July 16 Crossing America

Canyon outside Hartsville

Hartsville, UT – Escalante, UT Distance 112 miles, rode on my bike 78 miles

Total distance traveled thru today 2,967 miles, 2,473 rode on my bike.

Today our ride was to be from Hartsville to Oak Creek Campground, 8 miles short of the
summit of Boulder Mountain and almost all of which is uphill, mountain, as usual I got an early start to be able to complete the ride.  The first half of our ride took us through
Capital Reef National Park the scenery was awe inspiring beauty.  My regret no time to stop and enjoy it all.  I did stop at a couple historic sites such as; a cabin where the Rubin family of 10 lived for brief time, amazing the cabin was about 10’x8’, half the room was taken up with a bed.  I learned the mom and dad and two youngest slept in the cabin, the older bolds slept in a dug out hole in the side of the bluff near the cabin and the older girls slept in a wagon.  How deprived we are now days when a 3,500 sq. ft. home isn’t big enough?  Then there was a school house, about the size of the cabin, schooled grades one through eight, served the area from the 1890s through 1941.  I love reading about history and it was hard to keep going when there was so much to see and learn along this stretch of road.

Road just west of Hartsville

By the time I reached Torrey, Utah I was one whipped puppy and decided I was going to call it a day.  Bridget was already there and I was about to load my bike onto the car.
However, Ike who had left at 4:30 AM this morning was still in town and we set about discussing the camping accommodations we would be enjoying this evening another semi-primitive campsite in a National forest.  I’m so tired of roughing it my body and mind
yearn, make that screams, for some luxury after a difficult day of riding.  In addition, I learned Bridget was going to stay in Torrey instead of going six more miles up the road to the pre-planned third water stop for this day.  Yet another fly by the pants change of plans.  I’m not going to whine further about such shenanigans here and now, I’ll
save it for my critique of this crossing with the hierarchy of the Bike the US for MS at the end.  This organization will either learn from its mistakes or perish.

Ike’s idea, why do we want to stay in a primitive campsite, 8 miles short of the summit of a steep mountain climb.  It’s really hard on us old geezers to start out first thing with a big climb; we need about 5 miles for our joints to loosen up first.  Plus, once we submit Boulder Mountain it should be relatively easy downhill to Boulder the town where there are a couple motels.  Last and the clincher for me, we can always stick our thumb out and hitch a ride.   Considering the great success I had catching rides on the 14^th and the interesting folks I got to meet, I like the idea. Thus instead of calling it a day, I set out for Oak Creek Campground.  Once there I would decide what to do.

The climb up Boulder turned out to be even tougher then the previous 50 miles. About 10
miles up the mountain I needed a break desperately.  There wasn’t any place to get far off the road, so I laid Spirit over on its side on the shoulder of the road, took off my hydration pack, laid it on the ground for a pillow and laid down.  The very next three vehicles coming by, one coming down the mountain and two going up, all stopped to check on me.  They thought I was hurt or dead or something.  It just astounds me how much folks care about each other.  I told the folks in the downhill vehicle thanks for stopping but I was OK and heading up the mountain.  The first of the two uphill vehicles was a car and I told them I needed a ride and the pick-up behind them would be my best bet and again thanked these folks for stopping.  By this time the pick-up truck driver was out of his truck and walking toward me to see what help he could be.  I told him I’d appreciate a ride to the Oak Creek Campground.  He said glad to help me but I’d have to ride in the bed of the truck with my bike and his two mountain bikes as he and his wife and gear inside his cab was full.  No
problem and he quickly delivered me to Oak Creek, even took me to directly to our campsite.  As Bridget had been there earlier today and reserved our campsite.

I looked around the campsite, nice with a babbling brook running next to it, lots of
pines giving off a great outdoors aroma, I could like this campsite.  That is if I were in a group of 4-6 folks not 20.  There was not nearly enough room to accommodate 16 tents comfortably.  I also quickly discovered it was quite chilly at 9,000’ at three in the  afternoon.  I didn’t have a jacket or any additionalclothing I could put on as everything was in my mini-van down the mountain.  Hard telling how long it would be before my vehicle would arrive.  Ike, the Ghost as I now refer to him for his stealth in getting up and departing each morning, materialized out of the thin air.   He asked me what I thought of the conditions and wouldn’t it be better to have a bed to sleep in tonight.  I didn’t need any additional coaxing to agree to continue the next 20 miles to Boulder and we were on our way.  We split in hopes of better catching a ride to boulder.  Sticking my thumb out didn’t entice any passing vehicles to stop so I rode nearly 4 miles up the mountain before remembering how well my laying on the side of the road worked earlier.  As the saying goes my momma didn’t raise no fool, I learn quickly unless it has to do with mechanics.  I once again laid Spirit down on the shoulder of the road and laid my body down.  Sure enough the next vehicle, a pick-up, stopped and I had a ride the rest of the way to Boulder.  Scott and his wife are taking the summer backpacking the mountains and canyons of Utah.   When not backpacking they are camping.   In fact, Scott had to unload a huge cooler in order to be able to load my bike.  His wife, whom I never got the name of, actually sat in a small cubicle behind the front cab seat in order for me to be able to get in.  We were packed like sardines in their compact pick-up but we had a good time talking and being awed by the canyons coming down from the summit of Boulder.

Opps!  Best laid plans don’t always go as planned.  Upon arriving in Boulder, little more then a wide spot in the road, I discovered there was a community wide festival going on.  The two motels in town which had maybe 4-6 units each were booked.  Shortly after I arrived Ike appeared, how does this guy do it he is a Ghost, we decided to check the festival out, get something to eat from one of the vendors before setting out for Escalante, 28 miles further, which is the intended overnight town for our group tomorrow night.  I must have gotten my second wind as I set out at a good pace, except for having to climb a few hills, covered the next 18 miles in great time.

Between Boulder and Escalante, was a great thrill ride down mountain.  The road a narrow two lane with little to no shoulder snakes its way down the mountain between two  canyons.  For anyone with a fear of height, Aaron is going to have a difficult time tomorrow with this section of road, will prove to be most challenging.  Hell, I don’t
consider myself afraid of heights but I did pay close attention to staying as close to the center of the road as possible on this descent.  About mid-way down there was an extremely sharp curve to negotiate with a warning sign not to exceed 25 mph; I was doing
40+ at the time.  In due haste I began braking and managed to get my speed down close to 25 mph by the time I rounded the curve.  By the way this was the only curve going down the mountain which had a rock retaining wall to prevent folks from flying off into the wild blue yonder and crashing into the canyon floor.  In no time I was at the bottom of this exhilarating downhill run and the Escalante River.   There was a crashed crotch rocket, a café style motorcycle, an ambulance and a Park Ranger who waved me to go on.   Thought to myself, “Wonder if someone got going too fast and lost control of his motorbike?

There is a maxim what goes up must go down.  In this case, what goes down must go up and I had to pay for my thrilling downhill run with an equally uphill.  Same as coming
down the grade going up was between 6-14%, the latter being a strenuous challenge to climb.  About midway up this grueling climb I needed a break.  No l didn’t lay Spirit down and then lay myself down as I was on a steep uphill with the sun setting in line with the road and knew folks wouldn’t be able to see me if I were laying down, so I just laid my head over my handlebars and tried to catch my breath.  I wasn’t there a minute before the Park Ranger who was at the scene of the crash pulled up and turned on his emergency lights.  He got out of his pick-up and asked if I needed help.   Of course, I needed help.  I told him I was exhausted from climbing these beautiful Utah mountains all day, further adding they had caused me to strain a groin muscle.  Jeff, the Park Ranger’s name, said he knew full well about pulled groin muscles as he has had a few of them and they are painful.  When he learned I had also started the day in Hartsville, he was sympathetic and said that all this was cause enough for him to be able to transport me to Escalante.  Oh yea, thank you God!  Jeff asked if the guy further down the mountain was with me and I quickly responded yes he’s my riding buddy and we’re supposed to stay together but got separated on the climb.  Sorry Jeff, just a little stretch of the truth. Jeff said, OK we’ll go back and get him.   As we came into Escalante it was almost dark.  Jeff showed us the various places to eat and motels we could stay.  Side note, remember the motorcycle crash?  Jeff said the guy got going too fast rounding that curve with the rock retaining wall and gravity took over.  The guy was he hit the wall, which is what it is there for, as it saved his life.  He got away with a concussion and a broken arm.  Jeff finished up with it happens all the time as folks misjudge the sharpness of the curve.  Glad I decided to slow down when I saw that
wall and sign.  Thank you God for once again keeping this Old Guy safe.

We had Jeff drop us at the cheapest motel in hopes it wouldn’t be as poorly kept as the one
last night in Hartsville.  At the motel we met Paige the night clerk and she was especially nice, gave us a great rate and allowed us to see the room before deciding to rent it.  The room had aged furniture but two new queen size beds in separate rooms, small  refrigerator, microwave and the place was very clean and well kept.  We took the
room.  Visiting further with Paige she told us a little about the area, the campground our group would stay tomorrow night and in general was very friendly, helpful and kind.  There we are again the goodness of America.  If you are in Escalante, UT give the MOQUI motel a try its a hidden gem worthy of your patronage.  We then met Paige’s husband Steve and like his wife was a joy to visit.  I shared with Steve my right riding shoe had come apart today and I needed some duct tape to repair it.  He not only had duct tape, he took us to his home and gave me a tube of Sho-Goo to repair it.  I used both, took a picture to show you my poor six year old shoe’s sad condition, don’t you feel sorry for me?

You would think bike shoes should last more then 6 yrs and 10,000 miles

Steve then delivered us to a local convenience for Ike to buy a toothbrush and toothpaste and me a six pack of beer.  I need a couple of beers from this very long and hard day.  Ike packs a pair of shorts, T-shirt and sandals as he frequently arrives at our overnights well ahead of everyone else.  Unfortunately, I had nothing with me but the riding clothes I was wearing.  When I took my shower, I washed them best I could in the shower with me, not knowing how soon the SAG vehicle would arrive tomorrow.

Ike and I finished off the evening by enjoying a great T-bone steak at a restaurant across from the motel.  Then we called it a day to a very comfortable bed for a great night’s rest.  Nice ending to a hard day.  Even better I don’t have to ride a bicycle tomorrow with this unexpected rest day.  The next two days after tomorrow we will have to ride up three
mountains.

Whew!  I sure shared a lot of information with you today.  Hope I didn’t put you all to
sleep?

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