April 14, 1991
Moab/Arches/Dead Horse Point
I awoke with the dawn, and by seven I was packed up and on the road. It is a beautiful morning - blue skies, not terribly cold, minimal wind. After eight more miles of meandering through the red sandstone cliffs with the Colorado, I am ready for food when I hit Moab. A large sausage and egg spread with lots of coffee prepares me for the road again. The cafe atmosphere was odd - the waitresses and decor were homey, but almost all of the clients were bikers. There is a big dirt and road bike race in town today, which explains why every other car I saw yesterday and all of this morning had one or more bikes decorating it.
After breakfast I called Shirley to let Rachael know that I'm alive and well. I didn't get to talk with Rachael though as she is off skiing. Also after breakfast I stripped down to just my bike shirt and shorts - a relief from the three or four layers I've been wearing so far on this trip. What a joy to see the sun!
A few short, wind-aided miles brought me to the entrance to Arches Natural Park. I spent about six or seven hours here, but it wasn't enough. I could easily have passed several days here. As it was though, I got to see a lot and was thoroughly impressed. I got to bike around the Windows, Turret Arch, Doube Arch and Delicate Arch. The scenery is indescribable - I think I used a whole roll of film in the park. Besides the spectacular rock formations, the views of the Manti la Sal mountains and the mountains to the north were impressive in their own rights. The excursion to Delicate Arch involved a two mile bike ride down a dirt road to a trailhead, followed by a fairly primitive one and a half mile hike to the arch. It sits rather strangely apart from the other formations.
The hills in the park were at least no worse than I had expected, but there were three long, thousand foot hauls. They were easy enough though, because I had left most of my equipment at the visitors center and the scenery offered a constant diversion from aching joints and muscles.
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I ended the day with a ride out (up) to Dead Horse Point. This was another staggeringly beautiful ride. It has a curious quality - it never seemed like there was much higher ground ahead, yet it climbed relentlessly for about fifteen miles. The rewards were huge though - it feels like the top of the world up here, with panoramic views for many miles. Dead Horse Point overlooks an immense chasm - the photos I've seen of it don't do it justice.
One highlight of the climb was a small family of cows and calves in the road. I wasn't sure if I could safely pass them so I approached very slowly, until the four of them stampeded away along the road in front of me and then finally veered off into the brush.
Another highlight - the road is virtually an eight foot wide bike lane, smooth pavement, with very little traffic. I felt silly riding uphill at eight miles per hour on a traffic-free road with my helmet on, so I removed it and enjoyed the feel of the wind in my hair.
I've found an unsanctioned tent site, about thirty feet from a thousand foot cliff and an overlook of the Colorado River. I ate my dinner (bagels and peanut butter) and brushed my teeth on the edge of the cliff while watching the sunset; and then at dusk pitched camp.
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7 years ago
Today's ride: 75 miles (121 km)
Total: 195 miles (314 km)
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