Day 18…Hog Springs Rest Area to Highway 95 milepost 79
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After last nights thundershowers, everything in camp is damp and gritty. Leaving the area, we head down a canyon toward Lake Powell, with spectacular scenery the whole way. We talk to the ranger and he tells us that the water levels are at last years high…the boat launch is about 1000 yards from the marina now.
The second mechanical ocours on a slight downhill. My rear tire, without my knowing it, has worn all the way through and blows with a loud bang! Good thing I borrowed Dick’s spare when he left.
I fix it and catch us with Jerry, who decides it is time for him to change his rear also. I find some supplies at the Marina, which was closed for inventory. The ranger had told the manager that she had to open if bikers needed supplies and she graciously does.
From Lake Powell is a long, gradual accent up to Natural Bridges National Monument. We find more Gatorade at Fry Canyon, which we heard was closed. Gwendolyn, the manager, tells us that she has just opened again, but may not always be there. We were lucky today.
She has seven kittens running around, so I get another dose of cat petting. We head out and find a camping spot five miles or so up the road and enjoy a scenic rest.
I have been wanting to camp under the stars for awhile, so I find a nice ledge over the canyon and get a wonderful light show from sunset to sunrise and everything in between. Life is good!
We rode 55 miles today…I was in the saddle 5 hr, 52 min.