Day 38: Oatmeal & on the road by 8ish to finish the Boulder Mountain climb. Made it to the top (9,600ft-our highest so far) by 10:30am. Wahoo! We got to enjoy some great downhills & great views. There were so many pretty, white Aspen trees near the top. The ride down was really pretty too – so red! We could start to see Capital Reef National Park way off in the distance – our destination for the day.
On the way into Torrey, this jerk of a driver laid on his horn as he passed us (a blue minivan, orange Utah plates, guy wearing a wide-brim hiking hat, long pony tail). I don’t know why he honked. We weren’t in the middle of the road or even on the left side of the white line; we were on the shoulder – “where we belong”. It was so loud, it hurt. Plus, it startled us, which can be dangerous & make us swerve unnecessarily. 15 minutes later, we pulled into town & I spotted his van at the gas station…so I went hunting 🙂 We didn’t need to stop for anything but I wanted to find the guy & have a conversation. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot him so I left a note on his windshield instead (see note below). I really wanted to do it in person, but oh well, maybe next time!
We kept biking a few miles & stopped at a Mexican restaurant for lunch. We had to wait a while for them to open due to a very late night. They were open 3 hours past close for a bike race that went through so they were busy, busy, busy. The food was great & so was the owner. He was so chill & such a nice dude.
We also ran into 2 other cross-country bikers at the restaurant. Their journey is the opposite direction as ours: they started on the east coast & are ending on the west coast. The trip started out with 2 women who were already friends. Along the way they met a solo traveler who joined them & they’ve been traveling across the country together ever since! They were really nice people. It was fun to hear their stories & get tips of what lies ahead for us (Kansas: not as flat as you think & very windy).
After lunch, we made our way to Capital Reef National Park. It’s so beautiful. We would’ve been there sooner but I stopped to take so many pictures! We swung by the visitor center for maps & to watch the park video, then up the road a short way to Fruita (the historical town where a few Morman families settled & planted fruit orchards). We checked out the old blacksmith shed, barn, & house. The latter serves as part museum, part gift shop that sells a few food items so we picked up some ice cream!
The campground was full (surprise surprise), so we found a nice couple from the Netherlands, Remco & Astrid, who had an RV & extra lawn space. They were so sweet. We chatted a bit & they offered us drinks. That was generous. We set up our tent & went for a dip in the river. Aaahhh, much better.
Ben hung out at camp while I went for an early evening hike to Rim Overlook, a 4.6 mile round trip. It was a nice hike, good weather, plenty of shade, beautiful scenery, & a great view of the valley below. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have gone alone (at least not in the evening, when no one else was hiking-I didn’t see anyone until the last 1/4 mile of the hike). What if I’d gotten hurt & I couldn’t walk? There was no cell service, so I couldn’t have called for help. I would’ve been stranded out there in the dark. Luckily, nothing did happen but I probably wouldn’t do it again. Probably… Also, before the hike I’d seen a sign at the bathroom about mountain lions & how their active times are dawn & dusk…exactly when I was hiking…alone. Of course I freaked myself out since that’s all I kept thinking about, so when I turned around to come back, I ran the whole way (even though the sign said NOT to run, they like a chase!). I just wanted to get back as quick as possible. Plus, the sun was about to set. I have a wild & irrational imagination. I calmed down once I saw other people at the beginning of the trail.
On the way back to camp I saw MARMOTS! We had seen several marmot-crossing signs on the way in but I didn’t think I’d actually see any! It’s like a beaver & prairie dog had a baby – so frickin cute! I also saw lots of deer on the way back. There were 2 with big, furry antlers chilling under a mulberry tree. I was going to stop & pick some until I noticed the deer & didn’t want to disturb them. When I was almost back to camp there was a hillside full of mule deer & as I rode past they ran for the hills…literally! So many creatures, I loved it 🙂
Back to camp, sweaty from running, I went for another dip. Aaahhh, I never get sick of it. Ben had dinner ready so we ate & did laundry. The rest of the night we sat at the picnic table with Remco & Astrid talking about their trip & ours, differences between American & Dutch life, & phone etiquette. They’re such a lovely couple; very down to earth.They share our thoughts & feelings on poor use (etiquette) of technology these days. That was refreshing. A little reading in the tent, then off to sleep.
Reflections:
1. It’s amazing how quickly the scenery & temperature change on the way down a mountain. It went from dense, lush, green & cool to desert, rocks & dry in no time at all.
2. Note to minivan guy: “Please don’t honk at bikers. It startles us. The shoulders on the roads are often small, full of pot holes or debris, or non-existent at times. We have to ride in the road a little sometimes, for our own safety. If that’s the case, please share the road & give us 3ft. If it was a “way to go” type of honk, it’s still too loud & scares us. A wave is nice 🙂 Have a great day!” When he honked I wanted to say other things & use not very nice language but I know that’s not productive, just a release with momentary satisfaction. I know I’ve mentioned this in other posts but I’ll reiterate: don’t…honk…at…bikers (or at least don’t lay on the horn when you’re directly next to them). Maybe a couple short beeps once you’ve passed them or just a wave out the window with words of encouragement. We love that!
3. Technology etiquette: I feel like most people my age don’t feel the same way I do & are addicted to their phones. It makes me sad to see a family of 4 out to eat & no one is talking to each other; everyone is on a phone or some sort of technology (texting, watching videos, playing games). The same goes for waiting rooms & lobbies. People don’t talk to each other anymore or notice their surroundings. You miss out on life in front of you when your mind & attention are constantly somewhere else.
Well, it’s currently the 4th of July & very hot so I better pump the brakes & go for a swim! Until next time!
Whitney
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