....you remember "The Stink-Eye" from yesterday don't you? Well, there's more...

So I got up early, deciding ahead of time that I may not want to stealth camp, and to plan on riding back to Moab to camp because I don't want to hassle with the National Park Service. However, because of the heat and wind forecast, plus the leg breaking hills that lead up to Arches, I didn't feel confident in my ability to ride all the way in to the park, have time to hike, and ride all the way back, into the forecasted 40mph headwinds. So I came up with a plan...

After an early breakfast I rode to the park entrance and was there by 7:00am. Once there I went to the first official looking person I could find, who was driving a vehicle. This happened to be the National Park Law enforcement, or as I like to call him, Johny Law.

Me: "Hi," I said,turning on the charm, which you may know from previous journals is considerable. "I was told there are no hiker-biker campsites and I don't think I can ride there and back in one day and.......do you think I could hitch a ride up with you, and then I'll ride back, since there are no campsites for people on bikes?"

He looked at me, considered it for a moment... "Well you won't fit in my car. Maybe one of the maintenance guys can take you?"

So we went to the maintenance guys, who were loading up soaps and mops and other things that are needed to clean campsites and pit toilets.

Johny Law: "Can one of you give this nice lady a ride up to the campgrounds?"

One of them could and after loading up The Trucker, and a side trip to the visitor's center for his coffee, Jack (not his real name) and I were off.

It's at this point I should mention that, from now on when I say, "OH" in the story, what I really am saying is "What, I thought she said it was impossible, for all kinds of 'official' reasons!?"

Once we were rolling up the switchbacks, I told him about the lady at the Moab information center. "...she said there is no way I can get a site, she seemed kind of huffy about it."

Jack: Well, we'll see what we can do. I'm sure there is space for you somewhere.

Me: OH.

He was real nice, and even told me some of the National Park gossip about the bureaucratic issues of the NPS. "They are idiots," he said. "Which is why there are no hiker biker sites, for example. There is no reason we can't make one up." My thoughts exactly!

Then he took me off his route for a quick look at an arch off the main road "My boss wouldn't like this, if he found out. But I may be applying for another job anyway." (the reason for the alias of Jack, fyi).

Jack: "You can always stealth camp," he went on, when we got back to the subject of campgrounds. The park wants you to think that is illegal, but it really is not illegal." (I'll have to check on that) "Also, I will show you a little place behind the maintenance building. No one will know you are there." And with that he gave me a look that said, Hint Hint

When we got to the campground he found the campground hosts and asked if there were any empty sites that day.

Host: "Yeah, she can have site 49."

Me: "OH!?"

So, it was just that easy. Grateful, yet shaking my head, I unloaded my stuff and set up camp at site 49.