I’m heading west again, out of Colorado and into Utah to visit the Arches National Park. I was alerted to this beauty by an American hiker up in Iceland early in the year and as it is on the wrong side of Utah from Las Vegas I’m doing it on the approach rather than on the way back.
The largest catastrophe of the trip so far was going to befell me in this ride. I got to Great Junction and refuelled, I stopped for a mo and checked my phone. I then left, not realising that the phone was still sitting on the back pannier. After more or less 75 km I reach in the pocket to check the map and there is no phone, it was gone. I turn around and in no time I get to the filling station but no trace of the phone. fortunately Great Junction is a larger town and has a Best Buy. I get myself another phone, perform the obligatory changes of password as well as instructing Google to blast the data on the old phone. Rather annoying but, at the end of the the day, it’s only stuff, isn’t it?
On the way back I stop to the Utah Tourist Information and hook up with Ken, a Californian biker on the way back from Sturgis. We would end up spending the next two days together having a laugh a few beers and becoming friends.
Before getting to the campsite by Arches I also had the second misadventure of the day, this time with my jacket that had a zip malfunction. I managed to fix it but I started to think about what would be the third bad thing to befell me on the day. As we got to the campsite, punctual as only bad luck can be, I realise that the bike is overheating and checking the oil I realise I’m running real low. Wow can you believe it? they really come in threes. Fortunately no harm was done and I added some oil for which I had supply.
Ken suggested we went into the park to get some sunset shots and so we did.
Had a few beers at the camp but no fire, I think we were both too tired and, for me, it was a rather stressful day. Tomorrow is going to be a lot more hiking and photography. I suspect that by the end of it I’ll be a bit arched out.
After Delicate Arch I had it in me to head out to Devil’s Garden where some more arches could be found, it was a good idea even if the sun was really getting at me.
Ken was in town and we ended up getting back at the camp together where we spent some time in the pool chatting away. He decided to go out to catch the fool moon, I passed. I was lucky as the most amazing thunderstorm erupted and he returned completely drenched but happy as he managed to take shots of two lightenings.