Monday, July 29, 2024
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT → Zion National Park, UT
79.5 miles, 2,477 feet elevation
Alright everyone, it’s time for a new gimmick. Here’s what I did on our ride from Bryce Canyon to Zion, with approximate time stamps. Also, I’m not actually limping, it just made for a funny name. The other option was “The Ibuprofen Diaries” but I’ve never actually read the Prozac Diaries so it felt inauthentic.
6:26 I wake up. My alarm is set for 6:30. This alarm is promptly ignored. Four of us had made the questionable decision to drive into Bryce Canyon late at night to go stargazing the night before. It would have been less questionable if I had just accepted the fact that I wouldn’t be able to get up with less than seven hours of sleep. Instead, I delusionally thought I could actually get up. I saw the Milky Way though!
7:07 I actually get up. Lame.
9:15 At last, after many small 5 minute setbacks, I embark. The ride into Bryce Canyon was plagued with headwinds, but now I’m zooming down the scenic UT-12.
10:00 I pass through Red Canyon Park! I’m listening to the New York Times podcast The Daily, but I’m missing the names of half the politicians. It is not the most enlightening experience. I am much more enlightened by the beautiful rock formations around me.
10:14 Just after the Utah scenic byway ends, I get passed by JD and Hank in quick succession. This is not a new occurrence. I usually try to yell hi at them as this happens, but they wear earphones that cancel outside noise and often don’t hear. Hi Hank and JD!
10:16 new podcast about golden apple I start a new This American Life episode “24 Hours at the Golden Apple,” which is a diner in Chicago. My favorite characters that they interview are these two high schoolers that hang out from 12-3 am at the diner waiting for a guy named Jeff. I’ve gotten more used to bumming around and I feel like I can understand that waiting a bit.
Important Update: I’ve been counting the number of Chrissy’s (i.e. Chrysler Pacificas) that pass me, and at this moment that count stands at 36.
11:11 I remember that I have two day old peanut butter cookies in my bag! Heck yeah.
11:16 I see a dad and a blonde toddler on an ATV. This is one of those moments where I wish I can stop and meet people, but I can’t. I keep on riding.
11:24 It’s mile 29, and I stop to apply Icy Hot to my leg and for a Clif bar snack. I don’t think I will ever eat a Clif bar again after Spokes, but they’re like 15% of my diet at the moment.
12:02 I stop again for no real reason. But let’s pretend I stopped to change my podcast to a new episode of No Stupid Questions, “Where Do Values Come From?” Mike Maughan reads aloud Olivia Rodrigo lyrics, and also tells a story about how he would sleep in the charred remains of his bedroom after his house caught on fire. I don’t think I learn too much about where values come from though.
12:52 After a lovely downhill, I make it to the lunch stop! It’s at a rest stop that is under construction, and I enjoy looking at the extremely old information about Utah!
At lunch, we also find out that Cleo has decided to go back home for the rest of Spokes. I don’t even know how to react; it doesn’t feel like we’ll be the same after she’s gone. She picked out Squirt for us at the store.
1:45 Half of us tell our life stories in four minutes in our quest to finish the 36 Questions. I learn that Hank was really into knitting as a child, and that Varsha’s life story can be told in two minutes (what are you hiding Varsha?)
1:53 Amulya bowls me over laughing, which honestly is a common occurrence.
2:39 Shoot, it’s embarrassing to see these timestamps but this is when I leave the lunch stop. The four minute life stories took longer than anticipated. At least I’m welcomed to the second half of the ride by another downhill.
4:50 After big, dry uphills, I enter Zion National Park. Confession time: I’ve been excited for Zion, but I actually have no idea what it looks like. I’m almost glad that I didn’t know, because I’m blown away by the towering rock. I gasp as I roll through the canyon. You can see the rolling of waves from millions of years ago on some of the stones.
5:07 The only way into Zion from the east is unfortunately a large tunnel that bikes are not able to cross through. Therefore, we have to wait just before the tunnel to be shuttled by Jess through the tunnel. I arrive at the bathroom where everyone else is waiting and collapse. Very slowly, but it is a legitimate collapse. I end up on the floor.
5:17 We scheme for a talent show as a gift for Cleo. Ideas thrown around are Hank running backwards really fast, a Chopped style cooking competition with our leftover food, and a song and dance to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Stay tuned to see how this talent show turned out! Spoiler: We were too ambitious.
5:39 My knee braces are used as a target for Varsha and Amulya to play cornhole. :/
5:45 We’re saved! Jess pulls up and we squish into the car to go through the Mt. Carmel Tunnel.
6:05 We go through the tunnel. Quickly I appreciate the fact why bikes aren’t allowed, there’s no space to pass and we probably would have died. As we exit the tunnel, Zion, already so beautiful, stands in contrast to the darkness.
Jess then unloads us, and we leave in order of how fast we want to go down the 5 switchbacks waiting for us (Hank, JD, Sophia, Amulya, Varsha, then me).
6:37 I arrive (last) to the campsite in Zion!
6:44 The team checks their decision letter to see whether they get to hike Angel’s Landing, the most exciting hike in Zion, where you walk on a ridge with 3,000 foot drops on both sides. They get in!
6:47 I bike to the visitors center to ask about renting water shoes and about shuttles. I physically cannot leave without scrounging the visitors center for postcards and stickers. Luckily, I’m able to escape with my wallet still intact and some dope postcards acquired.
7:10 I return and chat with Cleo and we discuss hikes to do the next day. Meanwhile, Jess is screaming and warding off bees from the chicken juice on our cutting board.
8:15 Dinner! We finish up the 4 minute life stories which actually become much longer than four minutes. JD’s story starts with a retelling of his birth. I talk way too much about the first home my family lived in.
10:41 I wash the dishes with Amulya, and I talk about my theory that Spokes feels the way I feel with my cousins. You just get to know someone so well and know their quirks and joys and annoying habits. For example, I am bad at making sure the dishes don’t have soap on them when I give them to Amulya.
11:41 I walk around to stretch and call a friend. I can see the Milky Way again, and I’m able to identify the constellation Hercules :)
P.S. Here are the stats for the nerds of this day’s ride:
-Rebecca
also laying down in gravel is still preferred to that pathetic beanbag
am i still ur residential fregley :( -louise