A Cranking Odyssey: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Friday, September 19, 2014

From one wash to another - Day 48: Hite to Hanksville (51 miles)

Shadows and light over Glen Canyon

We did get up at sparrows fart and watched the light change over the canyon, but still didn't manage to start riding until 7:45am as we found my rear tire had a flat. One flat each this trip so far ain't bad and both of them have been slow leaks only, so the touring tires have done their job well.

Riding out of Hite was nothing short of stunning. This northern side of the massive Lake Powell (whose total coastline of just under 2,000 miles is longer than California's coast) is completely dry at the moment but we were rewarded with being able to see the early morning light lighting up the canyon over the Colorado River which feeds into the Lake, shadows and muted light playing on the canyon walls and on the river itself - so spectacular.

The sun rising over the Colorado River

Then we crossed the narrow, muddy looking Dirty Devil River which seemed to live up to its name. From here we had our steepest climb yet up to the Hite Overlook getting a good view across the whiter wash to the canyons around Hite.

Dirty Devil River

Looking back over Hite from the other side of Lake Powell

Hwy 95 - America's most scenic national highway

The road through the canyon climbing up to Hite Overlook

Around the bend from the overlook we got another great view of the confluences of the rivers leading down to Lake Powell.

Then we entered the incredible North Wash, solid rocky canyon walls the reddest of red surrounding us completely, the red dirt reminding me of the outback back home in Australia.

Entering North Wash

North Wash

We took a short break at the Hog Springs Canyon Picnic Area before we finally cycled through and out of North Wash, the land opening up before us to flat desert plains covered with low shrubbery.

Hog Springs Canyon

Just when you think there are no more canyons in site, you round a bend in the road and suddenly you are surrounded by another wash with different coloured canyons and totally different rock formations, or in the distance you are looking out at mountains, knolls and uniquely strange geometric shaped buttes. The scenery makes you forget that you are labouring up a big incline, your legs slowly turning over and your breathing coming louder and faster the longer the climb goes on, sweat dripping down your chin and into your eyes. Thankfully we had a partly cloudy day to keep the heat a little at bay.

Another wash!

Hanksville appeared out of nowhere as we came down to the bottom of a hill, a small town with a population of about 220 people. Blondies boasted the "worlds best burgers", which when you haven't eaten a proper meal in 2 days, sucks you in straight away. Whilst the burgers weren't the worst we'd had in the world our timing was all wrong. We arrived behind a bus load of French tourists that sent Blondies into a complete frazzle. Steve was still pretty stoked that we had managed to get lunch in by 1:30pm. These are the sorts of days he loves. Ride done and dusted by lunch time!

The Redrock RV Park just around the bend had a nice patch of grass for us to pitch our tent under a shady tree, super clean bathrooms and Dukes Slickrock Grill serving bonza meals and full strength and heavy local Utah craft beers. Of course, this just made our day!

We'd made it through the most remote part of our odyssey unscathed - 124 miles without a ranch or town of any decent size in sight. The remainder of this ride should be a piece of cake except for some sections of 12-14% gradients we know are coming up. Better make sure we eat our Weat-Bix before these!

CRANKING ODYSSEY STATS

Total Odyssey miles: 2,672

Overall Fastest Speed: Steve (46 miles per hour) Mandy (36.7 miles per hour)

Bludge Days: 4

Bonks: Steve (1) - Day 46

Dog chases: 3

Dummy Spits: Steve (7) Day 10 - because it rained; Day 16 - because the rocks in the river were slippery; Day 29 - because it takes me so long to get ready in the morning; Day 36 - because I was blogging and Steve was dieing of starvation; Day 44 - because the clothes dryer didn't dry his clothes; Day 45 - because by the time I got organised he didn't get to eat a crappy dinner until 8pm; Day 47 - because his bike shoes were smelly and wet from sitting in the pool of water around our tent yesterday afternoon

Mandy (3.5) 0.5 Day 14 - those freakin' wreckless Idaho drivers!; Day 26 - because my bike computer had a meltdown; Day 28 - because Steve wouldn't help hold my bike up in the wind after watching it nearly fall over 3 times whilst I tried to put my clothes away in the panniers because it looked like rain ahead; Day 44 - because Steve's bushies flew back and hit me in the face (twice)

Flats: Katie (4); Steve (1); Mandy (1)

Wrong turns: 8

Beer of the day: Squatters Full Suspension Pale Ale

Lesson of the day: European tourists find my raccoon eyes extremely hilarious

No. of days with no shower: 17

No. of days in a hotel: 13

Starting weight: Steve (90kg) Mandy (51.5kg)

Day 30 Rawlins weigh in: Steve (183 pds / 83kg). Mandy (110 pds / 50kg)

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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Back in the game - Day 47: Natural Bridges to Hite (50 miles)

We woke up this morning to a beautiful clear sky as the sun came up through the trees and a relatively dry tent with only a few drip points. You can imagine how relieved I was that I didn't have to deal with the whole wet tent episode and an even more cranky Steve!

It turned out to be a good day and Steve was back on his game. We hung out at the campground chatting with Stacy waiting for all our stuff to dry out. The oatmeal I had bought us in Blanding for breakfast as part of our supplies seemed to perk Steve up for the ride ahead and we got on the road about 10am.

We had a relatively easy day ahead of us with a predominantly downhill ride into Hite, except for those kicker killer inclines of 8-10%. Hite was the closest place where we could restock some items and get some more water although there was a bit of controversy over the gas station / convenience store opening hours, our maps saying it was only open 11am-2pm this time of year but Steve had called ahead to check a few days ago and they said it would be open to 9am-6pm.

We decided to ride with extra water just in case, our usual 4 water bottles on the bike (total of approx 2.5 litres), our 3 litre Camelbaks filled to the brim and Steve had rigged up an extra 2 water bottle holders to his front forks so he could carry 2 extra 1 litre bottles of water as well. There's nothing worse than being stuck out in the hot sun and getting de-hydrated. Steve went through his Camelbak pretty quickly and decided that was why he was so off yesterday ..... Didn't drink enough water the night before and throughout the day of the ride either.

Today's ride was just magical. Around every bend a new Mesa, butte or canyon came into view, tall vertical red rock cliffs rising above us. We felt like dwarfs in comparison. The area is intensely grand with unique geological formations everywhere. We almost had the road to ourselves, able to ride two abreast and chat along the way until we had to move aside for a passing car or RV/campervan. This really is a remote and deserted part of America.

Cheese Box Butte

Riding up a 10% gradient incline

Towards the end of the ride we entered Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and all of sudden we were surrounded by enormous colourful canyons that seemed to engulf us from every direction.

Glen Canyon Recreation Area

Riding through Glen Canyon

Hite residential area

We got to Hite at 2pm. Hite is a dead town, another reminder of the exploration, gold and uranium mining days. Butch Cassidy and his gang used to hang out here. There are only 6 residents who live here (Melissa, who manages the gas station and her adorable new puppy Mika, and a family of 2 adults with 3 babies that work for the National Parks service). The Gas Station was open until 6pm. It was so good to have an early finish to our day so we could spend some time relaxing after the ride. Camping and wet tents are so not conducive to early starts, but we have decided for the rest of this odyssey with this hopefully warmer weather, we will try to start early to avoid some of the heat of the day and give us some down time at the end of the ride.

After not having proper meals for a couple days, we hoed into the microwaveable burritos and wings, chocolate milk and Pepsi.

Tonight we're camping under shelter at the back of the Hite Visitors Centre (which is no longer in operation, the government no longer seeing it viable to have a ranger stationed there) with restrooms and water at our disposal. It is so quiet and peaceful here, with a warm wind blowing and a tonne of bright stars shining above us in the dark sky.

View from our shelter

Glen Canyons view from Hite

CRANKING ODYSSEY STATS

Total Odyssey miles: 2,621