Bicycle tour from Wyoming to Arizona

I didn't get a camera till I got to Vernal Utah.

Old farm house near Roosevelt Utah

Southern Indian Canyon from near Price.

The Book Cliffs between Price and Green River Utah.

Map of Utah

Moab bike trail

Fallen balanced rocks along bike path north of Moab.

Entrance to Arches.

 I plan to go back up to the Arches NP later to see it. And pedal along 128 hwy up the Colorado River.

Nice terrain. Looks like some interesting hiking could be done there.

We'll follow your progress as you go further south.

great photography-but God's work is awesome

I hiked Negro Bill canyon today off of the Colorado River canyon northeast of Moab on hwy 128. Will try to load the images later today after lunch.

Morning Glory Arch in Negro Bill Canyon NE of Moab.

Here are more pictures from my hike today...

View while cycling up the Colorado River Canyon NE of Moab on hwy 128.

A new arch in the process of forming in the sandstone wall above.

High walls of the Colorado River Canyon, note car below.

Beginning of Negro Bill Canyon.

A small rivlet of water in Negro Bill Canyon.

Sandstone formations in shadow.

Wildflowers along the canyons trail.

Indian Paintbrush.

Daisy's?

Gamble Oak.

Looking back down canyon.

Rappeller on Morning Glory Arch.

Oak and sandstone.

Seep springs from the sandstone. They are what help carve the arches.

Back down on the Colorado River. Looking down river.

Another down river view.

Looking upstream. Negro Bill Canyon is the second cut from the right above the island.

From farther downstream, Negro second canyon cut.

Canyon walls.

Different layers erode different ways.

Originally called the Grand River, the Colorado reflects the greenery and walls.

Just south of Moab you can see my next destinations in the coming days. I am planning to start only riding in the cooler mornings before the sun gets too high and late afternoons when the sun begins to set behind the high cliffs on the west side of the canyon.

Looking west from Moab ballpark the cliffs are blue.

And looking east the cliffs are shades of red and orange. The Colorado Canyon here is very wide compared to upstream where I biked today.

Lunch break in the ballpark. Its very hot in the direct sun. Was 93F yesterday.

My fully loaded bike. The homemade panniers on the front are more stable in the wind. Sleeping bag, tent and pad are on the back. Water bottles on the frame are Thermos's I bought last winter in Tucson thrift shop.

Me (R), Oliver and Sabrina, couple I met in Price Utah and rode down to Moab with. They are from Belgium and started in Montreal Canada rode to Calgary, then into Montana, Wyoming and Utah, on their way to Arizona, Nevada,California, Mexico (Baja, ferry to main land Mexico from La Paz) then down to Panama for winter. They have already come 4000 miles.

I have ridden about 600 miles and have about 400 to go. Arizona is 145 miles away!

again, the pictures are beautiful & I see you've made some new friends.  Great.  go with God to view His wonders.

I am finally in Show Low AZ. Rode yesterday thru the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP. I will post pictures from my trip later. I left Moab Utah over a week ago, went thru the Monument Valley area, And down thru the Indian Country in eastern Arizona. Arrived in Show Low AZ this morning about  1 1/2 hours ago.

It took me 2 weeks, 5 days and one hour to ride 1000 miles on my bicycle.

well, glad you got there with no mishaps.  Hope you caught up with Paul.  Take care

No Sis, I have yet to find or see Paul. Alice Patton is my sister everyone she currently lives in Kentucky and is moving to Florida.

I went out to Porter Mountain a couple nights to where Paul camps sometimes while around Show Low. I got a email from him last week that that could be where he would be. I am guessing now I won't see or har from him till Wednesday when he does his in town business and internet here at the library. But its nice and warm here in central Arizona.

I plan to wait the week out around Show Low camping in the nearby woods at night.

sounds like a plan to me.  Still no word on the new apt. so while I have a mover on retainer, I can't make reservations until i know for sure.  Hi, everyone.

Here are some more from my trip. I cannot load them all now as I have limited time on this Show Low PC at the library.

Sunset light coming up the cliffs to the east of Moab Utah. My bike is along the highway right center.

The date says pm but this is sunrise over the Manti La Sal peaks to the east of my camp just 10 miles north of Moab.

Hole N The Rock a tourist attraction along the highway. Its a old man made cave that was dug as a home. They give tours into the owners place. I did not take the tour.

The Manti La Sal Mountains and red sandstone cliffs from the hwy.

Wilson Arch along the highway.

One of many sandstone buttes along the way. Note the red bas on the right with the yellower cover stone.

Sandstone cliffs along the way.

Just before Bluff Utah I stayed i this beautiful canyon where the highway is cut down thru it.

The Navajo Twins, a sandstone formation near Bluff Utah.

South of Bluff Utah and the sandstone cliffs and desert scrub land.

The highway cut thru the sandstone cliffs.

Long highway view towards the area of Monument Valley, seen on the center horizon, in light blue.

Red sands and desert scrub near the AZ/UT border.

The San Juan River just south of Mexican Hat Utah near the AZ/UT border.

The Mexican Hat formation, a balanced sandstone disk on a small point of stone. Just left of the center horizon.

Some of the sandstone monuments near Monument Valley.

My camp in a Indian Craft lean-to. Used during the summer months. It rained that night and it was very windy in the area.

Sunset on the monument cliffs.

This is the closest I got to Monument Valley as it was 16 miles to the east from the highway, didn't feel like a 32 miles round trip ride to see them. I had before.

As viewed thru my bikes frame a couple sandstone pinnacles.

I viewed many long stretches of road like this along the way!

The Capitain Rock a volcanic core where the volcano has eroded away leaving this tall form.

Church Rock where I left the interstate to head south. Its another volcanic core.

I will post more later when I get another hour this afternoon.

Here are more from the trip .

Hiking near Church Rock  the Navajo sandstone formation can be seen to the east.

A rainbow from my camp under Laguna Wash Bridge near Church Rock.

My camp under the highway bridge over Laguna Wash. Was the best shady spot around as for a lack of trees.

Sunrise on Church Rock and a rainbow.

Some red sandstone cliffs along highway 59 heading south from Church Rock.

More cliffs along the way south. This was near an area called Rough Rocks, AZ.

The other side of the above red rock cliffs showing two distinct layers of sandstone.

Sandstone cliffs in the afternoon sun.

Entrance to the Petrified Forest off I-40 east of Holbrook AZ. I came from the east off highway 59.

Early morning along the Painted Desert at the beginning of the Nat Park.

An old car near where historic Route 66 went past before the interstate took its place here between the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest NP.

The Santa Fe railroad stretches out towards the west as I enter the actual Petrified Forest NP.

A room from an ancient Pueblo that stood here from the late first 1000 years of the first millennia.

Description of the Indian way of life here at the ruins.

A Heron catches a frog petriglyph at Newspaper Rock.

Balanced rocks on sandstone pillars.

Petrified log bridge.

A petrified log along the road.

Log showing colors of different minerals that form the wood turned to rock.

Many log sections of many long dead trees, they are about 255,000 years old.

Many of the trees are almost intact and still partially buried where they fell millions of century's ago.

In a museum near the south entrance to the park, skeletons of dinosaurs that once lived at the same time as the trees are on display.

Many very colorful specimens of the petrified trees lay all over the park.

Another long log lays where it fell a long time ago.

Back on the main road I make my way south towards the long horizon ahead.

My last morning before I reach Show Low with the White Mountains on the horizon.

I am as I said now in Show Low and have today met up with my friend Paul.

Nice Pics gary!

Welcome Alice!

Isn't God's work amazing?  I envy all Gary gets to see, but know I could not do what he does.  Tjx for the welcome.  All you hikers, bikers, whateve bring the world to those of us who can only think about it.  Thx.

Gary, great trip and wonderful pics!  I so envy you sometimes!!  Driving through the same area at 60 would be a shame to the experience, I am glad you are on the bike.  I really need to get started with biking.  Along with more hiking, and some many other things I want to do out side....  :D  Dang job and responsibilities!! 

Have fun and good adventures in AZ this winter, maybe next summer you can make it up to the PNW, it' only a extra 1000 miles and one more set of mountains!  :D

Wolf

This winter I will be around the Salton Sea  area in southern California with a long time friend. We are driving (he is driving) there sometime in late October to early November and I am going for the ride and staying out there this winter too. First time for me in that area and in California in many years.

Well heck then the trip up north would be easy!  Just head up the 101 on the coast!  Actually this is a great road for a trip, by car, motorcycle, or bike.  It would be great to meet you, but really it's the trip that would be the highlight!  :D

Where or what is the Salton Sea?  I guess I need to do a internet search....  :)

Wolf

Check out Anza-Borrego, not far from the Salton Sea. If you go in late Feb-March and there is some winter rain you might catch the wildflower show. And then there's Salvation Mountain also near the Salton Sea, featured in Into the Wild (the movie). Didn't get there myself.

The Salton Sea is in southern California south of the Majave Desert close to Mexico.

Here are some recent pictures from hikes around Show Low.

Porter Mountain SE of Show Low.

Mountain Prickly Pear with three fruit.

Ancient volcanic boulders on a cinder cone I climbed yesterday east of Show Low near where we camped.

Views of southeastern area from Show Low from cinder cone I hiked.

More cinder cones in distance from the one I climbed. Had a 1923 USGS  marker on the top with no elevation. Show Low is about 6300 feet so I was about another 500 feet or so up.

View to the west from the cinder cone. The horizon and some of Show Low.

Eroded volcanic boulders near top of cinder cone.

The White Mountains are another volcanic area like that around Flagstaff. Mt Baldy is the second highest mountain area in Arizona. The Little Colorado has it beginnings on it's north side.

Tonight we are going back to camp at Scott's Reservior SE of Show Low near Pinetop and Lakeside. There is a lava tube near by, I think I posted images from there last fall after visiting my friend here on my way from Flagstaff to Tucson last September.

have you ever stopped to think how much ancient history you are seeing & relating to all these people--awesome.

Thats part of the reason I and other trailspace members like this website and traveling, to share and show what there is to see on the road and trail.

This past week we have been camping and hiking around the Scott's Reservior Lake area. Hiked back to the ice cave/lava tube we did last fall when I biked thru here from Flagstaff to Tucson and a hike to a fire look out on Springer Mountain another of the many cinder cones around this area. If you recall Springer Mountain is also the name of the end of the A.T.

It rained and thunderstormed since last evening. The temps are now back in the 50s and will be back in the 70s this week next. I love the southwestern winters!

awesome, as usual.  I know you are enjoying all the beauty & history you are seeing up close & personal.  go with God.

Here are more pictures from the last couple weeks.

A 2 inch lzard near my tent this morning

Paul takes  nap after our hike this morning

Happy Halloween! A cattle hip bone..

High mountain plateau of pinon, cedar and juniper

A grove of Cottonwoods changing to autumn color along last evenings hike

A dry seasonal river bed and limestone cliffs

Basalt cliffs from when this area was a volcanic region millions of years ago

Ancient river flows carried a multitude of different rock and stones along the plateau scattering them along the way

Late evening sunlight glows like gold on this Juniper trees limbs

The old Jacques Ranch from the late 1800s to early 1900s along the way

Even in the wilds the scattered Prickly Pear gets an occasional covering of fruit

A wilderness road

View from Springer mountain back to Scotts Reservior where we started

The Springer Mountain Lookout. There was a locked fence surrounding the steps up

Sunset light on Scotts Reservior


An old Juniper tree in the woods near the Reservior

well, finally I am able to catch up with you.--phone & computer problems due to incorrect installation (but not by me).  Beautiful as always & you are learning so much of nature and ID--have fun & regards to Paul

Happy Halloween! Cow hipbone as a mask.

Salt River Canyon on Apache Indian Reservation AZ

Hig desert sunset

Wild horses near camp in Arizona

Balanced rock.

Giant boulders along hike between SW of Globe AZ

Manmade cave near Oak Flats camp AZ

Picketfence Mountain near Superior AZ. We later hike/climbed it.

Picketfence Mountain after sunset

View NW from halfway up Picketfence Mtn

Mailbox register at top of Picketfence Mtn about 4500 feet above sea level

Casa Grande near Coolidge AZ Ancient indian house four storys high

Saquaro sunset near Coolidge AZ camp with moonrise looking east

Sunrise same spot

Sunset the next evening near Wellton AZ 30 miles east of Yuma

Hot springs near Slab City 120 degree's

Sumset November 1st 2012 Slab City CA

Irrigation ditch and telephone lines perspective between Niland and Calipatria this morning as I rode to Calipatria.

In a few days I am leaving Slab City to pedal north to Joshua Tree Nat Monument and Death Valley. I am going to to try and geta job around Death Valley for the rest of the winter to fund my trip to Washingtons state.

one beautiful sunset. Still have no idea of where Calpatria, CA is. Interesting name "Slab City", but apparently apprapos?

Slab city is so called because it used to be a military base and after it closed in the 1950-60s all the building where taken down and the cement slabs they were setting on were left. The area is covered by many slabs. The largest being the commisary where a internet wifi area is now. Every one camps for free choosing their own spaces. Some people stay yearound some just in the winter months.

Calpatria, CA is south of Slab City and north of El Centro along the eastern side of the Salton Sea, It is bit 100 miles to Mexico and 100 to the Pacif Ocean west of there,

I left Slab City this morning at 6 am and am now in Mecca CA just NE of the Salton Sea.I went about 40 miles today on my bike.

It is after sunset over the mountains west of here. Tonight I will camp near town then go up a canyon called Box Canyon to the NE to I-10 and then to Joshua Tree National Park. Not sure but will maybe stay in the park a night or two. I used to hear a lot about it in 1980 from the climbers in Yosemite that spring I was there after coming back from Alaska.

After Joshua Tree I will be going on NE thru the Mojave Desert National Preserve, then be in Baker CA on I-15 and ride down into the east side of Death Valley near the stateline of Nevada. The main tourist area is at Furnace Creek where there is a Inn where I plan to apply for work and hopefully stay till late March next spring before heading on north along Hwy 395 to Carson City on the east shore of Lake tahoe. But that is 4 1/2 months from now.

Well its getting dak and I need to find a place to camp.

Gary

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