Day 16…Calf Creek BLM Campground to Capitol Reef NP
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Seems like every time we take these journeys, we start hearing the horror stories. The logging trucks. The two mile tunnel that ends up being 1/5 mile. The huge hills with huge inclines.
The horror story for this trip is Hogback Ridge. I started hearing about this narrow stretch of road with the perilous drops back in Bryce. Calf Creek was only a few miles from this onery narrow strip of pavement, if it was paved at all.
If we had not known it was there, Hogback would have just been another stretch of road. Jerry and Rick 1, Hogback 0.
We knew we could not face the Hogback on a full stomach, so we had breakfast in the small town of Boulder after the first climbs. What a breakfast it was! Great food and service at the Boulder Mountain Lodge. Plus, they had a cat there I could pet! His name was Scotty, and he helped me get my cat fix. We heard it was 103 degrees in Boulder yesterday.
On the way out, we met a very nice couple travelling from Yuma to Michigan. Chris and Dale worked winters in the Southwest and were travelling with their little travel trailer (I swear, it isn’t more than 10 feet long!).
Boulder is in a lush valley on the side of a mountain range. If I was going to disappear into the boonies for awhile, you might look for me here. It is a cool place.
Many times on this trip we have been faced with optical illusions. It’s kind of like going to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz. We think we should be going downhill or at least be on the flat, but find ourselves peddaling up a very gentle grade.
I saw my first Turkey Buzzards since leaving California. They have plenty of work to do around here; all kinds of rabbits on the road.
The climb today was over 5,000′ and my butt is me. I make a bold move and change the position of my saddle one centimeter forward and it makes all the difference in the world!
The climb up the mountain is beautiful…lots of mature aspen and pine. The decent back into the red rocks is even better though, and I scream down about 20 miles of decent, sometimes getting over 40 mph. All with no traffic!
In Torrey, the town before Capitol Reef NP, I run into Dale and Chris in the visitors information center. They invite Jerry and I to drink and eat dinner with them! I gladly accept for both of us and will meet them at the park campground.
The ride to Capitol Reefs is stunning. The red hues is so deep it is incredible! I have been near here a few times, but never come into the park; I will be back again!
Jerry and I clean up as best as we can and have a wonderful time with Dale and Chris. They are friendly, open hosts and show us the inside of their tiny trailer. We discuss lots of subjects, and George Bush’s name comes up a few times. Maybe you heard us where you are.
Today was 62 hard miles. I was in the saddle 6 hours, 11 minutes and had a 9.9 mph average.
-Rick