National Parks in Utah

Today we had spectacular scenery from start to finish. We rode through Dixie National Forest, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. We spent almost the entire day on State Route 12, which is both a “Scenic Byway” and an “All-American Road”. The latter distinction means the road is a destination in and of itself.

Mike rode with us for a bit along a segregated bike path past some beautiful rock formations. It rained on and off throughout the day but that couldn’t dampen our spirits.

We entered Bryce Canyon National Monument with a stunning descent. Halfway down one of my brakes stopped working. I was able to easily stop with my other brake and called Mechanic Mike who met me and was able to fix it. Probably. He suggested I didn’t rely on it too much and for the next 32 miles I hardly braked at all. Efficiency! But I guess as a result we’re not sure if it really is fixed. My dad sent a long list of things we should check so we’ll do that tomorrow.

Towards the end of the day we had a really steep and long climb which I was not mentally prepared for. This climb felt really pointless too. I spent the whole time thinking surely we don’t need to be climbing over this obstruction. Surely they could have built the road AROUND it. But I guess that’s what you get when you ride on an “All-American Road”. Unnecessary climbs to get to scenic overlooks.

We’re spending the night in Escalante. For dinner we walked into town and got pizza from an outdoor gear retailer / pizza joint. It was across the street from an outdoor gear retailer / coffee shop. I had read on Happy Cow that they would put vegan cheese on a pizza if you brought it and also that there was a market next door that sold vegan cheese. So that’s just what I did! And my pizza was excellent.

Highlights

• ridiculous scenery all day
• excellent pizza in Escalante

Lowlights

• Brake malfunction. The wee ball at the end of the brake cable popped out of its little slot in the brake lever. It’s a fiddly little thing and Mike struggled to get it to go back in and also stay when the brake lever was pulled. My dad replaced the brake pads and cables on my bike before the trip and he had a hard time getting the little ball to stay in place on the same lever. Maybe my 48 year old bike is showing some wear and tear?!

Julie’s food

• Breakfast: oats and coffee
• First Snack: Clif bar
• Second Snack: Clif bar, Oreos
• Lunch: bread and walnut butter, pretzels
• Third Snack: Clif bar
• Dinner: pizza and cider

Stats

• Total distance: 67.52 miles
• Elevation gain: 3,543 feet
• Weather: occasional rain, high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit