We left Rachel at 7:30 to try and beat the heat, it had gotten to 38 degrees when I had ridden to Area 51 gate the day before, and neither of us wanted to be riding through that!
We rode the remaining of the ET highway, and passed the spot where the black mailbox used to be, eventually catching up with our track from when we had first arrived to from Ely to Alamo and on to Vegas.
We had to stop in Alamo for fuel, and we took some extra just in case (there had been a woman at Rachel who had not realised there would be no fuel and had to back track to here to fill up just the day before)
It was 17 degrees when we left Rachel and now just an hour later it was nudging the thirties. We took a break at the servo for a bit and shared a proper Bikers breakfast - what ever looks non-toxic from the servo - in this case - a chimichanga, corn dog, nutter-butter biscuits and coke!
Feeling a bit queasy after this lot, we rode out for Caliente, Panaca, and then Turning right at Berryl Junction to head south. As we turned onto Route 18 at Berryl Junction - There were 3 white vans on the side of the road and guys wearing FBI tshirts milling around. I said to Megan over the Radio - what the fuck are the FBI doing out here? - and her reply was - Because the truth is out there! - Gold!
We rode a little further, and the open desert gave way to more agriculture, and the ubiquitous hay-farms we have been riding past every day. We started seeing trees again for the first time in over a week, albeit small and stubby.
As we approached St George and entered into Utah, it was clear that we were heading into canyon country. The ground turned bright red, and we started dropping down into stunning gorges, riding past giant outcrops, and dropping down into the flat land in the valleys.
The colours reminded us of home, but the landscape was something I had never seen before, and it was absolutely amazing. everytime we rounded a corner, there would be a different outcrop, and I was constantly reaching up to turn on the helmet camera.
We approached St George, (which should be called St 'Gorge') and dropped over the edge of the canyon into the town proper. The Temp gauge on my bike was showing 38, and it was just turning noon. We rolled into our motel, checked in and cranked the aircon to 11.
After cooling down, I had to go out to get some proper chain lube for Megans bike, during which the temp guage popped up to 41.5 degrees, and I also went to the local Sportmans Warehouse - just because the stores are amazing and have way better camping and fishing gear then you could ever get at home. They also have LOADS of home butchery equipment, which I have a list of to bring home with me.
After lubing Megans chain, we got news that our dog Zima back home had somehow hurt her leg, and the Vet thought it is a torn ACL I spent the next 4 hours talking with the Vet and our house sitter in turn trying to get the situation sorted. She is in a lot of pain, and the video of her not being able to even put her foot on the ground was completely gut-wrenching.
After getting her an appointment to see a surgeon for a definitive diagnosis on monday, we went to bed about 12:00am and I layed awake for a long time after that wondering if this would be the end of our trip.
We rode the remaining of the ET highway, and passed the spot where the black mailbox used to be, eventually catching up with our track from when we had first arrived to from Ely to Alamo and on to Vegas.
We had to stop in Alamo for fuel, and we took some extra just in case (there had been a woman at Rachel who had not realised there would be no fuel and had to back track to here to fill up just the day before)
It was 17 degrees when we left Rachel and now just an hour later it was nudging the thirties. We took a break at the servo for a bit and shared a proper Bikers breakfast - what ever looks non-toxic from the servo - in this case - a chimichanga, corn dog, nutter-butter biscuits and coke!
Feeling a bit queasy after this lot, we rode out for Caliente, Panaca, and then Turning right at Berryl Junction to head south. As we turned onto Route 18 at Berryl Junction - There were 3 white vans on the side of the road and guys wearing FBI tshirts milling around. I said to Megan over the Radio - what the fuck are the FBI doing out here? - and her reply was - Because the truth is out there! - Gold!
We rode a little further, and the open desert gave way to more agriculture, and the ubiquitous hay-farms we have been riding past every day. We started seeing trees again for the first time in over a week, albeit small and stubby.
As we approached St George and entered into Utah, it was clear that we were heading into canyon country. The ground turned bright red, and we started dropping down into stunning gorges, riding past giant outcrops, and dropping down into the flat land in the valleys.
The colours reminded us of home, but the landscape was something I had never seen before, and it was absolutely amazing. everytime we rounded a corner, there would be a different outcrop, and I was constantly reaching up to turn on the helmet camera.
We approached St George, (which should be called St 'Gorge') and dropped over the edge of the canyon into the town proper. The Temp gauge on my bike was showing 38, and it was just turning noon. We rolled into our motel, checked in and cranked the aircon to 11.
After cooling down, I had to go out to get some proper chain lube for Megans bike, during which the temp guage popped up to 41.5 degrees, and I also went to the local Sportmans Warehouse - just because the stores are amazing and have way better camping and fishing gear then you could ever get at home. They also have LOADS of home butchery equipment, which I have a list of to bring home with me.
After lubing Megans chain, we got news that our dog Zima back home had somehow hurt her leg, and the Vet thought it is a torn ACL I spent the next 4 hours talking with the Vet and our house sitter in turn trying to get the situation sorted. She is in a lot of pain, and the video of her not being able to even put her foot on the ground was completely gut-wrenching.
After getting her an appointment to see a surgeon for a definitive diagnosis on monday, we went to bed about 12:00am and I layed awake for a long time after that wondering if this would be the end of our trip.
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| This is where the 'Black Mailbox' used to be |
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| Other end of the ET highway |
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