This is the local hospital, just across the street from our condo. Fortunately, we did not have to go there for any body work. Better still, we never even heard an ambulance siren. All this to say that mountain biking doesn't seem to generate much business for the hospital.
As mentioned in the last post, it never rains in Moab, except on Fridays when the guys went out for their final fling off the canyons.
This is Blair removing his filthy bike from the roof rack: there will be laundry...
A closer look: surprisingly. the chain and gears are basically clean and shiny.
Of course, analyzing mud and reliving moments is a required social function of mountain bikers, much like après-ski.
Bikes and people were washed, supper was gulped at a Thai restaurant [very good and filling], packing was started and pillows were hugged early.
Blair and I were on the road well before sunrise and our trip homeward started. Saturday was rainy and misty most of the day. I'm sure that fog on the canyons is a rare sight and it was a compelling photo-op. The next picture even has God rays!
This next shot was of a hugs lump of rock quite different in colour than its surrounding cousins. The early morning light just shaped it nicely.
Rain then dropped in to add some mystique to the fog.
Further along the Interstate, we found the westbound lane above to the left, while our lane ran alongside but about 20' below it. On the right are many people enjoying getting wet rafting the Colorado River: the same river that is responsible for much of the chiseling of these canyons.
There were a few tunnels though the stone mountains: all were in excellent shape and saved us miles, I'm sure.
Here we are back below the westbound lanes.
Note that the westbound lanes came through their own tunnel, while we skirted the mountain and continued along the Colorado river.
We drove by the Vail ski resort where they still has a few stubborn patches of snow on their hills.
Sometimes, further information is just too much...
On our westward trip, we had encountered a few traffic slow downs, but nothing like the parking lot of the oncoming traffic to our left. This condition continued for the better part of 10 miles. That was another reason we were glad to be headed home...
This morning, Sunday, we left before dawn again. We drove on a basically empty Interstate.
Here are just four of the hundred or so fans we saw this morning: they were quite effective since it was pleasantly cool all day.
The landscape flattened out, mountains were replaced by plains and rolling hills, and idyllic farm scenes were everywhere. Here are two for your consideration.
All the 'on the road' pictures were shot from the moving car while Blair was driving. Some may have window reflections that I may have missed, so I hope you can forgive any unintentional sloppiness on my part.
Tomorrow? Home is the target! What a great trip, so far...
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