So, being stuck in Monticello, I started looking for ways out. I could try and buy CO2 from a local store but it was Sunday and every store in town was closed. I could get something overnighted but once again it was Sunday and so that would mean taking two rest days. I could get a taxi from the city 60 miles north for a couple hundred dollars. Eventually I called Matt, the local cyclist, and he once again saved the day by letting me use his floor pump to pump up my rear tire and giving me a CO2 cartridge so I could repair a flat on the road. I took his photo and got on the road. If you’re reading this, I’ll send you a cake if you want. Or pie, that’s cool too.
Anyways I headed south and grabbed lunch in the next town. Looking at my map, I had to choose between going south 30 miles to the town of Bluff or going west through 40 miles of lots of hills including a 2000 ft climb to a campground for a more scenic view. Being tired and low on repair supplies I chose the harder route that took me away from towns.
I turned west onto route 95 and headed towards many parks and recreation areas. The road had little-to-no shoulder but wasn’t too trafficked so that wasn’t a big deal. It seemed like half of the cars that passed me were white SUVs, a popular combination down here I guess. I got lots of thumbs-ups and friendly double honks. Lots of bike friendly people.
The ride started out being pretty scenic but after a while the road went through a cut in the rock and opened up into a beautiful canyon. I stopped for lots of photos before moving on and beginning my long climb from the bottom of the canyon up into the hills to the west. The day was already getting late because of my slow start in the morning, but I was slated to arrive in the campground before dark.
Crawling up hills, I watched as storms moved around me, somehow always missing me and keeping me dry. As I reached the summit over 7000 feet, I got a beautiful view of the sun setting into a distant mesa. Also, free range cows.
I rolled into the campground right before dark and all the sites were taken but someone who had passed me on the highway offered to let me pitch my tent in his site. He and his wife had been coming to this exact camp site in this park for 12 years and were there tonight to have dinner with some friends. They fed me an awesome Thai dinner before I got to bed early. Outside my tent, the wind picked up fiercely and rain came down on the high desert.
Today’s mileage: 61 miles.
Total mileage: 2907 miles.
Wonderful to meet such caring people when you could use a friend! And love picturing you in red rock country — a part of the world we want to get back to after too long an absence. Thanks again for the ongoing journal Galen! Cheers!