Capitol Reef National Park, a small snafu, a return to Grand Junction, and play time at Cruiser's Bar


Next up for our tourist adventures of UTAH's National Parks:   Capitol Reef NP. Capitol Reef runs along what they call the Waterpocket Fold of the south central desert. It was explained to us as 'one of earth's wrinkles'. Capitol Reef is known for its great hiking, but also the abundance of fresh fruit growing around it - apples, pears, and peaches. The town nearest the park is called Fruita - because of the fruit in the area.

Capitol Reef entrance road
had a fantastic lookout point with a  gravel road behind it called the Goosenecks Road. Gravel, of course! We rode to the end of it and were surprised to find the views even more impressive than they were from the lookout. From the lookout. you could see the landscape for miles and miles, but what you couldn't see is the river that flows deep deep down beyond canyon walls - the goosenecks of the river right below my feet! So cool!!

A bit of a hike to get to this amazing overhanging rock!


On the way out of the Goosenecks, I encountered a bit of a snafu... my front tire caught the edge of a really nasty rock, which was laying amidst sand on one of the switchback style corners... by the time I saw just how jagged the rock was, it was too late to try to maneuver around it. I tried to hit it square on, but failed - which sent the bike careening sideways in the sand. I tried to correct myself out of the slide, but it was too late and by the time I hit the brakes, I had already spun a 360 and was forced to lay the bike down on the right side, facing uphill, on the wrong side of the road. The front tire came to rest on a huge flat rock, which I had to pull out of the way in order to upright the bike.




Luckily, I was unscathed in all the commotion. Shelly hopped off her bike and the two of us got my bike upright again. I bent the snot out of the right crash bar - it hit yet another rock which caused it to bend and literally break off the bike. Thank goodness for the crash bars though, or that could have been my rear brake that got mangled! Nothing else happened to the bike -aside from some gravel in the tailpipe and some dust covering the right side. Once upright, I let her sit for a minute and then went to hit the start button and she fired right up. This bike is 100% amazing. Back on the road we go. Once we got back to the paved visitor area, I pulled off, took out the toolkit and loosened the bolts to the crash bar, so that I could move it enough to kick the floorboard back into place, allowing normal use of the rear brake. And then, on the road we go!!


Next up: Capitol Reef Tourist Loop
The tourist loop road - such crazy awesome views - including views of Capitol Dome, Hickman Bridge, and petroglyphic in the rocks along the roadway.


#Merica is GREAT!




From Capitol Reef we slowly made our way back towards the freeway, heading east, to mosey towards home. A boring ride in comparison to recent days!


 We landed for the evening in Grand Junction (again).  We got there in time to actually eat dinner - a first this whole trip I think!! We hiked down to Applebee's to eat and arrived just in time for happy hour. Our bartenders us - it showed in the drink pours they handed us!  After dinner they gave us a recommendation of a bar nearby to go to. We walked a short ways to Cruisers Bar - it was downhill of the parking lot of a hotel, around a corner, and kind of tucked under the big building. You would never know it was there! We got ID'd at the door and told that there are no colors/patches allowed (prior to entering) - so after the bouncer carded us and handed us our free drink ticket, he slyly leaned back trying to peek a view at my vest to ensure there were no colors or other patches - I saw what he was doing and turned so he could have a full view and said "They are all innocent and hilarious" - he laughed and shook his head as he waved us into the bar. The bar was a wide mix of both locals and tourists. There was a live jazzy blues band playing, pool tables to our right, a large outdoor patio with bags behind us and a huge patron area ahead of us. We scored seats at the bar shortly after arrival and quickly made friends with the bartenders and a few locals. After a few vacation celebration drinks, we moseyed back to the hotel to slumber.
 A successful great day again!




Comments

  1. Thank goodness you were not hurt in your snafu, as you put it. I am so glad that the crash bar did it's job and protected you and the bike. Glad to hear you are not hurt and safely on your way home. Time to replace that tire too! <3

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