June 18, 2019
Capitol Reef National Park
Hanksville to Torrey
I lucked out by picking an expensive cabin last night. It was next door to a restaurant. I had pasta with grilled chicken, corn, cornbread, a salad, and two Polygamy Porters. The food was excellent. My body was so happy with me.
This morning I returned to the place for breakfast. A huge omelet, mass quantities of hash browns, toast, and coffee. Yummie.
Locked and loaded I lit out at 8:30 headed west. More rocks. A few abandoned ancient buildings made of the red sandstone that seems to be everywhere.
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After 20 miles the road entered Capitol Reef National Park. It was boffo but not entirely distinguishable from what I had been riding through since Blanding.
Perhaps because it’s a National Park, traffic picked up from next to nothing in Hanksville to rental RVs in pace lines.
(I have a heightened level of awareness because the RV renters don’t have any experience driving a tank and they, and other drivers, are distracted by the scenery. Thank god for rumble strips in the middle of the road and bicycle mirrors.)
I came across this sign and had to stop. Did the sign person think the amazing views of the previous 50 miles were not up to par? Exactly how big a dolt do you need to be to figure this out for yourself?
Midway through the park, I came to the visitors center which was a beehive of activity. Signs said “Campground Full”. Uh oh.
I topped off a water bottle, and continued westward. Uphill. Despite a tailwind, the climb was a bit of a shock to the legs and lungs.
More rocks. Some petroglyphs. More RVs.
Do you see the petroglyphs of people?
Not a bad day for a ride.
Without the sign, you’d never guess you were in a National Park. The whole area is National Park-ish or, Park-y. Of course, the sign affords the opportunity for a park sign selfie.
I spent the next ten minutes taking pictures of people in front of the sign (and feeding mosquitoes).
Five miles beyond the visitors’ center I was out of the park and in the park-ish part. Up and down and around buttes. I finally saw two resort motels. One had horses and llamas. The other had a pizza joint. Since I can’t eat a llama or a horse, I voted for the pizza joint.
Thankfully they had a vacancy.
Talking with some other motel guests, I learned the porch might provide some good sky watching tonight here outside Torrey, Utah.
Tomorrow is the 8,900 foot mountain pass. (I’m at 6,600 feet.) Then a descent to toward Escalante.
More pictures can be found on Instagram under @rootchopper.
Miles today: 45
Tour miles: 1,986.5
Top speed: 34.2
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 1,993 miles (3,207 km)
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