Western Express Day #12 Escalante, UT to Red Canyon Campground

June 12 2021

Escalante, UT to Red Canyon Campground UT - 69 Miles

Start 6:44AM, Finish 5:18PM

Ride Time: 7:44

Ascent: 4219'

Descent: 3018'

Tour Total miles: 779

Details at: https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20210612-0644-65526

Last night was recorded as a campsite sneak in. I rolled into Escalante Petrified Forest State Park at dusk and set up my tent in campsite six. The ground was hard and I couldn’t pound in my tent stakes. After I set up my camp, I sat at the picnic table and added a few things to yesterday’s post. I was right next to the shower building but didn’t bother. I slept good, and had weird dreams about living in a strange apartment building.

In the morning it was a quick pack up and I was on the road before 7AM. It was chilly and I was wearing cycling shorts, a short-sleeve jersey, my sweater, and my brim. I’ve been wearing the same stinky clothes since Dolores, and I’m developing a true cowboy feeling. The campground had nice showers and I should have taken one last night.

It was windy out on the road. I was following Birth Creek upstream. The creek was to my right and it was about six feet wide and clear. The valley was green with hardy grass and scrub. Trees were growing along the creek’s edge. As I climbed I noticed more trees on the hills around me. I re-entered Dixie National Forest. It was a mellow grade and not a high climb.

I exited Dixie National Forest and re-entered Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The last part of the climb had a steep grade. I stopped to document the summit and flip my map panel. Several trucks loaded with bicycles passed me and I bet it had something to do with the relay race. A downhill sign appeared announcing a 12% grade. A rugged canyon opened up to my right. I went flying down the hill with steep curves and a muddy canyon below. I was now following the Henrieville Creek downstream.

The valley opened up wide and there nothing but sage brush. A Roadwork Ahead sign appeared and I could see Henrieville in the distance. Henrieville had a population of 230 and did not have services. There was a post office, fire house, and town hall. I had been on the road for over three hours and hadn’t eaten anything. I passed another relay race marker. There would be services in Cannonville, in three miles away.

I was riding on brand new asphalt and entered Cannondale, population 167. I crossed over the Paria River. I stopped at the Grand Staircase Inn, where I purchased a Starbucks Frappuccino, a large orange juice, and a cheese stick. I sat out front at a booth on the porch and stretched my legs. I took off my sweater for the next stretch. I wasn’t wearing my UV covers today and still needed to put sunscreen on. It was sunny and getting hot. 

The next town was Tropic, population 530. ‘Welcome to Tropic, established in 1892. I stopped at Rustlers Restaurant where I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with fries and a Coke. I took a little bird bath in the bathroom before leaving, and I then applied sunscreen to my extremities. It was noon and I had twenty miles to my destination. I had a huge pass tomorrow and was trying to stick to the itinerary.

I was still riding on brand new asphalt and there were construction signs and equipment scattered everywhere. Ostensibly the route was all clear today because it was Saturday, in addition to the relay race. A fully-loaded eastbound tandem came towards me on the other side of the highway and didn’t stop. I believe it was a male and a female, and that’s how I’ll record it. I entered Bryce Canyon National Park.

I stopped at Mossy Cave where I hiked in and also saw a giant waterfall and ditch carved by early Mormon settlers to bring water from the reservoir to Tropic. I should have stripped down and taken a dip under the powerful cold waterfall, but there were lots of tourists and I was self-conscious. Back on my bike I had a long uphill and a section where they were widening the road. There was construction equipment everywhere, I had no shoulder, and there was quite a bit of motor traffic coming from both directions.

I finally reached the ridge and it was nice and flat, and I had a wide shoulder. I had extra time on my hands today,  and I decided to take a detour down Highway 63 through Bryce Canyon National Park. I saw the bike trail and quickly joined it. I passed dozens of billboards. This was the biggest tourist place I’d been since Telluride. The attractions here though, where much tackier.

I had a headwind and I was climbing, so ostensibly when I turned around it would be an easy return. The Bryce Canyon bike trail was five miles from beginning to end. I had to pay $35 to enter the park, the same price as an RV. Bryce Canyon was awesome and stupefying. The red rock formations are like ginormous drip sandcastles or Hindu Temples. I regretted that I couldn’t continue further on State Highway 63, or hike down into the canyon.

On my way back to the route I stopped at Ruby’s Inn where I ordered a cheeseburger, a salad , and three twelve-ounce glasses of Roosters Brewing Honey Wheat lager. Utah has a three beer per hour limit, so I had to leave. I’m looking forward to Nevada. A rodeo was advertised, but I bet it was touristy and lame. Whenever I come to tourist attractions I realize how fat average Americans are, and it’s a shame.

I cycled back to Highway 12 and got back on the route. I was hoping to purchase some beer for the evening and the first supermarket I passed was closed. I crossed the East Fork of the Sevier River. The bike trail was nice but basically paralleled the highway. I stopped at Bryce Canyon Pines Store and Campground Chevron station to pick up beer, a bag of ice, and pretzels. There were a lot of flies here.

I continued down the trail and entered Red Canyon. All of the earth here was red. I rode through the two tunnels cut for Highway 12, and came to the USFS campground which was full. I decided to wild camp for the night and found a spot near the dried up stream and Highway 12. I used a spigot to bathe myself and met Brian, a self described RV nomad from Northern California. While editing this report, he brought over two cans of beer and a bag of corn chips.

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