Monday, September 11, 2006
Crossing Utah
We are in Blanding, Utah, on US 191 in southeastern Utah, very near the Colorado border, where we will go tomorrow. We spent last night at the point the Colorado River becomes Lake Powell. The lake is down drastically due to a prolonged drought, and perhaps to the amount of water being withdrawn. We were at Hite Marina which was once an active place for putting in to the lake, and the northernmost point of the lake. Now the water is some distance away, the marina is closed, the place is a ghost town. We were there only because there is no other place to stay on our route for 130 miles. The surroundings were spectacular but everything about Hite reminds us of the unexpected consequenses of messing with nature. Hite did not work because the entire lake IS NOT NATURAL.
We have been without cell service for a few days, and only intermittent internet. We have put up some pictures of the prior days and I will go back and put in the narrative. In the meantime we continue to post new photos to the snapfish site, so that is worth checking from time to time.
Today was a hard day with lots of climbing; first out of the Colorado canyon, then up White Canyon, then through the San Juan valley. We ended with a climb to Blanding which was not indicated on the map. It was extremely steep and it was hot. We limped into Blanding having ridden 79 miles and well over 5000 feet of climbing.
The landscape changed dramatically as we came over the summit to the San Juan valley. Behind us were the stark and dramatic cliffs and canyons of the Colorado. Ahead were steep but softer mountains, much green, and structures suggesting agriculture, people, and new experiences to come.
The fauna count for today: one lynx (live), one coyote (road kill), many rabbits (in both states).
We have been without cell service for a few days, and only intermittent internet. We have put up some pictures of the prior days and I will go back and put in the narrative. In the meantime we continue to post new photos to the snapfish site, so that is worth checking from time to time.
Today was a hard day with lots of climbing; first out of the Colorado canyon, then up White Canyon, then through the San Juan valley. We ended with a climb to Blanding which was not indicated on the map. It was extremely steep and it was hot. We limped into Blanding having ridden 79 miles and well over 5000 feet of climbing.
The landscape changed dramatically as we came over the summit to the San Juan valley. Behind us were the stark and dramatic cliffs and canyons of the Colorado. Ahead were steep but softer mountains, much green, and structures suggesting agriculture, people, and new experiences to come.
The fauna count for today: one lynx (live), one coyote (road kill), many rabbits (in both states).
