16 @ Moab to Rifle

A big day in the saddle. Hot too boot. After Archer Park, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Canyon will have to be good! After we lucked it in a 3 week old motel with an upgrade we headed outta town to Dead Horse park named after the fact that cowboys heralded a mob of stallions across canyon top narrows and fence need them in. The story goes that tho there was the Colorado river some 2000' below they died of thirst. Made Lenore sad that bit. Spectacular views, mini Grand Canyon with rock stratas, erosion and that stuff imaginable, or if not just look the pix. The Canyonlands road is was twisty which makes the throttle hand a little heavy until I got a short flash by a passing sherrif. It's good they warn you if your a little over. Watched the rear view mirror as we tore off enjoying the bends, Lenore acting professionally leaning over the bike to capture the action.

Refused to stop at the visitors centre. They are a trap, you end up watching a tv, collect brochures and spend too much time rather than breathing it all in. Lenore needed some consolidation. Rode to the end of the road in the park so we could work our way back. We had the opportunity to catch a Rangers geological talk. Mmm, sounds worth hanging around for!

She began by talking about herself, yes she was an ex-teacher, junior, real junior I would say. Before long she asked her class to tell her where they were from. At this point I had buried myself deep in my iPad, no eye contact, brim shading my face. Lenore was asked to stand and show and tell. Well almost! After the rounds were complete she pulled out her picture boards complete with the text area together with personal touches and nice boarders. Mmmm it's getting better. We sat in the sun waiting for geology until she said when it rains little rivers are formed, they go looking for bigger rivers who in turn find the biggest river and then they look for the sea! I find that amazing. A bloke in the audience equally bemused by her talk said 'you call that gravity'? And she replied but it sounds so much more fun my way! We excused ourselves leaving the deep geological talk to the others!

Back to Moab, fuelled and up the Colorado river. That was a real treat with towering red cliffs in such a narrow canyon, weaving back on itself. The road was in disrepair and covered with black bitumen snakes. I hit a comer too hard and slipped over the double yellow lines with the only blessing there was no on-coming traffic. What a wonderful ride. This contrasted when we hit 70, the main free way back to colorado. Hot, un-interesting, tired, bum sore. A bit of shut eye. Only blinking.

Got to Fruita, on the outskirts of Grand Junction and went to a visitors centre. A couple of road rules here were stretched until we parked and fell on the grass in the shade for a 10 min recovery before we could enter the building. As always the system of support the visitors centres offers is an oasis. This older couple, of course volunteers, gave us all the info we needed, shared stories, gave coffee and when I added a few breakfast stolen sweet pastries the decision was made to continue along 70 to Rifle. The freeway was interesting, the town a little tired. We did the exit right but before we knew it we were back on the entry. That won't do, jumped the curb after Lenore dismounted and rode back towards oncoming traffic but on the grass. Oh well the technique worked! Lol Retreated to Comfort Inn by name. Chatted to another biker where we parked our bikes, yes wearing a piece. Oh well Rifle by any other name!