Day 64: To Duchesne (Mon 28th July)

I got on the road just as it was starting to get bright. Some very dark clouds immediaately to the north, almost overhead were a bit of a concern initially but they moved away northwards. It had rained during the night so the air was fresh and cool. The road was busy enough for the middle of nowhere. There was no great sunrise this morning dur to the cloud cover.

Three miles down the road I crossed into Utah. There is a physical divide at this point between Colorado and Utah. A band of hard rock has been pushed up to form a rampart-like barrier between the two states which runs for a number of miles through which the road runs. Its almost as if nature has erected a barrier at this point to protect Colorado and keep at bay the barren wastes of Utah. Passing through the 'gateway' during the twilight of dawn this morning gave theimpression of passing into a different realm, as if I was leaving the safety of the mountain highlands of Colorado to embark upon the hot, hostile wastes of Utah.

I skipped along the road westwards parallel to the ancient, gnarled rocky ridge of Blue mountain. Here and there red sands showed a dried-up course of a river bed. Its path gouged out in the past to form a tiny Grand Canyoun-like feature along the north side of the road. I climbed over a couple of ridges and descended down into a broad valley and crosses the powerful Green River at the village of Jensen. 10 miles to the north the green river has carved out a magnificent canyon through Dinosaur national park. It is from the exposed rocky beds around here that paleontologists have exposed the plentiful dinosaur and plant fossils. So rich have the finds been that whole ecosystems have been reconstructed.

10 miles down the road I came to the twin towns of Naples and Vernal. They basically run into each other. Slightly larger versions of Blacklion and Belcoo at home. I stopped in Vernal for a bite to eat and went into a local diner. I sat at the counter and ordered pancakes from the waitress. While waiting for the food the waitress, and a friend of hers who was sitting seats from me, got into a blazing row.

The gist of the story, from what I could make out through the argument and shouting, is that the waitress has a small 13yr old dog which is getting savaged by a neighbouring alsation. The friend minds the dog when the waitress is at work. Where the dog was this morning I don't know. At her wits end over the suffering of her dog the waitress has decided to have her dog put down this afternoon at the local vets. Visibly upset, she now has to contend with her friend who is also very attached to the dog and is now refusing to giver her back her dog!

As emotions snap the argument flares into a massive slagging match. The friend leaves, and as she goes out the waitress screams after her that if she doesn't give her back her dog she'll set that fxxxxxg alsation on her and then call the fxxxxxg police!! When my food comes and I'm asked if everything is ok? I reply that "Its fxxxxxg great!! no problems here, no siree!!" It was a quick breakfast.

Afterwards I go down to the local dinosaur museum to have a look. It would be great to have a car or motorbike in this area. THis region, north of Vernal and Dinosaur looks to be magnificent, not just for archaeology but scenery, wildlife (including Brown Bears), white water rafting, the works.

I leave Vernal around 10.30. Its 60 miles to Duschene (Doo-Shane) so I need to get moving. I climb up a high ridge overlooking the town and I get a magnificent view over the valley to the hills beyond. The skies have cleared up now and the temperatures are rising through the 80's. Roadworks nearby have produced dust which gets whipped up by the breeze into pink clouds. The dust coats my arms and legs. I crest the ridge and the road descends gradually for about 5 miles through a barren, pink, rocky ravine before opening out onto another plain of scrubland. Distant mountains to the north show snowcapped peaks.

At the end of this plain I pass through another small ravine which, this time, opens into a small oasis valley. A river flowing through here allows vegetation to thrive, in contrast to the past 40-50 miles. I stop at a small shopping Plaza which is run entirely by local Ute indians. This is the first time I've encountered native indians in a regular, daily situation.

A pint of chocolate milk keeps me happy for the next 10 miles where I stop at a town called Roosevelt. More drinks and the last pancake I was unable to finish in Vernal are consumed and I'm back on the road. I was tempted to stay in Roosevelt as my energy feels low but I decide to do the extra 30 miles to Duschesne as it keeps me on track for this segment of the journey.

I cross another set of ridges after I exit Roosevelt whic give great views over to the Unita mountains which rise to 13,400ft. I cross some more ridges and find myself in the Duschene river valley. Along the way I encounter a little wind . Its a small whirlwind that erupts right beside the road. It whips up the dust into a funnel shape about 2m high. It grows in intensity and then whips away through a fence and into the adjacent scrubland before dissipating and then disappearing.

The Duschene river valley is a long narrow oasis valley, less than half a mile wide. It is lush and green, supporting both livestock and crops along its course. It stands out because either side of the low ridges which define the river valley the land is dry and barren. I follow this valley to its head at the town of Duschene. I've cycled just over 90 miles today which is the daily target from here to California. The last 15 miles were tough though and I feel drained by the time I reach the town. I didn't eat or drink enough today and when the heat gets into the 90's my energy drains quickly. I get into a foul mood when I have to pay $70 for a room, a rip off and double the price in Craig. Later, a at the checkout in the local supermarket irritates me further with her ignorant behaviour. As I leave her fatuous, nasal and false "Have a nice Day" is nonchalantly ignored. I'm wrecked. I go to bed.