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Wednesday Sept 4         Cycling Day 52

 

         Buckboard Crossing (Wyoming) to Vernal (Utah)

Distance:  (Km). 142

Time:   7:34

Average Speed: (Km/ hr).  18.9

Ascent:  (m).  1883

Heart Rate: (beats / min).  113

Cumulative Distance:   (km).  5739

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 47,602

Punctures so far : 4

What a day of cycling! No fear of having nothing to look at. A long day with the greatest amount of climbing. And finished in great heat.

Very mild this morning at breakfast time and all left the campground at more or less the same time. The first 30 km was much the same as the end of yesterday....not those long heartbreaking stretches. The terrain changed ever so little around each corner.

At 34 km we reached the border with Utah. Utah, known as the beehive state recalling that the Mormons arrived here and the beehive is a symbol of the basics of their agriculture. 3% is the strongest beer available....doesn’t bother me too much. And swearing is very frowned on, even legally.

Unusually directly inside the border, the road turned rough...just newly resurfaced. The surroundings became decidedly greener and each farmhouse had its own stack of round bales and the aroma of newly mown hay abounded.

In the town of Manila, we turned left onto what appeared at first as a quiet country road just like at home. It was definitely more interesting than Wyoming as regards colour and scenery.

I knew that a major climb would start at 50 km, but we started at 43. Just an understandable error, I reckoned. The climb wound around a hill and then suddenly we gave all those metres back with a long descent beneath cliffs. Exhilarating!

Then at 50 the start of the real climb appeared ahead. Mark and Cindy passed me at the bottom as we climbed higher and higher over Flaming Gorge down to our left. We knew this climb with a 500m lift would go on for another 10 km. The road twisted and turned till we reached an elevation of 2350m. I stopped at one corner to take in the Flaming Gorge. Beautiful. Kevin passed on by at this stage. 

The top (I thought) appeared and I was assured with a sign promising a descent of 8%. That happened but just for a short stretch. Then a further lift appeared across the valley. 

That part led to the real top (2350m) and then a nice long descent. Plenty of variety about to feast the eyes on. But we didn’t give back all the metres climbed. Plenty of short climbs along that part till lunch at 69km. By 11am we had 11 hundred metres climbed. Not bad!

But the climbing wasn’t over yet. After lunch the road was civilised enough till 84 km when I faced into a ‘short stiff climb’ as it was referred to at Riders Meeting last evening. It went on for 3 km at 5%. And the day was getting hotter.

At 95 km again my rear wheel started acting funny. Stopped and checked and found it had gone soft. Another flat...number 4. Wheel off, tube out, Geoff pulled in to help, took a while to locate the hole in the tube then the location of the problem in the tyre.....a tiny piece of radial wire again. Dean came by and whipped out his tweezers and we succeeded in removing the offending piece. New tube in, pumped up and ready for the road again.

Shortly after Andreas appeared in the van and today it was a can of coke. Very welcome. Then the top arrived at 99km, the highest point of the day at 2595m. For a while after this the road continued to roll up and down till I came on a very welcome sign announcing switchbacks for the next 14 km.

I stopped a few times to enjoy the views, canyons, switchbacks, mining activities though I didn’t see a person or a machine move. As I descended the temperature increased getting now near to 2pm. Again interesting rock formations along the roadside.

I had hoped this descent would just run into town, Vernal. Not so! Another 25 km to go and another climb to get over a ridge before Vernal appeared in the distance. Big heat and now a headwind didn’t make me too happy. And ran into roadworks but just cycled down inside the bollards and got a mouthful of dust.

The last 5 km into Vernal was flat and ensured that I finished on a positive. In the centre of Vernal I spotted the orange TDA flagging tape....just another 2 km to go. Vernal is colourful without doubt. I dropped into McDonalds to try upload the last few blogs. WiFi ok but not strong enough to up load. Foiled again.

Campground was just across the road and I had arrived at 4pm. Not bad for such a day. At this stage I recovered quickly and felt happy in myself for completing the task. All tents are under large trees and I have a picnic table right by mine. Later this evening, I discovered the RV beside me has 5 poodles (or look like poodles). They have been barking for the last while but I hope they are good sleepers.

A shorter day tomorrow. Just 90 km.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.