Time Zone : Mountain (GMT -7)
Todays Distance: 96 miles
Cycling time: 7 hrs 12 mins
Average Speed: 13.3 mph
Todays Distance: 96 miles
Cycling time: 7 hrs 12 mins
Average Speed: 13.3 mph
Today’s cumulative ascent: 3917 ft
Average Heart rate: 107 bpm
Distance so far: 1149 miles
Distance so far: 1149 miles
Ascent so far: 42,882 ft.
Today’s Profile:
Today’s Profile:
Today’s Route:
Dedication: Today is for my Second Year Maths students in the Abbey. I corrected their Summer Maths test yesterday afternoon in Green River (UT) and many of them wrote a note of well wishes and encouragement at the end of their tests. It helped. Thanks guys.
Today, the 4th in the Rocky Mountains Tour, was to be a long day and everyone’s expectations last night was that it would be tough and testing. It was for so many reasons.
Leaving at 7 am it was pleasant and most left in short sleeves and headed east into the rising sun. Navigation for today was straight-forward – drop down onto I-70 East after 1.3 miles and come off after 96.3 miles. The shoulder for most of the day was gritty with plenty of tyre debris strewn about. To the first SAG at 24 miles it was all a pull but the wind was kind – it was non-existent.
During this first stage I got my first flat of the cycle so far. Not bad for 16 days and over 1000 miles. And it was in the front wheel, strangely enough. Others have got 5 or 6 so far with one getting 4 in one day. I’ve been one of the lucky ones. There were 5 in our touring group today and all helped with the repair – in my case it was a sharp stone. In many other cases it is pieces of radial wire that is the culprit..
Our group had 4 flats today, with Jeff having 2. This is the first day we were held up with putting in new tubes. The old ones will be repaired on Rest Day. Luckily, when we got the last flat the SAG wagon was nearby and Christine produced the foot-pump – the only weapon to put in the pressure. And the 3 gentlemen just watched as Christine was left to do the pumping! No chivalry. Me? I was busy taking the photo.
On our left for the first part of the day we had the same scenery as yesterday. You could imagine you were cycling along the bottom of a lake that someone had pulled the plug on, long time ago. As the morning wore on the sun began to catch the face of the rocks in thee distance.
Cycling through this Utah desert, we were confronted again with vast expanses of arid earth. It stretched to the extremities of human vision and very little vegetation seemed to thrive. In the far distance higher mountains capped with snow were to be seen. Is there any end to the seemingly infinite spreads of nothingness that we have experienced in Nevada and in Utah?
Long straight roads faced us again with very little in the way of long serious climbing although the aggregate for the day was just short of 4,000 feet. It was all short frequent lifts. When a descent came, it was relished.
We knew that temperatures would climb as the day progressed and with the long mileage, hydration was of the essence. Copious amounts of water were taken the night before to hydrate and our strategy was to take small frequent drinks as we passed each mile marker along I-70. It worked well and the SAG wagon was on hand many times to top up our bottles.
At the 71 mile point we came to the Utah/Colorado state line. We were now entering our 4th state of the cycle. It had taken almost 5 days cycling to cross Utah, the beehive state. The moment of entry had to be recorded. The mile-markers along the I-70 started at zero again.
From the second SAG stop on, there was a little more greenery to be seen and by the time we were descending to Grand Junction, more and more cultivation was evident. The Colorado river, flowing against us was in full flow. I believe it was in flood just 2 weeks ago.
The last 40 miles, we cycled in great heat. Some of the cyclists had recorded temperatures in the 90’s. When stopped, it was intense. The only relief was to keep cycling and to create one’s own air-conditioning. Sun-block was increased and shirts were open to full extent to keep cool. It was almost 4 pm as we came into Grand Junction on the Colorado river … a town with a population of almost 50,000.
It was a relief to get into the air-conditioning of the motel…West Gate Inn (we could have been in Clonmel) shortly after 4 pm and into a deserved shower.
So, it was a tough day…..flats, heat, and distance. But I think the degrees were more draining than the miles. It was enjoyable as the 5 of us cycled along (Gary joined our touring team today). We worked well together with each one looking out for the other. We are now facing the Rockies themselves in this Rocky Mountain section of the crossing.
Thank God for the energy and thank God for the energy.
HEARD TODAY: At Route Rap this evening “Tomorrow is a recovery day; we only cycle 70 miles”
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It was decided to bring forward departure this morning so as to have most of the cycling done before it got too warm. It turned out to be a good move as temperature were at 86 degrees when I arrived in Green River at 11.45. I was sure glad to be in out of that. I presume this will be a feature when temperatures threaten to soar.
Just outside Price we merged onto Route 6 and stayed with it for most of today’s route. For the duration we again had the railway alongside but no action on Sunday.
The skyline again was lined with flat-topped hills and became more and more spectacular as the day went on. They appeared as if someone had flattened them out with a spade. There was a craggy skyline visible in the very early stages off to our left.
At one stage I spotted an operational sign for a Dinosaur Quarry (many remains of dinosaurs have been located around this general area) . Looking at the landscape about it was possible to visualise the scarce trees being snatched up by these monsters to be consumed. I had the others posted to report any sightings! Our group today was the same that started yesterday (Steve, Suresh, Jeff and self) and we maintained contact from start to finish.
Our route today promised to be favourable – more descent than ascent and there was no significant wind. We were being compensated for yesterday as we moved across the Utah desert with the usual long stretches ahead. 
At one stage in the first half we had a lovely drop down for a mile or so and then on to a long stretch off into the distance. On either side there was no vegetation worth talking about but the skyline made up for that.
“SAG ahead on the right.” SAG was at the 33 mile mark and was located in a perfectly scenic lay-by and the views distracted us from the snacks and the refilling of water-bottles. Temperatures were rising a bit (it was still only 9 am) and the coolness of the early morning had disappeared.
At one stage I decided to scale a hill to get a better view of the surroundings and a vantage point of the approaching cyclists and their surroundings.
Returning to resume cycling I realised that I had left my mark on the Utah desert and wondered how long those footprints would remain there. Would someone mistake them for those of a dinosaur?
Just before noon we dropped onto Interstate 70 before entering Green River located on Green River that flows southwards………………………………….. It is a small town and was extremely quiet, but then it was Sunday morning. 
One muscle machine was parked up in a shade of yellow but would have benefited with a splash of red (the colour combintion on the best trucks).
Just before going to the hotel I dropped into a gas station to pick up a lunch to help the system recover and my eye was caught by a brochure for GOLDEN….small town, big fun. Inside I discovered ‘With so much to see and so much to do, better plan on a day or two.’ Coors beer is brewed there in the largest single-site brewery in the world and it gives ‘ the true taste of the Rockies’ as it says in the ad.
The Green river that give the name to the town is 730 miles long and flows soutwards carry much silt and joins the Colorado river before flowing on to the Pacific. All rivers till we cross Monarch Pass flow to the Pacific.
So at 12.30 with temperatures of 86 we pulled into Holiday Inn at the eastern end of town and had an afternoon to recover. Nice to finish in the early afternoon. We were in for the 'minor match', as one might say.
Today was arranged to be Flag Day so a number of the international riders donned their national tops for the 74 mile trip. We retraced part of yesterdays route and then had to follow a traffic detour within 3 miles.
As usual the majority of the group leave as a bunch and only break up as the day progresses. Just outside Fairfield we are still in agricultural country and we enjoy the early morning with the country roads to ourselves…..still, caution is called for on these ‘quiet’ roads.
Crossing Main Street there were hundreds of chairs out for today’s parade...Flag Day. People just wanted to sure of a good viewing point. Seems as if it will be a big one. It was still just 8 am so we were too early to part of it.
After 12 miles (about 1 hour) with the muscles nicely warmed up, we moved onto Highway 6 and this would be our road for the rest of the day. Conditions were still calm and all seemed good in the world. However, as we came closer to the opening of the valley we were met by a fierce headwind that made pedalling almost impossible. There were windmills far ahead of us and they were stationary … maybe the wind we were meeting was a local phenomenon. Not so; the further we moved into the canyon the stronger the wind became. It was discouraging; would the rest of the day be a hard battling with headwinds? Fortunately, there was a variety of relief to come.
When we hit the first climb (a 3 mile pull) the wind kindly eased and we progressed smoothly and regrouped at the viewing point at the top. The initial valley was very green but as we moved on the landscape opened out into a brown hilly wilderness. At this stage we had 18 miles done and an easy enough passage to the SAG.
The SAG was in a rest-area with a mountain stream running through and an ideal place to cool burning feet. Cool is an understatement; it was freezing.
The railway ran alongside the route for most of the day. Again 3 trains pulling at least 100 fully laden coal wagons (each 40 ft long) came against us. Towards the end of the day as we were descending they were under pressure to make the grade. The coal was bound for the foundaries of Provo. The town we came to near the end of the cycle, Helper, was named so as it was there that extra engines were taken on to help the coal trains on the incline.
After SAG it was straight into a 6 mile climb to the highest point of the day. Fortunately, the wind wasn’t a factor so it was just a matter of finding the correct rhythm. At no stage today did we have to cotend with wind and hill simultaneously.
The gradient was gradual enough so there was time to admire the surroundings. The hills looked just like cone-shaped heaps of gravel with some vegetation
In time the top was reached and a certain euphoria was experienced as well as relief. Time to pause and soak in the landscape.
This was Soldier Summit (Elev 7,477 feet) and the moment had to be recorded when our group so far had peaked.
The descent from Soldier Summit was against the wind again and it was necessary to pedal almost continually. Much of the descent was in construction and needed care and caution. But once the road-works ended the landscape was exceptional. The road cut through hills of rock (so much for the piles of gravel) as it descended towards Helper.
At times the stands of rock seemed very delicate and in danger of collapsing. Around every corner a new surprise awaited.
At this time of the afternoon temperatures were high and I started to feel the heat. The Americans thought that it was just nice. What will I do when it really heats up; when they reckon that it is really warm? On the last few miles on Highway 6 into Price some beautiful formations appeared on both sides – I believe Arches National Park is near to tomorrow’s destination and that rock formations there are something else.
I arrived at the hotel at 3 pm and was thrilled to have a refreshing and cooling shower.
