Day 2: The first climb

May I say that Zion National Park is right up there with the most amazing geology and sheer desert beauty I have ever seen? Well there it is, I said it, and it is true to my heart. The grueling climb up to the Zion tunnel is, well...ridiculous, to be quite honest. Perhaps it is because I am a newbie to this whole cycle touring scene, but that climb kicked my butt. Saw two guys riding in the back of a truck with their cycles and was a bit jealous...then was passed by another cycling behind me who turned out to be the third in their party. They had begun in St. George that morning and were shooting for Mt. Carmel Junction (see Day 4 for me) that night. phew, what a pace! He slowed down to my climbing speed and we chatted the rest of the way up the hill. It was cool. The instant comeraderie found on roadsides among cyclists warmed my heart in spite of the chilly March weather.

I had had to spend about 1.5 hours overhauling my rear hub and adjusting my derailer that morning, then the wait at the tunnel entrance for a truck that would take me, my bike, my new climbing buddy, and his bike through the cycle-prohibited tunnel...plus a few stops to crouch and study wildflowers and meditate on Zion's intense beauty all added up to me stopping 3.5 miles the far side of Zion. I covered a whopping 16.5 miles at an average speed of 5.7 mph. whoo-who. Found me a side rode, hid my bike, unpacked my tarp and sleeping bag and crashed out amongst rustling critters and juniper/pinion trees. Rest is so much sweeter after a hard day's ride.