It is almost 11 pm and I am just now settling in to my hotel room in Blanding Utah. I am exhausted! I put on more than 500 miles today!
The morning started at the break of daylight because I was sleeping in a tent at the North Rim. It was so cold. It was below 40 and I was buried in my sleeping bag zipped up in my tent. It was novel, it was fun, I am happy to be in a hotel room tonight.
I didn’t get to Zion this trip. The road through at the tunnel was closed. I would have only been able to see lower Zion and then had to turn around and head back the other way. So I went up to Bryce. It was magnificent. From there it was off to a couple state parks including the Grand Stair Case.
From there I thought I would make it to Durango for the night. Uh, no way in hell that was happening. But I have to say I took some of the most beautiful roads I have every ridden a bike on. Some even induced the ‘pucker’ factor. Steep canyon walls and roads that dropped of for a good 1000 feet on both sides made for some tense moment. The forests were green and lush with pines and aspens. I had to stop on the road 3 times; two for cattle and once for deer. It was very cool! There was so many amazing roads and views today. It was truly sensory overload. It was all I could do to absorb some of the view without going off the road. The day turned very long as I tried to stay somewhere with a hotel and a restaurant. I had to go all the way to Blanding. I got here at 9 pm and it was pretty dark.
Anyway I am so tired I am going to crash. Maybe I can share some more details of today’s ride later. Like I had mentioned, these are some of the most amazing roads I have taken on the bike, no exception.
Tomorrow I am heading south to Durango and then up through Silverton and Gunnison. I am hoping to be sleeping at my parents (my in-laws but I hate calling them that) house in Snowmass tomorrow night. If I get there, it will be another long riding day. I can’t wait!