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 7
Watch a Romantic Sun Rise from the Rim of Sunrise Point;
From Bryce Canyon Lodge Pedal Back to Utah-12, then US Hwy-89 through Hatch,
to Orderville, Lunch at Famous Samies, then Shuttle to Zion National Park's Eastern Edge,
Zig-Zag the Turns on Utah Hwy-9 Down to the Canyon's Bottom, and then Through-Ride to Springdale
Sunrise Minus Thirty Minutes,
Sun Rise at Sunrise Point
Above: A deer (doe) was spotted just below the rim, I just happened to be standing on the edge and the motion caught my attention.
Above: Official Sunrise!
Above: Today's Sun has Risen.
Above Left: Looking ENE at the Sunrise.
Above Right: Looking SE at the Sunlight.
Above: Walking back for breakfast, deer in the field.
It was Time to Pedal!
Above Left: Bryce and Jules setting up for today's adventure.
Above Right: The ride briefing - 55 miler for us today.
Above Left: Nice paved riding trail.
Above Right: Antelope.
Above Left: Leaving Bryce Canyon NP (probably between those posts ahead).
Above Right: Called Indian Paint Brush or lately just Paint Brush.
Above Left: Looking west.
Above Right: Alesia rode with us for quite a way.
Above Left: We had re-entered the Red Canyon area of Dixie National Forest.
Above Right: The geology was getting interesting.
Above Left: No more bike path, now southbound on Utah Hwy-12 for a few miles.
Above Right: Dennis and Terry Struck, tandem selfie on the Bee on UT-12 with Alesia.
Bryce Canyon Trading Post
(On Utah Hwy-12 Near the Intersection of US Hwy-89)
Above Left: Bryce Canyon Trading Post - They had some local Paiute and Native American crafts and jewelry as well as local area wares and foods. Terry made some purchases there mainly because the Backroads Support Van was there (we did not have to carry our purchases).
Above Right: Kokovelo!
Turned South on US-89 and Parallel to the Sevier River,
to the Interim Destination of Hatch, Utah
Above Left: We turned left/south toward Zion on US-89 (we came down from Panguitch two days ago).
Above Right: We were heading for Hatch (for a break followed by a shuttle across a high traffic segment on US-89).
Above Left: That is the Sevier River and it is nearly full.
Above Right: A little climb.
Above Left: Sevier River, nearly full.
Above Right: Because everyone should have some Yurts.
Above Left: Sevier River.
Above Right: Generally, it was a gradual uphill climb to Hatch.
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck on the Bee (daVinci Tandem) riding south toward Hatch, Utah, on US-89
- Photo by Alesia K (NYC, NY).
Above Left: It was semi-arid when away from the Sevier River.
Above Right: Terry and I stopped for a water break (on purpose to also snap this photo, by Terry) and Alesia rode up to join us. It is a Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Marker Sign.
Above Left: Hmm.
Above Right: First Hatch advertisement sign.
Hatch, Utah
Above Left: Entering the burbs of Hatch.
Above Right: Official Hatch town limit sign.
Above Left: This Store.
Above Right: When we arrived, Bryce & Julianna started loading the bikes. The Bee sits ready to be mounted on the roof rack, it slides in, upside-down. We were being shuttled through the narrows (not much for shoulders), in big hill country, on a busy US Highway (US-89); to Oderville, Utah.
Above Right: Bryce and Julianna were getting some of the bikes ready for departure from Sammie's parking lot.
Above Left: Sammie's restaurant paint scheme looked mighty familiar, we all liked it.
Above Right: Where did you come from?
Above Left: These are High School Graduation Year Markers, behind Sammie's store, on the hillside. Some people departed from here but we decided to start down the road at Zion Mountain Lodge.
Above Right: Zion Mountain Lodge is at the intersection of busy US-89 and UT-9 (which leads to Zion NP); Backroads has an arrangement to use their parking lot to launch rides (and to use their facilities).
Zion Mountain Lodge
Above Left: Zion Mountain Lodge is a resort and a working ranch with horseback riding and guided forays into Zion NP.
Above Right: The ranch part of Zion Mountain Lodge.
Above: Riding UT-9 west to Zion NP. We really liked the lack of traffic, we made a good decision to start our cycling at Zion Mountain Lodge.
Above Left: Miles later, 2 miles to Zion NP.
Above Right: My first thought was What is that Stain Looking Wash on the Mountainside?
Above: What is that Stain Looking Wash on the Mountainside? Nearly as I could figure it, the Red Stain was in fact a stain from Red Sandstone dripping down over the White Navajo Sandstone. We never saw anything written about it.
Please note the Red colored road is National Park Road (made with native red rock).
Zion National Park, Utah
Above: Dennis and Terry Struck with the Bee at the Southeast Entrance of Zion National Park.
- The younger (than us) photographer of this picture (a lady who was standing around the entrance for her own photos) was a Professional Photographer currently working in Zion NP, Lucky Us! She knew that she was working in a back lit shadow. I am impressed at the photo result.
Above: This line strata look is NOT glacier cut, the strata layers are made of different sand dunes over time, some of the strata blocks have been folded in different directions over time (geological violence eons ago).
These images were located directly beside the Entrance Sign.
Above Left: We had about 13 more miles to go, but no one was looking at mileage, everyone is looking at the geology and flora in wonder.
Above Right: Miles of sand dune strata formations.
Above: Checkerboard Mesa, Zion NP, Utah.
Above: Checkerboard Mesa, Zion NP, Utah. - Ancient Sand Dunes and Vertical Expansion Cracks over time.
Above: Dennis, Terry, and the Bee in front of Checkerboard Mesa, Zion NP, Utah.
- Photo by Alesia K
Above: Checkerboard Mesa, Zion NP.
Above: We never did learn the name of these flowers; they were visible up and down the valley near the creek or wet micro-climate areas. These flowers seem to belong to the Orchid family.
Above: A wondrous display of Ancient Sand Dunes, some would say Petrified Sand Dunes (Zion National Park, Utah).
Above: Interesting additional stratification at almost equal spacing (time periods) and the new strata may be from flooding or even seabed.
Above Left: Our descent angle and speed has been increasing and we were having to pump the brakes for mountain downhill riding.
Above Right: We were now in the Zion Mountain Switchbacks.
Above Left: Crossing the North Fork of the Virgin River, changing from west bound to south bound, and placing us riders in the main river valley of Zion National Park.
Above Right: A structure from settlment times.
Above Left: Another hidden settlement structure in the trees.
Above Right: We were now down in the main river valley, cycling on straighter and more level roads. We could feel the increase of temperature; it had increased to the high 80s F (upper 20s C) in the shade and 90s F (30s C) in the sunlight.
Above: Riding south in the Virgin River Valley, and then heading out the park for a mile or so to stay at a hotel in Springdale.
Above: Riding south in Zion's Virgin River Valley.
Above Left: Riding south in Zion's Virgin River Valley.
Above Right: Heading straight, passing by the Zion NP Nature Center.
Above Left: Riding south in Zion's Virgin River Valley.
Above Right: This is the last photo of the day. We headed straight for the town of Springdale which starts just outside of the Park's entrance gate. We were to stay at the Desert Pearl Inn for two nights and on our first night we ate at the Blu Pig's BBQ and Blues joint, it was great!
Our Evening at the Bit and Spur Restaurant and Saloon
Above Left: A very good local porter (dark beer) with an unusual name and design.
Above Right: A Kokopelli Flute Player in the negative space of Cinnamon garnish.
Summary
Today was a great day and long day! We started before sunrise just to watch the sun rise at Sunrise Point on the brim of Bryce Canyon National Park. We biked through Dixie National Forest by way of Red Canyon and UT-12. We rode to US-89 and turned for the town of Hatch and from there we shuttled to Orderville to have Lunch at famous Sammie's. After which, we shuttled to Zion Mountain Lodge located just off busy US-89 at Utah Hwy-9. From Zion Mountain Lodge we pedaled Hwy-9 to and all the way through Zion National Park. We had zig-zagged through the "switchbacks" of Zion NP to Zion Park Blvd in Springdale, just outside the south end of the park, where we were to pleasantly spend the next two nights at the Desert Pearl Inn.
| 73
| 74
| 75
| 76
| 77
| 78
| 79
| >>
|
