Canyons of Utah

August 17th :

Tim:

Day 25 we decided to take the morning off and see Arches National Park which was just amazing. Driving up and in, walking around, seeing all the arches, it was just stunning to see all the natural beauty that ancient resources have made. We then drove back south to Monticello where we had lunch and I started riding at about 1:00pm toward Natural Bridges National Park. I got through a thunderstorm in the high desert which lasted about 45 minutes with a few ups and downs climbs, and then got through Blanding with a strong tailwind for 10 miles. I ended up running over a small spike or needle which punctured a tire just outside of Blanding. Marcia came up behind me and we changed the tube and I immediately got another flat because I thought I’d hit something vs the needle. So I pulled out the needle, changed that tube to one with too short a stem and couldn’t inflate it. Then I popped another tube trying to put the tire back on the rim, and finally on the fifth try got the tire on and back underway with no spare tubes left. All this in the windstorm Marcia described. I then climbed up to Salvation Knoll summit at over 7000 feet which was slow and tedious in 90 degree sunny high desert. I met Marcia…such a relief to see her at the top of these summits. I actually hiked up the trail at the top of Salvation Knoll, reading the historical markers which explained the history of this landscape.

Then I rode down into the Natural Bridges Park which was just an incredible camping night, sleeping under the stars with no tent fly over us. We drove and hiked in the 9 mile scenic route through the park to view some of the bridges and arches through the canyon which are just stunning. After a great night’s sleep in this gorgeous surrounding, I’m feeling good and ready to continue this adventure west.

Marcia:

The tubes and tires I ordered on Wednesday from Cedar City were scheduled to arrive in the tiny town of Boulder on Friday. Tim was riding my bike at this point, as one of the new tires we’d purchased back in Colorado blew out. My mission on Thursday morning was to drive directly to Boulder and meet Tim at the post office there just in case it came a day early. No cell coverage makes meeting up with him a bit tricky, but with me making a pit stop in the tiny town, and him flying down mountains as he is wont to do, we ended up at the post office at the same time. It was a disappointing if adorable tiny cabin of a building just off the main route in dry, hot and arid Hopi land. It was mid afternoon at this point, and it was closed. As we stood there looking at the limited hours of operation, wondering what to do next, a car drives up and out comes this sweet woman, the postmistress of Boulder. She just happened by and saw us and wondered if we needed her help. We told her the situation and she happily opened the place up to check for us. The package was there, having been delivered a day early.
  

After chatting about her family (her daughter is a music teacher and just got her patched together jobs in different schools lined up…I understood completely!) we were off, finding this gem of a food truck for some locally grown and delicious Mexican food to bring to Calf Creek campground.

Two incredible campgrounds in row. This one was a challenge to get to, driving over the scariest heights and summit yet on the top of a large rock formation. I couldn’t take any pictures because I couldn’t look away from between my white knuckles on the steering wheel. The road snaked down and in places it was just the narrow road with immediate steep drop offs on both sides into the red rock canyon bottoms a million miles below. I was beyond terrified, and screwed up all my courage to straddle the center line, praying no one was coming behind or before me, and inching my way down to the impossible sign indicating the turn down into Calf Creek.

I trusted it, turned and what do you know, not only did I survive, there really was the most beautiful campground down there. I’m not sure how red sand and rock can produce such gorgeous scrubby trees and flowering shrubs, but next to a cold mountain creek, it certainly can. We had a refreshing swim (no showers here) and set up our little tent in the loveliest spot imaginable. Starry night with the sound of the water rolling over the rocks and interesting insect noises…so peaceful. I awoke before dawn and tried not to remember this  sign I’d seen posted at a nearby visitor center the day before. 

That visitor center was next to some ancient rock carvings by ancestors of the Hopi dated 300 CE… fascinating! One other highlight of the day…before coming down the mountain into Boulder I stopped at the top where there were some cattle near the road, and cowboys…real honest to goodness cowboys like right out of an old western.

I watched them round up the cows with their six little dogs and head off with them into the horizon. They were talking and laughing on their beautiful horses, and absolutely oblivious to me and several other cars who had pulled over to witness the event. This adventure just keeps on getting better and better.

Tim:

Day 26. Total miles traveled, 93. Marcia and I have handled adversity by adapting, communicating well, and it came into play today. At mile 33 out in the middle of nowhere between Natural Bridges National Monument and not a town for another 60 miles I heard a loud pop as the side wall of my new tire blew out. I walked for about a mile, Marcia was behind me, after having a lovely bike ride herself before leaving Natural Bridges campsite. I tried to change the tire (we found one more in the bottom of the tool kit) only to have that tube pop as well. So, using our ingenuity, creativity, and problem solving skills we loaded up my bike, modified her bike, and I plugged along through Glen Canyon National Park, through stunning scenery, deep water ways, and across the Colorado River and eventually into Hanksville (population 200) which was the first town we’d seen in 150 miles. We stayed at a motel there to recharge and enjoy cell coverage as Marcia called ahead to a bike shop in Cedar City and had them ship the necessary parts to Boulder for us to pick up on Friday. So, perseverance, we are moving forward, 93 miles traveled. The terrain changes frequently which is so interesting, but nonetheless, absolutely fabulous.

Tim:

Day 27, 2863 miles traveled, less than 1000 miles to go. I spent the day on Marcia’s bike which is ill fitted for me, but serves its purpose and traveled 97 miles. Had a gradual 50 mile uphill through winding canyon roads through Fruita, and got to Grover and began the asset of over 9600 feet. At one point it was pouring rain and had dropped down into the upper 50’s and lower 60’s, but I made the climb to see Marcia waiting at the top. We descended down into Boulder where the sun was out and it was 84 degrees. We got to the post office around 2:00 (it closed at 1:00) and our savior, Judy, was driving by, stopped, checked, and the tires and tubes were there. So we regrouped, and went to a local historical monument, saw a Mexican food truck where Marcia grabbed supper. I rode another 12 miles with a little climb and “s” turns through beautiful canyon drops on both sides of the road and descended into a primitive campground at Calf Creek. We bathed in the creek and enjoyed our burritos. All in all, Marcia’s bike served me well and I’ll be back on Tutsi tomorrow. 

Day 28 brought us to Panguitch, Utah, 86 miles traveled. We planned to stay here as it was a good starting place for our rest day trip to the Grand Canyon tomorrow. The ride today included three climbs with the final one climbing up to Bryce Canyon National Park to meet Marcia for lunch and ride the Red Canyon bike trail together. Stunning red colors of rocks and sand.

 Looking forward to a day of rest and seeing the Grand Canyon's northern rim together.