Day one: from home in Cedaredge, Colorado through Green River, Utah, south on UT 72 from I-70, over the mountains to Loa, east on UT 24 to Torry, south on UT 12 over Boulder Mountain to Boulder then out on the Burr Trail to camp at Deer Creek Campground in the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. Day two: return to Torry, east to Hanksville and beyond to the Goblin Valley turnoff, north by gravel and dirt to I-70 on the San Rafael Swell, east to US 191 then south to Moab for lunch. Home from Moab by the fastest route (River Road to Cisco, I-70 and over Grand Mesa). Trip: 767 miles.

Utah State Highway 72 from I-70 west of Green River, exit 89, south to Loa. It's great to discover a beautiful road! I apparently had not been on this one before although I had been all around it. On this ride, I was headed for Boulder Mountain at the east end of the Aquarius Plateau. Normally I would go through Hanksville on UT 24. My reasoning for continuing on west from Green River on I-70 was to quickly gain altitude and cooler weather on the San Rafael Swell (This incidently was a good plan; climbing up the Swell, I dropped 15 degrees in a few miles.) Consequently, after I had gone west roughly even with Boulder Mountain, I needed a road south to UT 24. I remembered having seen an exit for a road going south to Loa -- about 2/3 of the way to Salina. This turned out to be UT 72 and I don't believe I've been on it before. I don't know how I could have forgotten this beautiful drive up over the mountains on what could rightly be called a pass or at the very least a skyway. The smooth pavement climbed gently on sweeping curves through lovely green valleys, high meadows and forests, the green colors enhanced by a sky darkened by powerful thunderstorms closing in from the west and south. Traffic was almost non-existent. A beautiful ride for certain. Once in Loa, I back-tracked east to Boulder Mountain but not by enough to discourage me from coming this way again.

Gallery scenes from Utah State Highway 72 (click for enlargement):

I had intended to camp high in the Ponderosas and Aspens on Boulder Mountain, a great place to be in the usually hot summer days of southern Utah. I had left home, though, with the National Weather Service predicting heavy thunderstorms and a 50% chance of rain. It was raining on Boulder Mountain when I arrived. I never like setting up camp in the rain. It was also cold rather than cool. I had a hunch the Burr Trail might get me out of the rain and cold both, at least for a while. It was still raining as I rode into Boulder and turned onto the Burr Trail road but I did indeed ride into the red rocks and sand country and out of the rain within a few miles. I was, however, within the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument and it seemed prudent to play by the rules and camp in a designated camp ground rather than my usual out-of-the-way spot. I found the Deer Creek camp ground attractive and empty. It had rained there earlier and I chose the only camp site with dry sand. I had my tent up, all my gear stowed and time to hike a little before the first sprinkles.

It was a pleasant, relaxing spot and I enjoyed having a table and the muted roar of a stream swollen by the recent rain. I ate in a very light rain, enduring a really, really bad self-heating meal from HeaterMeals (I miss my good self-heating meals, now discontinued, from Modern Outpost in Canada). This nasty meal was compensated somewhat by a decent wine with tasting notes that read, “...the 2002 Hope Estate Shiraz will add splendor to almost any dining experience.” Lucky me! Who knew how much fun it is to sit in the rain drinking a fine Australian Shiraz?

Before dark, a small mini-van arrived and selected a spot nearby but out of sight. The occupants were quiet and reclusive, therefore no problem. It rained in the night. I got up early under dark gray skies. It was still raining when I again crossed Boulder Mountain. After Torry, I had no more rain for the trip. On the gravel and dirt road across the San Rafael Swell to I-70, I got into a nasty washout and mud hole. I could have used some more rain to wash red mud from my boots and bike.