Today’s plan was simple. Ride to Jensen, Utah, take a shuttle to the Dinosaur National Monument visitor’s center, tour the fossil quarry, ride to Rangely, CO and camp. Easy.
The plan started to divulge almost immediately. In Jensen, I found out I had to ride 7 miles to the Monument visitor’s center. That would be an extra, unexpected 14 miles for the day’s ride. Next, I suffered my first flat tire of the trip. So getting that all behind me, I finally arrived at my the visitor’s center. Much later than I had planned.
But is worth it. The Dinosaur National Monument is cool.
In 1909, a fossil hunter found a few dinosaur bones. It turned to be an entire hillside littered with thousands of dinosaur bone fossils. Now the hill is covered under an entire building.
There are AT LEAST 1500 bones that are exposed inside the building. If you have any interest in paleontology this is a “must see”.
Now returning to the bike I pedaled back the 7 miles to the Hwy. By now, the temperature is nearing triple digits and it is the hottest part of the day so I am going to take a different tactic. First, I am only going to go as far as the town of Dinosaur saving 18 miles of riding. Second, I am taking refuge at a picnic area until 4:30 and letting the temperature drop to something more reasonable.
So at 4:30 I was rested and cooked off enough to proceed. But was still hot! I had to drink every 2 miles because my mouth would get so dry I felt my throat constrict.
About 3 miles from Dinosaur, I crossed into Colorado.
Way back in the 3rd or 4th day of the trip, I was riding with a local from Whidbey Island in Washington who was originally from Colorado. I mentioned that I had never cycled a single pedal stroke there. We both agreed that that was “just wrong”. That situation is now resolved!
In Dinosaur, I found a local cafe for dinner and then settled in to camp at the city park. Right in the middle of the play area on nice soft level wood chips. A softer camp site for sure. Hope the dinosaurs don’t get me tonight.