We stuck with our newly found discipline today, and got another early start. We went to the Jailhouse Cafe this morning, which doesn't open until 6:30; but the service was so prompt that we were on the road at nearly the same time as yesterday.
We ate here this morning because it's close to our room and opens early. Great place - I think we'll return tomorrow. Also an interesting building. According to the information on the menu it's worn a lot of hats over the years, starting as the original county courthouse building. The name comes from its small temporary holding cell for prisoners when it was a courthouse.
Today we're off to follow highway 279 as it hugs the Colorado on its way to a large potash mine. The mine has been here forever, as has the mine. Presumably the road was built to support the mine, and the pavement ends soon after. Our plan for today is to ride 279 to pavement's end and back, and couple it with the short hike to Corona Arch.
I wasn't really expecting all that much out of today's ride, viewing it as an easy out and back along the river and almost a rest day. Boy was I wrong though - the ride and hike we're both spectacular, and this was one of the best days of the tour.
The ride along the river is nothing short of amazing, with the road rimmed on one side by the meandering Colorado River and on the other by a stupefyingly tall formation of sheer red sandstone cliffs that continued unbroken for about ten miles. At the time I assumed that this is the same Entrada formation that makes up much of Arches National Park and that we saw yeasterday on the way to Dead Horse Point, but it's not. This is the similar but older Wingate formation, formed from massive wind blown sand dunes 200 million years ago in the Triassic Period. It is awe inspiring to bike along beneath them, craning your neck to look far up to the top.
The beginning of highway 279, the road to the Potash mine. A few minutes down the road there's another sign, announcing a rode closure this Saturday for the Thelma and Louise half marathon. I looked up filming locations for that film and was a bit shocked. I could have subtitled the journal Chasing Thelma and Louise. Scenes were shot in Arches, the La Sal Mountains, and Cisco - all places on our itinerary. We'll have to rent the film and see if they drove down Potash Road also. The real shocker though was to learn that the famous final scene was set at Dead Horse Point.
Our road follow the bank of the Colorado to the Potash plant, where the pavement ends. With time and the right equipment, we could keep going though - it continues on into Canyonlands National Park and connects to the paved road coming in from the northern entrance.
It was also an unexpected surprise to find a significant, well preserved panel of petroglyphs on a section of these cliffs. They look similar to the ones from the Fremont civilization we saw in Capitol Reef a few days back, but better preserved and more extended.
The hike to Corona Falls was great also. I had planned on taking this hike as a way to pad the short day a bit, but didn't really read up on it. It is a short (3 mile round trip) but technically interesting hike across slickrock sandstone to a pair of impressive and beautiful arches - especially the Corona Arch. It was also very quiet and secluded, with only a few other hikers on the trail.
Tamarisk (salt cedar) lines the banks of the Colorado for much of the day 's ride. It's really very pretty in the spring when it's in bloom like this. I was surprised to discover that it's an invasive species introduced from Eurasia in the 1800's, and considered a significant problem.
And finally there's this little ledge. Looks harmless enough, but it's a bit unnerving coming down from the top. We had to wait here on our way out while a panicked woman was coaxed and guided down.
And finally there's this little ledge. Looks harmless enough, but it's a bit unnerving coming down from the top. We had to wait here on our way out while a panicked woman was coaxed and guided down.
And finally there's this little ledge. Looks harmless enough, but it's a bit unnerving coming down from the top. We had to wait here on our way out while a panicked woman was coaxed and guided down.
Corona Arch is really striking, and very graceful. If it were in the park I'm sure it would be famous, but out here it doesn't get much exposure. It was great to be out here with so few other hikers on the scene - just a few of them, enough to demonstrate the impressive scale.
Taylor, an ambitious hiker we befriended on our way down. She's on a six month sabbatical from her university teaching position to make a hiking tour of the United States and Canada. Notice that Taylor is hiking in moccasins. She's recovering from a broken foot injury she incurred on a Rim to Rim hike through the Grand Canyon last week. She isn't allowing it to slow her down much.
Guilty pleasure of the day: taking quiet enjoyment when someone lost control of an expensive drone they were flying, destroying it on the sandstone cliffs. We felt very badly for them when we overheard them bemoaning the loss of their new $1500 toy. Schadenfreude is the word I'm reaching for, I think.
Elevation gain: today, 700'; for the tour, 38,600'.
Down from the hike, we're biking the last few miles along the river to the mine. The weather is changing - we've lost our clear blue sky in the last half hour.
Down from the hike, we're biking the last few miles along the river to the mine. The weather is changing - we've lost our clear blue sky in the last half hour.
At the end of the pavement we drop down to the river to enjoy our lunch. This ridge is the spine of a large gooseneck bend in the river. Looking in the other direction, the sky has suddenly become quite dark, with occasional lightning flashes and thunderclaps punctuating the afternoon. Between the threat of rain and the mosquitoes, we don't hang around long.
Behind us are railway cars from the mine and the cliffs beneath Dead Horse Point. We're sitting in the space we stared down into from the point yesterday.
