We have had an epic week exploring three different National Parks. Capitol Reef was a splendid feature, the sheer walls of a lengthy canyon and vivid red colours were pleasant to ride along while enjoying a warm and sunny day. We had stored our trailers for the day in the junction town (highways 24 & 12) of Torrey. Riding without the heavy gear made us feel fast, so fast that when we had once again hitched the trailers, the tail end of the day was agonizingly slow.
After a camp-out in the woods we continued onwards over the 9600' Boulder Mountain pass. There were four different false summits; the road would flatten out and curve out of sight, deceiving us into believing we were at the top, but as the slight curve was passed, we would be crest-fallen at the sight of another steep uphill. Views from the top were splendid though, as the dry Utah air gives excellent visibility over long distances. After a long descent we came upon the Hogsback Spine , a section of the highway that twisted and curved along a high ridge overlooking steep canyons on either side. We rode into the twilight hour of sunset to arrive at Escalante.
In Escalante we went out for a beer and met Drew, a local who gave us directions to a party at a ranch just outside of town. By the time we had arrived the live music had ended, but we were introduced to a number of locals and told our story numerous times.
Outside of Escalante the next day, we were tired from fighting a headwind andtook lunch early. Sitting on the tarp with our legs covered, another cyclist came upon us. Lauren had been on the road for sixty days, two weeks longer than us on a cross-country tour from Boston to San Jose, California. She was a recent graduate of photo-journalism and was on her way to her hometown. Mike was her travel companion and had driven from their mutual hometown to act as support. Thomas and I were very jealous because Lauren could bike ultra-light with Mike carrying the bulk of her gear in the car. We all shared a campsite in Bryce National Park that night. It was rainy and before going to bed it was obvious that the clouds had descended and put us in a fog.
The following morning Mike kindly offered his backseat to Thomas and I as they toured the canyon. We couldn't resist the offer, but had to withstand the urge to pedal while in the backseat. A plaque gave some information on the etymology of 'Bryce' Canyon. Mr. Bryce and his wife Mary were pioneers of the canyon and he was quoted as having said: ''It's a hell of a place to lose a cow.'' With a plethora of hoodoos, rolling hills and large expanse of difficult terrain, it was obvious why Mr. Bryce would say this but the scenery was spectacular. It was so good that I was glad that I don't have any worrisome stock to attend to . Lauren and Mike dropped us off at camp and left for a sidetrip to Vegas before resuming the tour.
After the rest day in Bryce we found a downhill trend and made great time all the way to our current location of Springdale on the southern border of Zion National Park.
When we arrived at the eastern gate we found out that the road was closed to bicycles due to construction. Our only option was to hitch-hike, but it only took about twenty minutes for two vehicles stop, a truck to put our bikes in and an SUV to carry us. As we passed through the 1.1 mile long tunnel, brief window glimpses took our breath away until we reached the exit and a stunning view, better than Capitol Reef or Bryce was presented. We looked in awe at rampart red rock walls towering above. We agreed to spend extra time here to take it all in.
