July 5, 2013
Day 25: On the bubble
Sorry to go on about pets, but this story didn't turn out so good. Today I was heading from Mount Carmel towards Hatch, and then east towards Bryce Canyon, Escalante, etc. And I had only been on the road for a few miles, in the town of Orderville...
Well I had just started up again, after a crappy store bought breakfast because no restaurants were open, and I was coming out of a corner on the outskirts of town, when a pick-up truck came by and a dog came flying out of the truck onto the side of the road about 20 feet in front of me!
It was a little black and white dog, with longish hair. I don't know the breed, but he came flying out and half rolled half slid on the pavement. Luckily the speed limit was still low, it being within city limits. And I didn't see if it flew out of bed or inside the cab, but what does it matter?
But anyway, the truck stops and the dog is more or less in front of me, so I stop and see that the dog has a hurt leg, or back, I couldn't tell, but I immediately stop traffic, because the dog is confused and hurt and scared and sort of cowering at me feet and I was afraid he would run out in traffic.
About that time a teenage boy comes running over from the truck and picks up the dog and runs him back to the cab of the truck, and I ride up to the drivers side and see a girl in the middle seat...
"The dog is hurt," I said.
"Yeaaaaah, I guess I'll havvve ta take her to the vet," said the redneck dad in the drivers seat a little too nonchalant like for my taste.
"I think his leg is hurt," I added.
"Yaaaaah, sheeee's lonnnnnnng on loooks, but she ain't tooo lonnnnnnng on brains," he said with a chuckle.
I didn't even know what to say. I wanted to say, "Hey, you idiot! You're blaming the dog, because you are an idiot, and didn't have it restrained, either in the bed, or the cab, and what does that matter anyway? And you think its funny no less! What the hell is wrong with you?!" And then I wanted to add a few things that are unpublishable for the sophisticated reader of this fine publication. But instead I just sort of stood there speechless, which is unlike me, but what are you going to do.
"Thanks for the help," Mr. Redneck said, and drove away, hopefully to a vet.
And I guess that's it. I of course don't know what happened to the dog, but I hope she's okay.
After that I just set about a 20 mile or so slog up a grade that didn't end until almost to Hatch, where I stopped at a gas station for a snack. It was also the first time I had cell service in over a week so I caught up on some messages.
After that I rolled out, except my bike didn't roll because I had another flat tire! Grrrrrr! And worse, my tire had a big bubble in the side wall!
To make a long story short, after taking some time, and getting some opinions (ironically, there was a bike mechanic who stopped at the station for gas) including Vinny, The Trucker's pediatrician at home, who I called, I decided it was probably not safe to go on without a new tire.
So, once again I hitched a ride with a family and a camper, and rode to St. George, Utah. It was a family of cyclists and they dropped me off at a good bike shop, and by late afternoon I had a new tire and was ready to go .
..except with the time I had left to ride I could see I would not make it back to Hatch, and my original plan, so I will have to improvise. Tomorrow I will head to Zion National Park and spend several days there. It seems like the logical thing to do, under the circumstances.
I didn't take many pictures today, sorry. But I will make up for it at Zion, and inundate you with pics! :-)
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Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 1,235 miles (1,988 km)
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