To: WL From: "Kathy E. Gill" Subject: Day Five : Scenic Wonder Cc: Bcc: PE X-Attachments: Day Five - Scenic Wonder If there is a more beautiful 150 or so miles than SR12 to 24 up to 95 in Utah - I want to see it. There was enough "red dirt" to make this south georgia girl homesick. ;-) Followed by - shock! - pristine forests (more Dixie NF) - then desert again. I marvel at mother nature - and at the settlers who lived here, both native and european. What a HARSH life. In fact, this has been on my mind for some time - how disheartening it must have been to come over a rise ... and see more of the same. Then you find a spot of green near a water source - how in the world could you persuade yourself to leave, set out for more uncertainty? Bryce remains the benchmark that I measure the rest of the scenery by - but it's not that one bit is "more" or "less" beautiful. Just different. I approach Escalente with some trepidation - the couple from FL told me how spooky it was (note: they were on cruisers). Nice little S-curve down on the river. I've set my left foot a little "wide" on the peg to serve as a feeler peg. It scrapes on this bit, which I find amusing. A week ago I would have no more been worried about a left lean than a Man in the Moon! Shortly after this I feel like I must be approaching the "trepidation" point. There, ahead, in an s-turn, I can see that the road slopes away on both sides, to drop I-don't-know-how-many-thousand-feet. For whatever reason, I'm filled with wonder and a bit of joy - but no fear. I enjoy my ride thru Dixie National Forest - from Cedar City to Bryce on up to I-70 - tremendously. It's second to Sunday's run on 96 - very high on my "wow" list. I'll visit here again. And CAMP, dadgumit! Head east on I-70 into big winds. Go south to Moab - Arches National Park. It is Officially HOT. I have an REI "sausage" thing wrapped around the back of my neck and the aerostich water-bandana round the front. I'm wearing summer perf'ed gloves and wondering at the advisability of bare hands. yuck. Pull into the park and flash my National Park Pass again. I've now "saved" $15 - it cost $50. It will be worth it - I'm going to use it a bit this year in WA also. Makes me feel honorable about my runs into MSH as well. Anyway - I wash off - pour water on my head - and get ready to leave. Two bikes pull up, one R1100R and a cruiser (virago?). They are from OR and are also headed to Omaha. I forget their names. They tell me what they saw and didn't see in Arches - we chat a bit about our trips. One of the women (the BMW rider) is taking six weeks to tour. I can't remember if she had camping gear. Anyway, I head into the park. It's inspiring - but somewhat anti-climatic after Bryce. Still, there is wonder here. I decide to head to Windows -- I want to see "arches" not just pillars. This is where the bike's electrics fail again, and I figure out the problem is the wires into the starter relay. Head back out to Moab for ice cream, diet coke, water and gas. Then 128 along the Colorado up to I-70. The river is so deceptively SMALL. The road winds along a narrow canyon bottom. Suddenly, I remember, in 82 or 83, I think, taking the Rio Grande line from Denver to SLC. It was the last private railroad in the country - and the route was right along the river. Gradually - the canyon widens. Then suddenly - it's MILES wide - ie, the canyon floor now feels like the plains. Nature -- and the passage of time -- again strike awe. I also wish I knew more about geology. I-70 greets me - and it's off to Grand Junction. I'm still hot. GJ is hot. I stop at a Texeco (I'm beginning to think there might be something to their gas additives - I'm getting great mileage) - phone around for room rates. The two women from OR were staying at the Days Inn - but the rate is $65. Down the street, at the Mesa, it's $44. And I get to eat breakfast at the Days Inn. Sounds good to me. I run up to Wall-Mart for another stock up. I pick up two CDs (one is the new Eric Clapton/BB King - the other, Jimmy Buffet, road music!) to play in the laptop while I work. Couple more balance bars - wishful thinking in this heat - and plastic storage bags. OH - and a short telephone wire and connector to create a quick-release for my Valentine1. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. Kathy on digest FAIAP postponed