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Thursday Sept 5         Cycling Day 53

 

          Vernal (Utah) to Rangely (Colorado)

Distance:  (Km). 94

Time:   4:03

Average Speed: (Km/ hr).  23.3

Ascent:  (m).  554

Heart Rate: (beats / min).  115

Cumulative Distance:   (km).  5833

Cumulative Ascent :  (m).  48,156

Punctures so far : 4

A very mild night last night, hardly needed the sleeping bag. And the doggies next door behaved well. They have their own run outside their RV. I showed a picture a few days ago of my next bike (in Jackson Hole). If I cannot have that, I want this RV as my next ‘trailer tent’!

For breakfast some went to McDonalds nearby, but in camp we had rashers and scrambled egg plus the usual fare. They missed out.

It took us 8 km to clear Vernal heading east into the rising sun. On the edge of town the usual dealerships and many more dealing with mining and oil. And dinosaurs appear everywhere throughout Utah, and even in Colorado.

By 8:15 I had to remove the jacket and strip down to the bare essentials. Heat was building up already and also a side wind coming in from the right. Later it turned into our faces for a period before lunch.

Out of Vernal through this Utah landscape there was very little agriculture. But the skyline was close and provided a bit of variety. The road stretched off into the far distance with only the wayside flowers to keep me company at times.

At 40 km I cycled through some broken green glass on the hard shoulder.....a broken beer bottle, I suspect, and that could mean splinters of glass. I stopped and examined the tyres. No sign of glass but I did discover a piece of radial wire stuck in the back wheel. Lucky I did, or I could have had a delay on the road again.

At 50 km I came to the border with Colorado. We have just cut across the Antrim (north-east) corner of Utah but we’ll return there again on Saturday. This sign for ‘Colourful Colorado’ is the same as in 2008. It wasn’t at the top of a hill or a river but just along a flat part of the road. I arrived by myself and had to be satisfied with a photo just of my bike. The first impressions of Colorado entering from this side was less than impressive. Road was good but then shabby abandoned houses, junk yards and closed premises.

Lunch was in the small town of Dinosaur at a junction. Again dinosaurs everywhere. Enjoyed a leisurely lunch beneath a covering in a kids playground. Glad of the shade as I found the heat almost unbearable even at this early hour of 10am. After 20 mins or so I thanked Lucinda for the lunch and pedaled on through the ‘centre’ of Dinosaur. Cannabis is legal in Colorado and I passed two cannabis dispensaries in this small town. Didn’t purchase.

Continued on another 4 km out Highway 40 whistling away to myself and pleased that I was making good progress up the incline. Suddenly Sarah (mech) appears in my rear view mirror and she shouting at me that I’m going the wrong way. Should have turned at that junction at lunch stop. Back I pedaled to the junction, explained to them that I was just exploring a different part of Colorado (?) and took off on the correct route. Just meant that I had added 8 km to the day’s distance. It was too short anyhow!

Back on the right road and now the wind in my back I careered along over crests with some interesting country on both sides. Some delightful downhills along here helped to counteract the heat. 

Getting nearer to Rangely more and more oil pumps and installations appeared. Oil is a big thing here around this town of 2400. Once in the town I just had to stop for an ice-cream again. Temperature according to signs on the way in was at 90deg F. Our campground had been changed and was now very closer to the centre.

 Went into a liquor store (purely to do research, of course) and pleased to see Jameson and Tullamore Dew in stock. A good town!

Arrived at the campground shortly after 12 and plenty of spots available in the shade of the trees. Glad to be in early ( unlike yesterday) and a chance to shower and do the washing for the last two days. And all dry within an hour.

Before last light I turned in after a good day.

Almost like a recovery day. Ready for two longer days now into Moab.

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