12th June 2018 Tuesday – Nice easy day after “planning” rest day in Dove Creek

-
Hello Everybody!
Route: Dove Creek to Blanding

For the non-mathematicians out there:
Distance: 47 miles (Total 2,539)
Average speed: 12.3 mph
Calories: 1,095
Cycling time: 3h 49min
Average cadence: 71 rpm
Climb: 1,919ft, Descent: 2,559ft
Heart (yes I have one): Max 146 Aver 111
Aver Temp: 32C, Max temp 38C
Temperament: Enjoyable day back on the saddle

Nice start to the day with either tail or no wind all the way to Monticello, which is famous for dunking small rodents in single malt whiskey and then seeing which one falls over first. Odd custom but they don’t have cable TV so what can they do?

I had a very nice lunch in the drunk mice place. I had a Sandy with bacon, avocado and side salad – it was on the right. Also a very, very nice vanilla milkshake. This was just as well as the wind gods (small g just in case) were not sleeping off their lunch, oh no, not asleep. I also decided to cycle up the reasonably sized climb rather than going in completely the wrong way – as if.

Climb done then a really pleasant descent of about 5 miles, then flat, then arrived at Blanding.. Blanding is a very nice place – I met a road cycling group just going for an evening ride although it was still flipping hot for an evening. I had salmon and chips with raspberry lemonade – yes I am in Utah now and Blanding is a no drink city.

I nearly went to the local cinema which was showing Solo in 3D. Instead, I decided to remove some extra weight and space for the coming weeks. I now have a little plastic bag full of stuff Ruth made me take, that I have not used and will never miss. Oh dear, this might come back to haunt me when I suddenly have the need for a new microwave internal light. The bag is saying “so what I have done wrong?”. Sorry, I’m referring to the plastic bag in case anyone was in any doubt, especially Ruth.

I will be at the US Postal Office at 7.30am tomorrow and will see how much they take of my retirement funds this time. However, I am sending the stuff to our San Francisco Airbnb host so should not be that expensive.

Weather is very dry and very hot. Obviously, this is causing problems with my complexion so I have decided to grow a beard but not on my face. My numb left hand seemed to respond to me not using it much today – I stayed in the largest front ring all day as the hills were not that bad really.

Anyway, time is precious and I have a bit of a day tomorrow. The campsite is next to a large reservoir but I’m not sure if the associated store will be open i.e. I will need to get some water at the very least, so should be fun trying to find some.

The landscape is also getting very cowboy style. I think Utah will be a very enjoyable state to cycle through and I am looking forward to seeing the next version of American scenery.

L&K, A & F xx

P.S. I’ve worked out that in 3 days time I will have less than 1,000 miles to cycle. I am now at 68.8% of the mileage and I think my mojo is back. Thanks to some certain friends who know who they are, don’t they Ian?

SOME PHOTOS:

Monticello was just in front of this outcrop - 25 miles from Dove Creek










I thought this might be from the two forest fires they are having






I could have had a great time cooling off here






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4th July 2018 - The final, final and thrice final blogpost until next year

-
Image
Hello Everybody! Route: Vallejo to San Francisco For the non-mathematicians out there: Distance: About 4 miles (Total 3,478) Average speed: slightly more than walking pace Calories: I had a small coffee and muffin Cycling time: A little while Average cadence: 74 rpm Climb: 5’10.5”ft, Descent: -5’10.5”ft Heart (yes I have one): Max 180 when Ruth arrived Aver 280 when Ruth is "suggesting" something to me Aver Temp: 37C, Max temp 37C Temperament: Still wondering what the heck happened I had a very nice breakfast with Kay and left (for the first time) at around 9.00am. We travelled about 300 metres and then I decided to search for my passport, which I could not find. I went back to Kay’s house and we both searched my room. We could not find the passport so I decided that I had packed it somewhere and even if it turned up I could always go back to Kay’s place given it was only a short ferry ride aw
Read more

23rd June 2018 Saturday – Tougher than it looked

-
Image
Hello Everybody! Route: Ely to Eureka and then rest day For the non-mathematicians out there: Distance: 78 miles (Total 3,110) Average speed: 11.2 mph Calories: 2,065 Cycling time: 5h 13min Average cadence: 76 rpm Climb: 3,967ft, Descent: 3,845ft Heart (yes I have one): Max 154 Aver 112 Aver Temp: 30C, Max temp 39C Temperament: Very pleased to get to Eureka PICTURES TO FOLLOW AS YESTERDAY I set off at 7.10am so as to enjoy the lack of any wind, temperature, and traffic, almost just like yesterday. However the difference today was there was a westerly wind hitting me from the start and my legs were not talking to me or each other – they felt very heavy, almost as if they’ve cycled over 3,000-miles. This was only the first 100 metres of the day so I was not thinking happy thoughts at this time. However, Ying and Yang, the wind was caused by the buildings acting as a wind tunnel and I told my legs that
Read more

7th June 2018 Thursday – Made it Ma, top of the world

-
Image
Hello Everybody! Route: Salida to Gunnison For the non-mathematicians out there: Distance: 69 miles (Total 2,323) Average speed: 10.8 mph Calories: 2,484 Cycling time: 6h 21min Average cadence: 72 rpm Climb: 4,419ft, Descent: 3,717ft Heart (yes I have one): Max 147 Aver 119 Aver Temp: 25C, Max temp 34C Temperament: I think I am beginning to enjoy things here I decided to do an early start just in case the wheels fell off. I was very apprehensive about today. I’ve done a lot of miles but not much going upwards since West Virginia, which was quite a time ago it feels. There was only one climb, up to Monarch Pass, and it would take me and dear Bloss to the highest point in our whole USA journey together. It is not the most we will climb as we are starting at a fairly high altitude already. So my concern was reasonably well founded I think.
Read more