Self-Directed and Backroads Supported Bicycle Adventures:
Arches NP, Petroglyphs, Snow Canyon St Pk, Cedar Breaks NM,
Brian Head Pass, Bryce Canyon NP (Sunrise Point - Rainbow Point),
Bryce Canyon Hike, Zion NP, Zion Valley Loop, Zion NP Ridge Hike,
Fruita, and Capitol Reef National Park;
Southwest and South-Central Utah;
June, 2019
Day 10
Visit Capitol Reef National Park;
Drive to Fruita along UT-12 and UT-24;
Unload the Bee and Loop Ride Through Fruita (an Old Mormon Settlement) and
Bike Ride the Scenic Drive Through Capital Reef National Park
to the Turn-Around at Capitol Gorge Road
Capitol Reef National Park
Above: Dennis and Teresa Struck at one of the entrances to Capitol Reef National Park. The Park got its name from the multitude of Rotunda looking natural rock caps that look like Capitol Buildings.
Fruita, Utah
According to Wikipedia: Fruita was established in 1880 by a group of Mormons led by Nels Johnson, under the name "Junction." The town became known as Fruita in 1902 or 1904. In 1900, Fruita was named The Eden of Wayne County for its large orchards. Fruita was abandoned in 1955 when the National Park Service purchased the town to be included in Capitol Reef National Park.
Today few buildings remain, except for the restored schoolhouse and the Gifford house and barn. The orchards remain, now under the ownership of the National Park Service, and have about 2,500 trees. The orchards are preserved by the NPS as a "historic landscape" and a small crew takes care of them by pruning, irrigating, replanting, and spraying them.
The one-room schoolhouse was built and opened in 1896. The few students were instructed mainly in reading, writing, and arithmetic, but when the teachers were capable, they also studied other subjects such as history or geography. The room was also used for balls and religious services. It was renovated in 1966 by the National Park Service.
Fruita is currently the heart and administrative center of Capitol Reef National Park.
Above Left: Terry and I had prepared the Bee for riding. The Fruita Visitor's Center, properly known as the Capitol Reef National Park Welcome Center, was very crowded and quite full (this was a Saturday) so we parked much beyond the No Parking Signs. All we wanted to do was ride our tandem bicycle. We parked by what looked like a maintenance facility and we started riding the Bee southward on Scenic Drive (the main access into Capitol Reef NP).
Above Right: This was an old orchard; it was set back from the road but near where we parked the vehicle.
Above: Ride through Fruita, Utah.
Above Left: The Bee is the last parked vehicle; it was parked next to the tractor shed.
Above Right: The tractor shed had an old Farmall in there.
We Passed by the Last Fruita Orchard and Entered Capitol Reef National Park
Above Left: At first, the white things in the Sage looked like Snails.
Above Right: Upon closer inspection and dissection of an already detached piece of stem, we learned that the White Cocoon contains an Insect Larva in its Worm-Stage.
Above Right: The barest trickle of water.
Above: Water brings late Spring Blooms.
We Arrived at a 3-Way Intersection of Scenic Dr, Capitol Gorge Rd, & Pleasant Creek Rd
We Reached Our Turn-Around Point in Capitol Reef National Park
Above: A Capitol Reef NP Information Kiosk sits at the un-named intersection. The sun was directly to our back, so the reflection was making the presentation difficult to read. I was surprised to not see an area map on display with a You Are Here marker, as this location is in the middle of a desert.
We Were Heading North, Back to Fruita
Above: Orchard, way ahead.
Fruita
Above Left: Oops.
Above: An interesting plant, we did not know this plant.
Above Left: Water, we made it back to where we parked near Fruita.
Above Right: Look through the orchard to see the parking area for what is now the Capitol Reef National Park Welcome Center but was once the Community Center of Fruita.
Petroglyphs Along Utah Highway-24
Above: Petroglyphs Along Utah Highway-24.
Later in the Same Day, Passing Through the Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Above Left: Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Above Right: Vail, Colorado.
Above: Vail Pass, Colorado, at about 10,000' MSL, 22 June 2019.
Summary
We had an awesome day! Cycling is always a joy and Utah has plenty of places to visit for cycling. Our day had some noteworthy extremes, from Arid Desert to Alpine Montane. We are always learning.
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