One of the local residents came out to wish everyone goodbye! He was lurking under the pool toy box on the patio. My brother was especially excited to see this guy! A few months back one of its brothers managed to poke Cam in the toe while he was sleeping. His description is it is like a really bad bee sting but then there are lingering effects caused by the neuro-toxin the scorpion injects. Several days of tingling. This one met an untimely demise under Cam's shoe! He was not sad to see it go.
Julie and Cat were gone so I had to begin my journey back also. I decided to seek an alternate route back north to Moab, as we had done the I17 journey in our quests for the vortex energy a number of times.
The route I chose took me up through Payson, past the Petrified Forest National Park, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument. I wish some more these National features were spread across Michigan, but I guess when a mile thick ice sheet scrapes your state flat you get lakes instead of high rocks.
One the way north, I ran into several types of weather: snow, dust storms, and fine partly cloudy skies. The one constant that seems to never be in short supply out here in the Spring is the wind. Always the wind!
There were several appropriately named features seen on the tour north, one was an area of several large buttes called Los Giganticus Buttes, and the other is a gift shop (tourist trap) named the Hole in the Wall, because it is in a hole in the rock wall.
Upon safe arrival back in Moab, I set up camp in the delightful "Up a Creek" campground. It is located on a small stream that runs right through Moab. Only a short walk from a great grocery store and the library. I managed to get some red beans & rice cooked up and then headed up into the park for some sunset shops. This place is never without its options.
On Monday, after a great night of sleep, I got up to some oatmeal, coffee and an apple. This was to be the day of the road bike tour on the Park road.
I got suited up and headed into the Park. I parked the car at the Visitor Center which is immediately inside the Park entrance. The ride begins with a great set of switchbacks right out of the parking lot. The road is about 18 miles long ending at the Devil's Garden trail-head and camping area. This is the area I camped in when I was here the week before last.
The ride is an up and down affair, but mostly up to Devil's Garden. The crowds were already gathering at the trail-head. I had part of a PowerBar and started the ride back. Whoa, Nellie! I think the ride out took about half the time of the ride in. It was great. There are sections where it almost becomes a strain to stay in the tuck flying downhill for so long. The most fun was in the final miles in the switch backs down to the Visitor Center. There was a Mustang that had passed me a ways before going into the turns, if I had another 100 yards I would have caught him in the turns.
See the ride file on: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7995787
After the ride, I had some more to eat and went for a hike starting in the Park Avenue section of the Park. This is a great trail that is about one mile long behind the huge fin of red rock called Park Avenue. Most people either go down and back or have a pick up at the other end.
I continued on down the wash to see if I could hike up one of the canyons and get to the top of the plateau. No luck. I was thwarted in my attempt by too much rock. I was able to get quite high up in a saddle behind the Three Gossips to obtain some nice wide shots of the valley and the Park road.
Much fun!
The final shot is from the starting and ending point of the hike in the lower Park Avenue trail head parking lot. The sun had come around to provide a better angle by the time I got back.
I am now heading back to the campsite for some dinner and a shower. Much needed at this point.
In the morning I break camp and start back East. It appears there may be some rain in the forecast. Bummer!
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