Wild West 2013: Day 7 continued

Well, where do I start to impart tales of this absolutely fabulously stupendous riding day we have had. Toadalee orsum, just isn't sufficient to describe the day we have had. It started so early and has included so many stops/sights, I can barely remember what we have done. I'll have a go

Today has been such a fantastically, stupendously, brilliant riding day that toadalee orsum doesn’t even come close. We have seen and photographed so many things during our 300 odd mile journey, I hardly know where to begin. I shan’t bother you with too much detail, else I and you will be here for a week, suffice to say though, this really is one of those, ‘you had to be there to believe it’ days.

Back to the start of the day though.

Brekkie was unusual, as I had a croissant, sliced horizontally and filled with egg, ham and cheese. Accompanied by hash browns, it was tasty and filling.

And so we mounted our trusty iron horses and rode out of Monument Valley. En route though we stopped for a group photo, gathered around my bike, with the giant red edifices in the background.

The Wild West Gang, Monument Valley

We soon arrived at Mexican Hat and fuelled up. Then it was back on the road, our destination, as we soon found out, a twisty river gorge, which until you actually arrive at its side is invisible from the road.

A few miles away rose a huge red cliff face, and our next destination, Moki Dugway. This, as Dean explained, is a zig-zag road up the aforementioned cliff face. Originally a track used by lorries (trucks) carrying ore, it is a bit of a tourist attraction. I use the word track intentionally, as apart from the hairpin bends, which are concreted (paved), a gravel track is what it remains. Dean lays it on, saying he didn’t tell us before as he didn’t want us losing sleep over it. I think some are feeling nervous, as we head the 6 miles to the start of the ascent.
Dean wanted us to go up on our own, leaving a gap between us, to avoid any potential issues. And so we set off. The last four are Barbara, our female rider, who is clearly nervous, Dudley, also nervous, myself and Keith/Mary.

I set off in pursuit of Dudley, fully expecting to catch him quickly. At the first hairpin, I am confronted with a paved corner but covered in a liberal sprinkling of gravel. Super! I round the corner gingerly and power slowly away onto a gravel straight. Almost immediately I spy Dudley and he waves me past. Up to the next hairpin, gingerly round, then back on the gas, fighting the back end as it squirms around. This is not the ideal steed to be tackling this kind of surface. I’ve not ridden on this stuff before, so it takes all my concentration. Before long I reach the last corner and see Barbara up ahead. I pass her just before reaching the gathering point at the top. Relief! Barbara has made it to. Good job!

Larry, Keith and Mary come to Dud's aid

I grab my camera and walk back to get a shot of Dudley. As I get to the corner Dean is on the radio to Larry. There has been an incident. With no sign of Dud, it doesn’t take much to realise, he’s been up to his old tricks and dropped the bike. Almost in sight of the finish, he’s taken the last corner too tight, too slowly and managed to stall it in some deeper gravel. That left him only one way to go, so he laid the bike down and stepped off! It wouldn’t be a proper tour without Dud decking his mount at least once, eh? Moki Dugway, is now Moki Dudway!

As we continued on our way, it didn’t take Dudley long to get his confidence back, as he blasted past me on a long straight, doing I’m told, the magic ton! Way to go Dud!

The next leg was a fifty odd mile stretch of road, for which, Dean gave us our freedom. Describing the rendezvous point and advising the time we needed to arrive by, we set off, Dud and I together. All the time we are surrounded by the most immense, red, rocky structures, that not just seem to but do go on for miles and miles. The vastness of this country and this area in particular, is rammed home with every sweeping turn. Rendezvous completed and more spectacular views photographed, we head for lunch. Don’t ask where, I’m rubbish with names.

For lunch Dud and I have buffalo burger. I’m not a big red meat eater but I guess it’s just one of those things you just have to try. Can’t say I noticed much difference from a beef burger but there you go.

We fuelled up again and continued this fantastic journey, stopping to look at some petroglyphs, before making our way through more of the same, red and orange rocks on some superb roads, up and over the mountains we had viewed from afar hours before, before finally arriving at our hotel for the night on the edge of the Bryce Canyon National Park. Dud and I will venture in tomorrow, tonight though we took a walk down to the local rodeo! An experience not be missed we thought, though some of the others preferred another sunset! It was a great fun.