Forty degrees at wake up and as a girl at the gas station mournfully said, "Winter is coming." I forget how fortunate we are to get at least another month of summer back East. Here, school has already begun and the nights are turning cold.
Our trip began as we headed toward The Flaming Gorge, via Rt. 530. Having no idea what was in store, I set my teeth as we plunged into flat saged desert. The cooler morning temperatures actually made the trip pleasurable as we followed the road into the horizon.
Into Utah, the land began to heave and rock formations jutted uncannily out of the desert. We rode Route 44 out of Manila, and found ourselves locked into beauty only the singular geology of this state can create. A side trip to Navajo Cliffs gave us our first visual thrill of the day. Red, purple and white rock surrounded us as we gaped at landscape in awe. Little did we know what was yet to come.
This must be Utah!
Flaming Rock
The Flaming Gorge Scenic Highway had just begun to entertain us. The intensifying colors of the rocks gave credence to the Crayola flavors of Burnt Sienna, along with Brick Red and Cerise. There were also pinks and whites thrown in to temper the riot. As we whisked by the reservoir, the deep blue of the water and the aqua of the sky added to the already brimming palette.
Now on Route 191, up we flew deeper into the Ashley National Forest, one of the most beautifully maintained parks I have ever seen. Constant woodland management was evident as we climbed up into the trees. Proud stands of aspen lined the way, watching us as we passed. A turnout provided a panorama equal to any we have seen. Then the descent. The highway curled back on itself ten times as it wove its way into the valley. Swaying into each switchback we were treated to the primal thrill of man and machine working as one. Few other vehicles passed us and for today, we owned this road!
Aspens
Passing the Red Fleet State Park, we decided to stop for lunch. Not knowing what to expect, we entered a dream world of unearthly outcrops of multi- colored rock. Swerving down to the picnic area, we met new wonders at every turn. At our destination, we sat overlooking an expanse of water so blue it seemed false.
The spiritual magic of this spot held us for a longer lunch than usual. Dragging ourselves away, we continued south to Vernal. Flowers festoon the streets of this town, proving its name. Sculptures of dinosaurs line the streets as we enter an area rich with Paleolithic finds. Not only is this Uintah Basin rich in prehistory, but it also holds a wealth of oil. As we forged into the heat of the desert, the sere landscape was interrupted with hundreds of oil wells.
East into Colorado via route 40, we arrived at Dinosaur. Much smaller than Vernal, it's dino display is minimal. Here we picked up highway 64, that took us to Rangely where we jumped onto 139 for a wild ride into the mountains and back. Up 8000 feet to Douglas Pass we breathed thin air and then held our breath at miraculous views and squirrelly turns. At one point, Jules turned and shouted into the wind, "All the other roads are just practice for Colorado."
At the top of Douglas Pass
Down out of the mountain, the heat pump was on. Desert highway and 100 degree heat tend to wear one out. A few welcome clouds gave us the only relief from the scorching sun. Finally at Lona, we turned toward Grand Junction. Great gulps of water and the knowledge that we were almost "home" for the night saw us through the rest of the day. Air conditioning and a cool dip in the hotel pool made us right again and gave us a chance to reflect on a most amazing day.
We rode alone through mountains and desert today. The miracle of our travels is in the turning of an unknown curve to an open expanse of such shocking beauty that our hearts soar, reaffirming that being here together, we are exactly where we're supposed to be.
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