Gunnison KOA was a really good camp site, all mod cons and even a lounge area where we watched two James Bond movies, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Very relaxing. But Day 14 was looming!
We could sense it, this was the day that we would ride over the last of the Rockies. We were not sure just what that would be like. We knew that this was going to be a long ride, and one where we used the leap frog relay, which was working for us, and making us time.
Up and at it by 7.30am., out on the road. We were still at altitude and you still had to take deep breathes every now and then. Through the Gunnison valley which had great farms and pastures with lots of cattle in them, but still surrounded by the awesome Rockies. The going was good, pretty flat, early morning not too hot so good biking, until the Monarch Pass! You know when a sign says 7 miles to the summit that this is going to be a tough climb!!!! Raymond and Andriy were the riders, and as we traveled up to a mile before the summit we all felt very concerned and sorry for the both of them. We were above the snow line again with snow still on the mountains, and it was chilly. We met two riders who were cycling to a wedding in Wyoming! Then they were going on to Maine, and we thought that we had a long way to go. The wait was long, and the second rider, BP, took off before Raymond and Andriy arrived. The mile climb was tough but nothing like that which R and A were going through. The summit – 11312 feet above sea level! The top of Monarch Pass. Now the downhill, and boy what a downhill this was 10 miles of no pedaling, just awesome. In fact I reached the 10 miles before the van caught up with me, so on I went. At 12 miles I stopped and the van caught up to me with Raymond and Andriy exhausted in the back. They had made it up most of the way, but finally had to get off and push the bikes. The van, in fact, went back for them and got them on board.
We were now on flatter terrain and another turn and a farm with the sign “Home of Hi-Altitude Cattle”, not sure what this meant – would the cattle be fitter that low-altitude cattle, would they out run them? Or would they taste better? We’ll never find out I guess.
We were now traveling along the Arkansas River valley, with steep cliff sides and gorges. The river was fast with lots of rapids, which made for great White Water Rafting, and sure enough we saw our first rafts. Angel was distraught as he wanted to get onto the river, not to raft but to kayak! Sorry Angel no can do! There were lots of rafts on the river and it was fun to watch as they navigated the rapids and rocks.
Throughout this time we were getting reports, from Tim and Esteban, about how the Urban Individual Championships were progressing at Williams College. Esteban had bet the CitySquash kids that if we won all the divisions he would cut all his hair off – Go CitySquash! Not to be, CitySquash won 6 of the 8 titles and had finalists in the other two. Not a bad week-ends haul though.
The Arkansas River Valley was a tricky ride as the bike lane was not very wide and there seemed to be lots of vehicles on the road, especially huge trucks. So we had to take it easy, and be aware of the traffic, but this was a beautiful valley with some gorgeous cliffs and overhangs. Finally out onto the desert plains of Colorado. We had “done” the Rockies, but I have to say that the scenery now was basically desert, relatively flat with lots of brushwood. It’s amazing just how fast the terrain can change. Looking back you could see the Rockies and although we were glad to be over them, I’m sure that we will miss the beauty and grandeur of them.
The modern world – texting, what a marvel, and what would we do without it? A text from the Garr family saying that they would host a meal in Denver for us, and that they had found a restaurant and we were booked in for 7pm Monday. Fantastic, and what a surprise. Good food and not camp cooking! Not that Andriy’s cooking is bad it’s just that this will make a wonderful change. Monday is a rest day and we had planned on visiting Denver. It’s only a 2 hour drive away from our KOA camp site.
OK Andriy’s Mac and cheese!!
Rest day tomorrow – YES.
BP
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Day 13
Check out form our camp site and Angel and I are first on the road to Gunnison. Good start to our ride no real hills or mountains. We see early morning hot air balloons just as we leave. They must have a great view of the country side from up there. One is landing not too far way. The morning is cold in the shade and warm as you hit the sunshine, so we are biking cold and hot! Felipe and Andriy are ready to go as we get to the van, and off they go. They are the team for speed, I’m not sure why as I like to see the views! Jack’s up and off he goes. Andriy is bugging me to buy a grill with propane gas, and we see a Home Depot in Melrose which looks like a town that was just built yesterday, so new and spike and span, and traffic light too!! We call in hoping to be out before Jack passes us, but we debate what to buy and by the time we are out Jack has gone by. We drive on and come to Route 50 East – yes the loneliest road in America, our friend is back! It’s right in Melrose Main Street, but we are not sure if Jack has turned. We turn right and go about 3 miles and no Jack. So we go back and drive North to see if this is where Jack went. No sign, so just as we go back into Melrose we get a call from Jack saying where are we!! He’d gone the right way and was over his 10 miles. We catch up and Angel and I take over 3 miles later the 4 mile mountain! We make it to the top and the run downhill was worth the effort. It’s definitely getting more mountainous, and we can still see the Rockies, they seem to never leave us! Fun stuff by the side of the road, an old stagecoach, metal Mexican man playing the guitar, and other interesting things.
We hit the Blue Mesa which is a huge lake which stretches for miles, really beautiful, with quite a few people enjoying the sun, boating, sailing, fishing and just hanging out, looks great. Then the Gunnison River Valley which really confuses me as it’s flowing into the Blue Mesa, but the valley is easy biking, but the ride has taken its toll on Felipe’s bike – a buckled back wheel, so now out of action. Ray has been biking and is going well. We cycle into Gunnison and look for a bike repair shop. We find one but it’s too late today to get anything fixed and all our bikes need servicing, so the decision is made that we have three bikes and tomorrow that’s it for the ride to Pueblo. Monday is a day’s rest and we are about 2 hours from Denver, so we intend to take the van there and get the bikes repaired, while looking around Denver. Also Charlie is leaving us and is flying out of Denver so we are all going to see him off, we will miss him, his pics, his fun, and keeping Jack in order!!
BP
We hit the Blue Mesa which is a huge lake which stretches for miles, really beautiful, with quite a few people enjoying the sun, boating, sailing, fishing and just hanging out, looks great. Then the Gunnison River Valley which really confuses me as it’s flowing into the Blue Mesa, but the valley is easy biking, but the ride has taken its toll on Felipe’s bike – a buckled back wheel, so now out of action. Ray has been biking and is going well. We cycle into Gunnison and look for a bike repair shop. We find one but it’s too late today to get anything fixed and all our bikes need servicing, so the decision is made that we have three bikes and tomorrow that’s it for the ride to Pueblo. Monday is a day’s rest and we are about 2 hours from Denver, so we intend to take the van there and get the bikes repaired, while looking around Denver. Also Charlie is leaving us and is flying out of Denver so we are all going to see him off, we will miss him, his pics, his fun, and keeping Jack in order!!
BP
Friday, June 17, 2011
Day 12 The Rockies are looming!!
We left our San Juan National Forest camp site, Dolores, pretty early. Our camp host was left with a CS Ride X America T which he was really proud of. We actually packed up quicker than we had ever done on this Ride. Did this mean that we really wanted to get into the Rockies as fast as we could, are we crazy – don’t answer that!
Jack was first up, and off we went for 10 miles. We are following the Dolores River valley, which is spectacular. High mountain side which are covered in forest, with the Dolores River running the opposite way to the way we are going. It really is amazing scenery. There are some terrific properties by the river, wherever they can build, which is not often. We can always see the high Rockies and are getting deeper into climbing. Higher and higher. Felipe and Andriy are next to go, and they start on an uphill, which we in the van have a sly laugh about! Another spectacular 10 miles and it’s BP and Angel’s turn. More uphill biking, with the altitude ever getting higher. I cann’t remember who hit 10,000+ feet first, but there we were staring across to Sheep Mountain, 13,188 feet high, beautiful. We were all starting to B and moan about the up hills and who had the steepest, let me tell you it was definitely Angel and me.
Met a couple of Harley bikers who were now retired and literally just cruising the West – man they have the life. They were from Detroit and were leisurely making their way to Phoenix, but in no rush.
It wasn’t getting any easier, but on we went. Spotted a yellow belly Marmot, just chilling on the rocks, next to a water tap sticking out of the ground, miles from anywhere I might add, so kind of unusual. Jack rides to within 7 miles of Telluride and BP and Angel take over for the ride in.
Telluride was in the grip of a Bluegrass festival, the place was packed and we were given a ticket for the van that allowed us to stay in the town for 3 hours – what’s that all about?!! We parked, and strolled around the town, getting lunch, and basically taking in the scene. Sadly Mumford and Sons were playing on Sunday. It seems that we timed our Ride to Telluride badly, we would miss them, and they are English you know.
We drove up to Mountain Village in search of the highest squash court in N America it was at The Peaks Hotel. We drove right up to the front door and asked the doorman if we could go to the squash court. Sadly the court has been converted into a pilates studio!!! And we were ready to play too!! However our trip was not wasted we rode the gondola back down into Telluride. It’s free and you have to change gondolas once. The second one went over a vertical drop that scared the living daylight out of Angel and Jack. But some absolutely awesome views down to Telluride, across the valley and to the high Rockies, we could even see the Telluride airport perched right on the top of a plateau with no room for a mistake when landing!
Provisions bought we headed to our camp site which, because of the festival was a good 15 miles out of the town, but hey who’s worried.
Tent up and fire lit we are now ready to relax and recharge.
Cheers,
BP
Jack was first up, and off we went for 10 miles. We are following the Dolores River valley, which is spectacular. High mountain side which are covered in forest, with the Dolores River running the opposite way to the way we are going. It really is amazing scenery. There are some terrific properties by the river, wherever they can build, which is not often. We can always see the high Rockies and are getting deeper into climbing. Higher and higher. Felipe and Andriy are next to go, and they start on an uphill, which we in the van have a sly laugh about! Another spectacular 10 miles and it’s BP and Angel’s turn. More uphill biking, with the altitude ever getting higher. I cann’t remember who hit 10,000+ feet first, but there we were staring across to Sheep Mountain, 13,188 feet high, beautiful. We were all starting to B and moan about the up hills and who had the steepest, let me tell you it was definitely Angel and me.
Met a couple of Harley bikers who were now retired and literally just cruising the West – man they have the life. They were from Detroit and were leisurely making their way to Phoenix, but in no rush.
It wasn’t getting any easier, but on we went. Spotted a yellow belly Marmot, just chilling on the rocks, next to a water tap sticking out of the ground, miles from anywhere I might add, so kind of unusual. Jack rides to within 7 miles of Telluride and BP and Angel take over for the ride in.
Telluride was in the grip of a Bluegrass festival, the place was packed and we were given a ticket for the van that allowed us to stay in the town for 3 hours – what’s that all about?!! We parked, and strolled around the town, getting lunch, and basically taking in the scene. Sadly Mumford and Sons were playing on Sunday. It seems that we timed our Ride to Telluride badly, we would miss them, and they are English you know.
We drove up to Mountain Village in search of the highest squash court in N America it was at The Peaks Hotel. We drove right up to the front door and asked the doorman if we could go to the squash court. Sadly the court has been converted into a pilates studio!!! And we were ready to play too!! However our trip was not wasted we rode the gondola back down into Telluride. It’s free and you have to change gondolas once. The second one went over a vertical drop that scared the living daylight out of Angel and Jack. But some absolutely awesome views down to Telluride, across the valley and to the high Rockies, we could even see the Telluride airport perched right on the top of a plateau with no room for a mistake when landing!
Provisions bought we headed to our camp site which, because of the festival was a good 15 miles out of the town, but hey who’s worried.
Tent up and fire lit we are now ready to relax and recharge.
Cheers,
BP
Day 11
After the disappointment of yesterday, we felt that we could make the 82 miles from Blanding to Dolores, especially doing the leap frog relay. In fact we knew that we could make the 82 miles. So goodbye Blanding, and it was Jack who started us off. The going was pretty flat once again, which we always appreciate, although he did finish with an uphill!! BP and Angel were next up, and again another flat ride with one or two slight up hills but no bigees. Following BP and Angel were Felipe and Andriy, the fast team, and this was the system all the way through Utah and into Colorado, yes Colorado, our fourth State. The scenery did change in Colorado, it was more arable with more green to it, which we hadn’t seen for a long while. Plus more animals, horses, herds of cattle, and the occasional dead deer by the side of the road. First town in CO was Dove Creek, a little sleepy town but obviously a farming community as was seen by the farm machines. The one constant were the high mountains in the distance as we rode towards them – the Rockies! Not nice. We knew that we would be up against them in a few days. Right now we were literally enjoying the Colorado scenery.
One thing that we also notice was that there was more traffic on the road, by the last few days’ comparison, when we had hardly seen any vehicles at all.
So to Dolores 6956 feet elevation, a sleepy small town. Our camp site was on the East side of Dolores just outside in the San Juan National Forest. Very basic but very beautiful. We picked a spot in a shaded area, with a river running by. Angel and Felipe were off the river, followed by Charlie who immediately immersed himself into the running water but came out screaming “Hell that’s cold!” Man the water did look great, so next in was Angel and Felipe, and again screams of how cold it was! Angel and Felipe were really loving this camp site and were making spears to try to catch fish – good luck guys! Once again Andriy was the chef making pasta which was guzzled down by the team. One of Andriy’s funny traits is that once the meal is over he nearly always makes himself a toasted cheese sarny (that’s sandwich to the uninitiated). Yes another one tonight.
The entertainment is usually Andriy beating Jack at chess with the group looking on. It was no different tonight another beating for Jack.
Our camp site host was a guy named Brian, who had actually come out to the West some four years ago. He pointed out the humming birds that were migrating to South America. He hung sweet water for them outside of his cabin. They really are fascinating birds, very small, and very territorial.
Telluride tomorrow and apparently the highest squash court in the world is there, or so we are told. Not sure that we will be playing squash when we get there though! An uphill ride most of the way, so the relaying should come in handy again.
BP
One thing that we also notice was that there was more traffic on the road, by the last few days’ comparison, when we had hardly seen any vehicles at all.
So to Dolores 6956 feet elevation, a sleepy small town. Our camp site was on the East side of Dolores just outside in the San Juan National Forest. Very basic but very beautiful. We picked a spot in a shaded area, with a river running by. Angel and Felipe were off the river, followed by Charlie who immediately immersed himself into the running water but came out screaming “Hell that’s cold!” Man the water did look great, so next in was Angel and Felipe, and again screams of how cold it was! Angel and Felipe were really loving this camp site and were making spears to try to catch fish – good luck guys! Once again Andriy was the chef making pasta which was guzzled down by the team. One of Andriy’s funny traits is that once the meal is over he nearly always makes himself a toasted cheese sarny (that’s sandwich to the uninitiated). Yes another one tonight.
The entertainment is usually Andriy beating Jack at chess with the group looking on. It was no different tonight another beating for Jack.
Our camp site host was a guy named Brian, who had actually come out to the West some four years ago. He pointed out the humming birds that were migrating to South America. He hung sweet water for them outside of his cabin. They really are fascinating birds, very small, and very territorial.
Telluride tomorrow and apparently the highest squash court in the world is there, or so we are told. Not sure that we will be playing squash when we get there though! An uphill ride most of the way, so the relaying should come in handy again.
BP
Day 10
The long and winding road to Blanding
We knew that this was going to be a tough ride, and one that we might not make. So we decided to do the leap frog relay – this is where we have two riders on the road and the others drive 10 miles. After 40 minutes the next two riders take off from the van while the van waits for the two to arrive. Once they have arrived the van takes off for 10 miles and waits for the second two riders. The wait is 35 minutes this time, and the final two riders take off. The van keeps leap frogging the riders and this way we can keep going, eat while traveling, and keep up the pace. Felipe did a 36 minute 10 mile ride, which was not all downhill! At the same time we were all doing somewhere between 12 – 15 miles per hour. It also meant that we got a 20 mile break before riding again. The route was pretty flat too which helped.
Before we set out Angel shows us his wonderful leg tan! He’s definitely after a tan. So out through the Capital Reef National Park, still pretty awesome scenery, and on into the desert, literally. Our leap frog relay seemed to work and we were doing some good mileage. The scenery was desert but still with the canyons which are very impressive. ON one of my rides with Angel (I was tagged with him), we literally rode all the way though a canyon with a river running on the side of the road. Angel wanted to go and sit in it for a while, but no we had to keep up the pace, so on we went. Jack did stints on his own as one of Raymond’s spokes had broken. Felipe and Andriy were THE men, they really helped us keep a very good pace and were definitely the fastest two. Thank you both. Little communities went by and again we wondered who lived there and what they did, although I guess that many work on the land.
The river, which had been by the side of the road, disappeared, but within minutes turned into what looked like a huge lake, although we weren’t sure if it was. After rounding some bends and seeing a bridge in the distance, we went over the Dirty Devil River. A few miles later we went over another bridge with the Colorado River beneath – how cool was that? We had to be on the boundry of the Grand Canyon. However more importantly was that we had to keep going, although by now we knew that we wouldn’t make Blanding by dusk, we were still too far away. Plus the terrain had become more hilly with some steep inclines. However we kept going, but in the end with the two strong men riding the last leg that we could do, we finally succumbed, put the bikes into the van and drove 54 miles to Blanding. We had however ridden 118 miles doing leap frog relay. So now we knew that our system worked at least for the 100+ miles that we would have to do on some of our routes. We were disappointed that we had not ridden the full distance of this leg of the X America Bike Ride. We hope that you are all not too disappointed either.
Cheers BP
We knew that this was going to be a tough ride, and one that we might not make. So we decided to do the leap frog relay – this is where we have two riders on the road and the others drive 10 miles. After 40 minutes the next two riders take off from the van while the van waits for the two to arrive. Once they have arrived the van takes off for 10 miles and waits for the second two riders. The wait is 35 minutes this time, and the final two riders take off. The van keeps leap frogging the riders and this way we can keep going, eat while traveling, and keep up the pace. Felipe did a 36 minute 10 mile ride, which was not all downhill! At the same time we were all doing somewhere between 12 – 15 miles per hour. It also meant that we got a 20 mile break before riding again. The route was pretty flat too which helped.
Before we set out Angel shows us his wonderful leg tan! He’s definitely after a tan. So out through the Capital Reef National Park, still pretty awesome scenery, and on into the desert, literally. Our leap frog relay seemed to work and we were doing some good mileage. The scenery was desert but still with the canyons which are very impressive. ON one of my rides with Angel (I was tagged with him), we literally rode all the way though a canyon with a river running on the side of the road. Angel wanted to go and sit in it for a while, but no we had to keep up the pace, so on we went. Jack did stints on his own as one of Raymond’s spokes had broken. Felipe and Andriy were THE men, they really helped us keep a very good pace and were definitely the fastest two. Thank you both. Little communities went by and again we wondered who lived there and what they did, although I guess that many work on the land.
The river, which had been by the side of the road, disappeared, but within minutes turned into what looked like a huge lake, although we weren’t sure if it was. After rounding some bends and seeing a bridge in the distance, we went over the Dirty Devil River. A few miles later we went over another bridge with the Colorado River beneath – how cool was that? We had to be on the boundry of the Grand Canyon. However more importantly was that we had to keep going, although by now we knew that we wouldn’t make Blanding by dusk, we were still too far away. Plus the terrain had become more hilly with some steep inclines. However we kept going, but in the end with the two strong men riding the last leg that we could do, we finally succumbed, put the bikes into the van and drove 54 miles to Blanding. We had however ridden 118 miles doing leap frog relay. So now we knew that our system worked at least for the 100+ miles that we would have to do on some of our routes. We were disappointed that we had not ridden the full distance of this leg of the X America Bike Ride. We hope that you are all not too disappointed either.
Cheers BP
Day 9: Across to Torrey
Early start on the road from Bryce Canyon to Torrey. It really was a beautiful ride and mainly flat with some good down hills. A terrific ride through Black Canyon, I think that’s what it was called, with a river running by the side of the road. Still a lot of water in the river and it seemed much of the surrounding land was saturated by the overflow of this water. Rounding bends you’d find a small house totally isolated and wonder who lived there and why they lived there? Got caught by a herd of cattle on the road being driven somewhere by two cowboys. I guess either to other pastures or to be transported to market.
We finally hit an horrendous up hill, which would take us up to the top of Parker Mountain. On the first hill, which we were half up, a pick-up truck pulls up next to us and the driver says “easier going down”. We agreed, and he asked where we were going and told him the Bronx, New York. Amazed he then proceeded to tell us just how steep this was going to be!! Great, but to our surprise he said put your bikes in the pick-up and hop in – now seriously what could we say, “No”. So sorry all but this was a hill from hell and about 5 miles long! The drivers name was Jack and his wife was Laura, and they were going to Fish Lake, near the top of Parker Mountain to celebrate their anniversary. A fascinating couple who had worked in Russia, in Leningrad, teaching English for 19 months. They had also worked in Africa in South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique as teachers. He, Jack also had fought in the Korean war. He was born and raised in the valley that we had just passed through. So all in all a very worldly husband and wife couple, very generous and very kind. So really how could we have missed such a ride up Parker Mountain? Jim what do you think? We wished them a great anniversary dinner and looked down on the fast ride to come. Boy it was fast and long which was great for us. I got to ride and talk with Angel for a while and find out that he really loves to fish, and for the Fall semester he is going to do canoe and rod at Berkshire School. I told him about my Uncle who was a fisherman off the East coast of England, and Craster kippers which are the best kippers in the world.
We passed some bison grazing and thought that we saw Elk in the distance; well at least Angel thought that we saw some. We were making great time due to the fact that most of the ride had been downhill. Would you believe that we went through a town called Greenwich, yes another Greenwich, nothing like the town in CT though. Jack and the van people drove on to Torrey and the camp site, and when we did make it to Torrey we would have ridden right by if it had not been for Charlie screaming at us to turn in. Home for the night, and what a great little camp site looking straight out to red canyon walls on the one side and open country side on the other.
A big thanks to Jack’s dad Brien, who insisted that Jack buy steaks for the evening dinner man did we enjoy them. Cheers Brien O’Brien we love you.
BP
We finally hit an horrendous up hill, which would take us up to the top of Parker Mountain. On the first hill, which we were half up, a pick-up truck pulls up next to us and the driver says “easier going down”. We agreed, and he asked where we were going and told him the Bronx, New York. Amazed he then proceeded to tell us just how steep this was going to be!! Great, but to our surprise he said put your bikes in the pick-up and hop in – now seriously what could we say, “No”. So sorry all but this was a hill from hell and about 5 miles long! The drivers name was Jack and his wife was Laura, and they were going to Fish Lake, near the top of Parker Mountain to celebrate their anniversary. A fascinating couple who had worked in Russia, in Leningrad, teaching English for 19 months. They had also worked in Africa in South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique as teachers. He, Jack also had fought in the Korean war. He was born and raised in the valley that we had just passed through. So all in all a very worldly husband and wife couple, very generous and very kind. So really how could we have missed such a ride up Parker Mountain? Jim what do you think? We wished them a great anniversary dinner and looked down on the fast ride to come. Boy it was fast and long which was great for us. I got to ride and talk with Angel for a while and find out that he really loves to fish, and for the Fall semester he is going to do canoe and rod at Berkshire School. I told him about my Uncle who was a fisherman off the East coast of England, and Craster kippers which are the best kippers in the world.
We passed some bison grazing and thought that we saw Elk in the distance; well at least Angel thought that we saw some. We were making great time due to the fact that most of the ride had been downhill. Would you believe that we went through a town called Greenwich, yes another Greenwich, nothing like the town in CT though. Jack and the van people drove on to Torrey and the camp site, and when we did make it to Torrey we would have ridden right by if it had not been for Charlie screaming at us to turn in. Home for the night, and what a great little camp site looking straight out to red canyon walls on the one side and open country side on the other.
A big thanks to Jack’s dad Brien, who insisted that Jack buy steaks for the evening dinner man did we enjoy them. Cheers Brien O’Brien we love you.
BP
Day 8
REST DAY! No one up early well at least before 10am.
But we wanted to get to Bryce Canyon, which was about 7 miles away. It’s amazing that you actually don’t see the canyon system until you are literally on the edge. The drive up through Dixie Forest was leisurely, and we were all asking “where’e the canyon?”. Into Bryce National Park and still nothing. We parked the van and a shuttle bus took us up to a drop off, still nothing to see. We walk about 20 yards and boom, there’s the canyon. Absolutely breathtaking, and as a backdrop the Aquarius Plateau at 10000 feet+, the highest plateau in the US. Spectacular.
We walked some of the canyon walks (not much of a rest day!!), one was the Sunrise to Sunset canyon walk. About 5 miles but down to the bottom and then back up to appear at another ridge of the canyon.
Suffice it to say what a rest day.
Back on the road early tomorrow.
BP
But we wanted to get to Bryce Canyon, which was about 7 miles away. It’s amazing that you actually don’t see the canyon system until you are literally on the edge. The drive up through Dixie Forest was leisurely, and we were all asking “where’e the canyon?”. Into Bryce National Park and still nothing. We parked the van and a shuttle bus took us up to a drop off, still nothing to see. We walk about 20 yards and boom, there’s the canyon. Absolutely breathtaking, and as a backdrop the Aquarius Plateau at 10000 feet+, the highest plateau in the US. Spectacular.
We walked some of the canyon walks (not much of a rest day!!), one was the Sunrise to Sunset canyon walk. About 5 miles but down to the bottom and then back up to appear at another ridge of the canyon.
Suffice it to say what a rest day.
Back on the road early tomorrow.
BP
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