Canyon before the reservoir bearing John Wesley Powell's name was created. There's your 2013 homework assignment; enjoy.

Kokopelli also is the name of an isolated 142-mile mountain bike trail stretching from Loma, Colorado (just west of Grand Junction), to Moab, Utah. The route was completed in 1989 when mountain biking was still relatively new and mountain bike suspension that worked was just starting to exit the drawing board. Previous manflakes have been named after spurs off this trail. The route is a manflake's manflake and more or less follows the Colorado River west to just beyond the Colorado/Utah state border. After crossing picturesque high desert canyon country, the Kokopelli steeply climbs high into the La Sal Mountain range just before dropping back down onto the red slickrock of Moab. Although most of the singletrack riding is on the Colorado side, the old, rotting two-track and jeep trails composing the remainder are challenging in their own right. This is not an easy pedal.


Most people tour the route in three to five days, and a handful of concessionaires provide guided trips in which all you have to worry about is riding. Guide services cook, clean and carry your gear so you don't have to. However, several speedsters have set some impressive one-day records while traveling under rules of self-support. In 2011, Jesse Jakomait set a blistering time of 12 hours, 18 minutes. Equally impressive was Lynda Wallenfel's 2006 time of 15 hours, 3 minutes. Perhaps there was a little Kokopelli blessing going on – it could happen!


I'm kind of partial toward today's manflake. Snowcatcher asked me to name it, and I thought Kokopelli might be fitting. I like the desert colors, mountain bike chainring structure (i.e., front sprocket) and Kokopelli hair spiking out radially. Thanks everybody, Snowflake Mondays have been quite the adventure. I've enjoyed sharing some of my favorite mountain biking areas, as well as my home stomping grounds. Enjoy this week's manflake.



You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 4.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Kokopelli Snowflake Instructions

Foundation Round: Ch 30, 1 dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in next ch, * sk 2 ch, sl st in next ch, ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch; repeat from * 4 times; taking care not to twist work, sl st into corner of first diamond to make a ring.




Round 1: Ch 15 (counts as 1 dc and ch 12), sl st in 8th ch from hook, ch 4, * 1 dc around joint between next 2 diamonds, ch 12, sl st in 8th ch from hook, ch 4; repeat from * around 4 times; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 18.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.


Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), * 1 trtr in next ch 8 loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), ch 1, 1 dtr in same loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 tr in same loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, [1 dc in same loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1] 2 times, 1 tr in same loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 dtr in same loop, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, 1 trtr in same loop, 1 dc in next dc; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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