14th June 2018 Thursday – Ruth makes BIG MISTAKE again

- May 20, 2018

Hello Everybody!

Route: Hite Campground (sort of) to Hanksville

For the non-mathematicians out there:

Distance: 50 miles (Total 2,589)	Average speed: 12.2 mph
Calories: 961	Cycling time: 4h 07min
Average cadence: 67 rpm	Climb: 2,457t, Descent: 2,070ft
Heart (yes I have one): Max 119 Aver 98	Aver Temp: 32C, Max temp 41C
Temperament: Sizzling, Weird, Getting the hang

Early PS - the photos are now updated in yesterday's blog. See my table bed for the first time. You know you want one.

So I managed to enjoy the night’s sleep on my table. I had my feet in my sleeping bag and the rest of me was “out in the open”. I woke a few times and only once thought I was about to fall to the ground. I did also get very nice breezes every so often but best not to mention that given children sometimes read this blog e.g. Margaret & Angela.

I woke up at 5.35am and left by 6.35am which for me is going some. The Sun had risen but was hiding behind some clouds so the first few miles were cool and without incident. The next few miles were also cool as I was cycling up a gorge (they call it canyon but who invented English?) that was heading north and most days the Sun rises in the East so do the sums = I was in shadow quite a bit.

There were a few steep but relatively short climbs in the first 15 miles and then a gradual climb up to the 31-mile point. At this point, it was a very nice downhill and accompanied by an even nicer tailwind. I fairly mullered along and got to Hanksville very early indeed – about 12.30pm. I was also feeling very tired for some unknown reason.

When I arrived at the motel/RV/Campsite I discovered that Ruth had made me book the previous day and not the day I arrived on. She has done this a number of times so I will just leave it there. It was her fault, no doubt, as she should have checked with me, the hosts and herself. This may, or may not, be a final warning.

Anyway, Swinhoe’s jammy luck prevailed and they let me stay in my own luxurious RV (Recreational Vehicle – for Ian) for the night of my arrival and not the day before Ruth, which was nice. I had lunch in their restaurant and then went shopping. I managed to spend $78 on energy items and my meal for the night. Unsurprisingly I went for tuna, tomato sauce and spaghetti, just for a change.

Given Ruth’s recent gaffe, I also decided to move some dates for my Nevada stays but my USA phone (AT&T – final T stands for Terrible) did not have a signal. The hosts, Brittani and Lane, lent me Lane’s phone and I eventually got these dates moved OK. However, I will do a final check on Saturday or Sunday when I hopefully will have a proper signal.

After fixing the new dates I met 2 chaps who were doing the Western Express but going East and amazingly ending up on the East coast. They were doing shorter days than me )around 23.78 hours) so they had already been going for about 40 days without a rest!!!! We shared info about what we’d seen that might be relevant to the other party. For me, they confirmed my Nevada route as the right approach, which again was nice. At this time the wind was going crazy, it had been fairly boisterous when I arrived but things were flying past the window that normally just stay where they are i.e. telephone poles, camels and sage and onion stuffing. I was hoping for better in the morning.

Anyway, I had a great sleep in my RV and cooked the meal without problems. I also saved some of the meal for the next day as I was due to be camping in a State campsite called Oak Creek, just (18.4miles) north of Boulder, Utah. These campsites typically don’t have much in the way of living/shopping items so I thought I’d done the right thing for a change – a bit like making sure the bookings are done properly, Ruth.

Anyway, let’s just leave it there for now.

Love Alan & Frankie xxx

PS Next time any of you see Ruth just say to her “Shame on you” and that will be the end of the matter until I bring it up again. Which will be in tomorrow’s blog.