Start: Moab, UT
Finish: Lake Powell, UT
Total Bike Miles: 43.6 mi
Total Shared Miles: 65 mi
Cumulative Bike Mileage: 2040.9
Photos
(Note: due to Peter's temporary absence, the three Blaze Brothers needed to rotate driving/van support amongst ourselves over the next six stages; as a result our individual mileages were partially curtailed; the "Total Shared Miles" is the total riding day's cumulative mileage accrued)
Yurt-sleep was the most deep and comfortable of the trip to date. All of us commented on this surprising unexpected gift. We awoke refreshed in the early morning. We packed and found pancake breakfast a few miles north of the campground in Moab.
Enough time to explore some of Arches National Park just north of town. Arches is yet another other-worldly place in the desert created by millennia of receding ancient oceans leading to petrified eroding hardened sand sculptures. Then, the seeping and freezing of water cause fissures that gradually lead to the arch formations we see today; elements and minerals adding their artisan palette of colors to the weeping stones. We drive through a portion of the Arches, snapping photos along the way, before returning to Rt191; a bit rushed for time we drive to Moab airport to bid temporary good-byes to Peter for his return trip to South Africa for his mom's funeral.
Peter returns with an elder son's responsibility and love for his mother. There is no age without pain when one loses a loving parent. Mike lost his mother just a few months prior and it has been over two years since my own mother passed. The memory well fills and so we drink sips daily to nourish us and our own offspring eternally.
The Blaze Brothers regroup. We temporarily lose Peter's guidance, wisdom, fatherly spirit, supply organization, and sense of humor. "Some Water?," as Peter's name could otherwise be, will return to us. He will quench our desert thirst once again in due time.
We van together - "Sherpa," "Soaring Hawk," and "Walks With Buffalo" - to visit the Canyonlands National Park. Another desert erosive masterpiece. We drive to the Grand View at the end of the road for the stare-down to the abyss.
Awe. Silence. Mystery.
Earth's grandeur before us. No photo could possibly capture the majesty of the passage of time and place here.
We then turn to Dead Horse Point State Park adjacent to Canyonlands. A view of the Colorado River snaking its way through the enormous canyon wallls. I review the exhibit in the information center - nuggets of information about the geology of the land, temperature extremes, desert life fragility and complexity of ecosystems within small pools of fresh water, the animals that fight survival and death inhabiting this arid area, man's impact on this world...
Our mouths and lips now persistently dry. Parched throats. Sunburn danger. Dehydration always a risk. We slake like thirsty fraternity camels at an oasis bar.
Mike and I put in for cycling in our triurnal outing as Vik drives for the first of many rotating sessions amongst us. We will need to adapt to off-bike shifts driving our mother-ship support vehicle as the other two Blaze Brothers cycle. Not ideal given our rabid lust for each day's outdoor adventure but the journey must continue as scheduled until Peter returns.
A beautiful descent from the Canyonlands plateau puts us back onto Rt191 heading north. We stop at a convenience store for food and drink and then drive north together to the junction of I-70 and head west to the town of Green River. Dinner at the Tamarisk Restaurant along the river. Nice spot. Large nourishing burrito. Satiated.
We drive on, exit I-70 onto Scenic Rt24 and drive south to put-in at Hanksville junction. We are bound for Bullftog Marina at Lake Powell, Utah where we will stay tonight. A blazing powerboat awaits us the next morning.
Vik and Mike begin the ride to Bullfrog along Bicentennial Highway 95. They cross over the Dirty Devil River. Late afternoon sun. The road seems endless desert before us. Beautiful desolation.
My cycle shift starts some miles later. I enjoy the evening cooler ride. My energy level restored. Bikeoo Buddha in his desert Zen mode. The rich hues of reds, oranges, and pinks from the setting sun contrast perfectly with the burnt sand-earth and native plants. How beautiful the desert truly is in evening light!
We turn at a junction onto Rt276. The road climbs and eventually begins a long series of descents and rollers. Spooky nightfall approaches as buttes and rock formations take on faces. Legs can go on forever tonight. No fatigue but apparent endless road.
Darkness. We've stolen the sun's last desserts. We load up the van, ride past Ticaboo and complete the day at Bullfrog Marina's hotel, the Defiance House Lodge. I had been here two years earlier with Judy's family to celebrate her parents' 50year anniversary for an unforgettable houseboat journey. My Blaze Brothers will be in for quite a treat tomorrow. I was excited to show them the vastness of Lake Powell. We settle in for a good night's sleep. Stars to infinity everywhere tonight. Milky Way Galaxy splashed above us. Hopefully one star is shining safe light on Peter as he traverses the globe.
Stage 27 Photos
Indexes:
Weather: (10)
Terrain: (10)
Scenic: (10)
Endurance: (10)
Wildlife and Roadkill:
W-none
R-none
Medical Report:
None
Bike Report:
None
Still Having Fun: (10)
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