May 15

Oh my gawd.  I partially unpacked last night and found Pat snuck about 15 pounds of dried fruit and nuts into one of my bags.  Maybe I can share them with a bear.

Yesterday started out at 51 degrees and went to 90.  Of course, you have dress for the chill, so I got a tad mite warm later in the day.  Today, I just waited a few extra hours so it was in the mid-60s when I left.  So clever, so clever.  Of course, I did only two hundred and some miles today.

Today was why I motorcycle.  Got past a small town on I-70 and saw a sign, "No Services Next 110 Miles."  Drove twisting through a narrow canyon in the morning cool where even on the Interstate the speed limit was cut by up to 30 mph going through the curves.  Juniper on the canyon sides, a creek running just off the road with trees in the creek bottom just leafing out.  The canyon was red, tan, yellow, rust, green - and that  was just the rock, and not all of it.  Crested a pass over 7800 feet and dropped down into lower rock formations, gray and eroded into fantastic shapes, a demon's nightmare.  Lots of orange flowers by the side of the road.  Went over a second pass not much lower than the first.  Scenic overlooks every few miles.  I stopped and took phone camera shots of a few, but will not post them because they don't begin to convey the feel of the place.  Those of you who have been here know what I mean.  Those of you who haven't just need to come.  If god made southern Utah, it was when he was feeling particularly wild and artistic.

Not far into the canyon I saw two things in quick succession.  The first was a sign reading, "Frequent Wildlife Next 12 Miles."  The second was a dead elk.  Someone needed to take the sign more seriously.  A dead elk also usually means a dead car or truck, too, but I didn't see one of those.

Oh my gawd again.  I just checked into a place in Moab and found Pat also snuck a pound or so of hard candy into one of my bags.  I checked into Moab - fourth place I tried, incidentally, as the town is full up - because the campground at Arches is, you guessed it, full up.  I begin to suspect that taking the sleeping bag, pad and tent may not be the wonderful idea I first conceived it to be.   I shall have to take advantage of friends even more.  Of course, why else does one have friends?  Oops.  Maybe that wasn't smart to say just now.

After I wrote what you just read, I went to Arches National Park.  Took a serious camera and even more serious lenses.  If I got anything, I will share after the trip.  Did some hiking as well as driving and even though I took a fair amount of water, I dehydrated.  I can tell, because the bike gets awfully heavy, and I have to be careful to think through even ordinary things.  Left the park at seven, got a light dinner and four sizable glasses of ice water.  Still feel whipped.

One thing about Arches - English may not be the primary language.  It may be German.  Bring us them Euros, boys and girls!

The day's weirdness was a waterfall that certainly appeared to be flowing uphill.  It was a creek beside the road, and though the general terrain was going uphill, so the water was flowing as the Lord intended, the road was going down for a way.  So it really looked as if I was heading downhill with the water flowing in the opposite direction.

Today's winner is "Anal Fun Seeker."

I must stretch and sleep.  Canyon lands National Park tomorrow.