Cheese Weasels Get Dirty In Utah

[Stichill_imp]

Riding Day 2 - Wednesday Mid-Day to Mid-Afternoon - Around the North End of Lake Powell and Back Down Toward Burr Trail Road

When we were stopped at UT 261 & UT 95, we checked our odometers and found we had gone about 100 miles since filling up in Mexican Hat on our way back from Monument Valley. It was 168 miles to Boulder, Utah - seemingly the next "big" town on on the route we had chosen. Since all of us had perhaps a 180- to 190-mile range before hitting reserve, the question became, "Where's our next fuel stop?"

We had issues with phone service out there. My TomTom GPS said the closest fuel was in Blanding. That meant turning east on UT 95 with our GS buddy and riding with him to Blanding, about 32 miles one-way. Not the greatest option, since we would only net about 50 miles of additional range after burning the 32 miles back to the junction of UT 261 & UT 95.


Suddenly my son-in-law got signal and his phone said there was a Sinclair station 56 miles up the road along UT 95 toward Lake Powell. There was some risk in this...what if the station wasn't there, or was closed? It looked like it was literally in the middle of nowhere on the map. In the end, we decided that this is an adventure! Worst come to worst, maybe we could bum some gas from a guy in a jeep with a jerry can. So, off we went in search of the Sinclair, a potentially mythical desert petroleum oasis.

Into the expanse...


The ride up UT 95 was breathtaking. A series of white canyons paralleled the road on the east side for miles and miles. I don't have any pictures, because it was one of those "in the zone" moments that would be spoiled by stopping. We just rode on and took it all in.

When it got to be around the noon hour, we pulled off UT 95 at Farley Road and enjoyed some nice views while we munched our trail food.








We found the Sinclair station just off UT 95, inside the Hite National Recreation Area that is "located at the top of Lake Powell, adjacent to the confluence of the Colorado and Dirty Devil Rivers" according to its website. Here's how the entrance looks according to Google Maps. Interesting that there's a fuel truck in the Google photo!


Momma didn't promise you the gas would be cheap, though!


We continued north on UT 95 and crossed over the Dirty Devil River at Hite Crossing Bridge, then swung around and pulled off at the Hite Overlook for a view of the confluence with the Colorado River.




For some reason, in my mind I thought that Hite Crossing Bridge was the northernmost point of our loop around Lake Powell. In fact we had to go another 15 miles north of Hite Overlook to the junction with UT 276 where we could finally turn south. Perhaps it was the extra 30 miles (15 up and 15 down), or the heat, or me getting tired, or the food I just ate, or the less interesting scenery on this side of the lake, but I recall the ride down UT 276 as boring to the point of feeling like I might fall asleep. I had to keep opening my visor to blast my face with air, stand up on the bike, sing out loud, yell, shake my head...anything to prevent myself from nodding off.


It was such a relief to stop the bikes and get off for a stretch at the entrance to BLM 1200, which leads up to Burr Trail Road.