1 September 2011

When I was checking in Wednesday afternoon, hot and sweaty, the proprietor noted that it had been 41 that morning.

It wasn't quite that cool at 8:30 when I was ready to leave, 58 according to my thermometer. I zipped up and headed back down to SR12, then east toward Bryce Canyon. There are some spectacular rock formations outside the park; I pulled over and took a couple of pictures.



The road into the park is about four miles to the Visitor Center, occasionaly signed down to 35 mph, with flashing red radar speed signs if you dared even one mile over. But I got my stamp and got out of there.



I needed gas by Escalante, but there was a multi-agency Visitor Center on the west side of town, with the familiar National Park shield. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, indeed! Then gas...as I'm getting off the bike, the proprietor comes running out and says that his pumps are broken--there's another station just down the street. I'm not picky.

The road north from here is tasty, as is the scenery. And the weather is pleasant, also; a relief from the last two days. The first time I rode this route I'd left Bryce Canyon fairly early (before computers, you know!) and there was fog in the valleys along where the road follows the very top of the ridge; it was like riding in the clouds! But seeing down into those valleys is nice, too.

East on SR24, into Capitol Reef NM. I'm not collecting stamps, but you can't help riding through National Parks in this part of Utah; add that one to the book.

 



Then south again, toward Lake Powell. There's a route involving a ferry crossing that I've taken a couple of times, although I can't see why just now; maybe just for the roads. (Imagine!) Then there's a turnout for the Natural Bridges NM, but no indication as to how far in the Visitor Center is--I need gas, and don't want to chance it. (~5 miles, looks like--I might have made it!)

There's a tumble-down gas station at the 95-191 junction where I fill up, then just up the road a couple more prosperous looking ones. Ya just never know.

North on 191 to 491, and east a bit to 141--it's hard to go straight for any length of time in this section of the state--141 to 145, and now I'm thinking about where to spend the night. I'd laid out a route as far as Gunnison, but was hoping to get close enough to Ouray to spend another night with the Sullivans. But it was already after 4, and I'm tired of riding--lots of good roads, but also lots of low speed limits.

Norwood was supposed to have a couple of motels; as I rolled into town, where the Westward Ho was supposed to be seemed to be new construction; in the middle of town what appeared to be a 'residence' motel had what looked like a 'No Vacancy' sign, although the initial "N" was missing. Back to the new construction... "Yes, we're open. $70, or $80 for a 'nicer' room." Yikes! +$20 every day I go east! No 'walk-away' rate, either.

The room appointments are nice, if a bit strange. There's wi-fi, but no desk, and just a folding chair stored in an armoire. Two bunk beds, as well as a queen. Nice flat-screen tv, with Dish network; refrigerator and microwave (none of which I use). The shower's a circular affair, with sliding doors, the toilet's a couple of steps up from the usual cheap flexible plastic ones you usually find. But still, $70! I have leftover groceries, so dinner isn't quite as dear as last night.

48 degrees outside my door this morning, guess I'll break out the long pants. 
 
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