Grand Junction - Gateway - Paradox - Moab
A email note from Martin in NZ with the simple headline of - here is one for you and Brandi
No words in the email - just this note
Biking the Open Road in Colorado, With a Few Bumps Along the Way
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/travel/biking-the-open-road-in-colorado-with-a-few-bumps-along-the-way.html?nytapp=true
I read it and sent it on to Brandi and soon we were looking at the San Juan Hut system web site. It was Thursday and we spent much of that night looking at accommodation and the route while waiting on an answer from the San Juan Hut system.
Saturday - ‘yes we have available date of the 24th Weds - confirm with a credit card and then fill out online waiver forms’ - funny signatures on line and hey presto - just 4 days from a email to being booked - thanks Martin.
Weds morning and we are off. Bikes loaded in the little pickup - standing upright. A small road trip alongside the Colorado River for much of the way - through the depths of Glen Canyon and out to emerge into the orchard land of Grand Junction
Our immediate destination is Browns Cycles and we get there easily thanks to Google directions. Located in the old town it feels far removed from the hustle of ‘the strip’ that we have been driving though for 20mins since we left the highway.
Browns Cycles has our package of keys and maps from the San Juan Hut system. After a nice chat to the owner we return to our car and park it where ? Well the library car park seems ok - better than on the street. ( we hope it there when we return )
The shop owners was worried about the time of day - thought it was bit late to be leaving for 50 mile ride - but hey - he didn’t know who we were.
Packs squared away - little truck parked up and we are off. Trying to follow instructions on the Garmin and from memory but pretty soon I am navigating by what feels good. Follow this bike path - cross the river (yes the Colorado again) and along a highway - mmm not so much fun, but going in the right direction (missed the quiet back roads)
Soon our right turn onto the Scenic Byway / Highway 141 that leads over the hill to Gateway
The shop owner said - “9 mile hill we call it” and soon enough af
The plateau is actually slightly chilly and we ride with wind vests on before crossing the divide and starting out descent to Gateway.
ter a departure photo as we cross ‘the river’ again, we hit ‘9 mile hill’. It’s not bad really - a little canyon crawling up to eventually get up high on the Uncompraha Plateau at About the 20 mile mark
The roads are tar but not smooth with many ‘join cracks’ but at least at this point we are going downhill and we descend quickly the last 20kms to the small - one general store - town of Gateway. A couple pics just on dusk of the store and on - only a hundred meters or so as my garmin map turns hard right. along a dirt road - thru a gate and over in the distance the hut. Negotiating some puddles (it has been raining here off and on for the last 11 days) and we are there.
Our oasis in the wilderness - next to the Dolores River - away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. No other bikes outside - maybe we have the hut to our selves. Sure enough no one inside and at this time of night - I don’t expect any.
I hustle to get the gas lights going before its to dark to, see while Brandi takes photos of an old hut back down the track. Once we have light we take a little time to inspect the hut. They said fully stocked and that is what they meant - each bed has a sleeping bag on it, the cupboards when open are full - tins of every type line it 5 deep - even a row of the famous American SPAM.
Two coolers on the floor - one full of ice and cold drinks - beer, water and sparkling
The other - a big chest opens up to reveal drawers of fresh legs / bacon / eggs - they really did mean fully stocked.
Chilli beef and noodles for me with a beer and Brandi choses SPAM - but after a couple mouth fulls the remainder goes in the bin.
Dark outside now and the sky is full of stars - no light pollution out here. We sit for a while and then it time for snuggling down into out new liners and the hut bags - standard Coleman bags but surprisingly warm.
Dawn and pee by the Dolores and back to snuggle down together to get a few more zzz’s
We must be tired as it’s after 0900 the we finally emerge from the bags and set about getting on the road again
83kms 3hrs 47mins
