After a short ride into Green River from Moab, we were all ready to take on our most challenging day of the trip. We woke up dark and early at 3:50 AM and got ready to welcome the sun. I remember last year waking up in Green River before 4 AM and having one of the hardest days of the trip into Capitol Reef National Park. Today we would be going to the same campground where the 2007 team stayed and then continuing on for another 26 miles.
The beginnings of today were rather pleasant, before the sun finally topped the hills to the east we had already ridden 10 miles and had but 113 to go. In the morning we welcomed the sun, to warm us on the brisk morning, but the very sun that took the chill off of the early Green River morning, would heat our route to well over 100 degrees by late afternoon.
Dan, James, Clare and I were 27 miles into the day when in the distance we saw a stand alone rock formation. We decided to take guesses on how far away the rocks were. Seven miles later when the rock was still sitting on the horizon I was out of contention for being the closest, at mile 13 we had finally reached the rocks which seemed to be just down the road over half an hour ago. James and Clare were close with their guesses of 10 and 15 miles respectively while Dan overshot by 7.
Things seeming to be closer than they really were was a theme of the day. We arrived at a waterfall in Capitol Reef at mile 90 and were all feeling like this day was going to fly by. We dropped into the waterfall for a swim and so began the physical challenges of the day. The challenge at the waterfall was to swim behind the falling water. I was the first to accomplish this after my third or fourth attempt and was treated by an amazing view of the back of the cascading waterfall. In time everyone else who cared to try swimming back made it and we all agreed that it was well worth the effort. After basking in the mid-day sun for a few minutes to dry off we were back on the road to lunch part two.
Mile 95 brought our second lunch stop of the day at the camp ground where the '07 team had stayed the night. We were treated to homemade pies, ice cream and Henry Weinhart's soda at a little cottage that served as a gift shop at the campground. Leaving lunch was 7 miles of steep climbing, something that we have grown accustomed to ever since we crossed the Rockies. What we were not accustomed to however, was trying to climb in 100 degree weather after 100 miles of biking. Those seven miles took our group nearly two hours and the mid-afternoon had painfully turned into the early evening.
Topping the climb we had only 18 miles into Loa, we were already at our second longest day on the trip and had climbed more feet than any other day. We were in Southern Utah baking in the sun and still had 18 miles of slight uphill to finish the day. When finally arriving in Loa we were beaten, burned and overall demoralized. While it was satisfying to know that we had actually finished a day of 123 miles with nearly two miles of vertical climbing, there was no cheer or joy. We were physically exhausted beyond belief and food was scarce due to the town of Loa closing at 8 and most groups getting in around 7.
Finishing the day drove home the point that sometimes days are just hard and even though they end, you do not necessarily feel refreshed and renewed to take on the next day. This day will make tomorrow more difficult than it should be and the day after as well, but all said and done, 123 miles is a badge of pride that we can all wear. When we look at hard days in the future, they will come nowhere near comparing to this brutal day. There are obvious parallels to individual battles with cancer, some days are better than others and some days seem like they will never end, but weeks later when you look back you can grow from the struggles that you have already endured.
-Greg Gotimer
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