Canyon Run 2007 – Day 5
Today was the first official day of Canyon Run. We rose early for a planned departure at 8 am. To add spice to our morning, the power chose to fail about 7:30. Fortunately a fresh pot of coffee had recently been made, and we were able to construct breakfast out of a vast array of cold options.
Flyers and their bikes assembled in the Marin driveway. The trailer was loaded, and we variously rode or were towed backwards out of the driveway, and set out on our way. Rolling out of town, we noticed the inbound traffic backed up for at least a couple of miles. We were glad to be heading the opposite direction. We took a new route this year over Wolf Creek Pass. The road wound upward past aspens, conifers and remnant patches of snow to the pass at about 9400 feet. It was sublime. We descended the other side and ran smack into a cattle drive. Wisely judging that bikes vs. cows = cows, we stayed put until the cowboys had driven most of the herd past us, then slipped past the remaining bunch.
We stopped for gas in Duchesne. Knowing (or believing) we would be stopping in Price for lunch, 60 miles later, I decided to wait on the gas. Unfortunately we reached Price about 11 am – too early for lunch – so we pressed on an additional 60 miles to Green River. I got a little nervous as I approached the 200 mile point, but we made it to Green River in another 20 miles and all was well.
After lunch some of the group chose to take the straighter road to Moab via Crescent Junction, while the Beilmans, O’Connells, Arthur, Willo and I went another 20 miles on I-70 so we could follow the Colorado River to Moab the back way. The ride was hot but spectacular.
About 15 miles in we reached our motel. Arthur and the O’Connells peeled off, and we and the Beilmans continued on the the Moab junction, then turned north to Dead Horse Point state park. The road in to the park was a blast – a few slow cars to pass, but otherwise smooth, fast going. Dead Horse Point is awe inspiring – the viewpoint is very high and offers a panoramic, unobstructed view of the complex maze of canyons, with the river snaking through.
While photographing I set down my bottle of water and we wandered off. When the time came to leave, the water was nowhere to be found. After hunting around for a while I had a brainstorm and checked the garbage. Some well-meaning tourist had decided to clean up after me. Fortunately garbage water tastes just the same as regular.
We raced out of Dead Horse ahead of a thunderstorm and managed to miss most of it – only in the last few miles did we get hit by a couple of squalls. Back at the Red River Adventure Lodge we met up with Steve Larsen and friend Steve Pittenridge, who had ridden in from Phoenix.