I seen ’em!!!! Big, pink, & holding sign welcoming me to Vernal, UT.  Land of fossils and liquid remainder of their time opn earth.

Stopped @  Altitude Cycle right on Main st. After 3 previous visits I finally meet owner, Troy, a veritable live wire. Some talk of him guiding me on a hard to navigate local trail. Hung around for some goofing. Bikemag published an article about Troy & his Vernal in 2009 issue written by Lou M, now editor of Mountain Biking. Photos taken by Anne; Hey Ken Keister, she of Hot Tomato in Fruita. Lou mentioned Troy’s unique way of  initiating the flushing action.

Autographed the wall somewhere.

Found some tree shade @ city park and caught up w/ some electronic tasks and waiting out the sun b4 heading out to McCoy Flat corral for sleep spot. This is desert country: no shade except for sage bushes. Temp in low 80s. Big desert sky.

I sleep on my stomach after presleep on my right side. My right hip is still painful to pressure. My right rib 8 weeks later still hurts.  Sleeping on my left side or back is so foreign to me that prevents me from a good sleep. Life is a bitch when I am hurting.

Tomorrow is a ride in the AM out here on trails Retail Sale, Slippery when wet, Fire sale finishing up on Milk & Cookies. All Troy built. Some of the trail is organized cow paths out here in the desert.

Oil wells still being drilled as seen between Rangley & Vernal. Boom Bust region.

2 days ago camped up on great mesa @ 10,600′. Woke early again deep breathing w/ less effect for work put in. 2 hits of inhaler helped but sleep didn’t return. Slept under down blanket. 45 degrees @ 7:30.

Dropped back down to grand valley for ride on Palisade rim trail. Almost 5000′ drop for mesa to valley floor. temp climbed almost 20 degs.

Found TH on river. Pedaled up Rapid creek rd and into public land. Found rim trail. Crudely built and the dirt won’t help hold the trail. Lot of upper intermediate moves will not suit beginners. Shop wants to make itself another Fruita trail system. Dirt and terrain will be a hindrance.

Found swimming pool for free shower.

Back to Ruby Canyon cycle to learn of Butter Knife trail for Sunday. I came up empty on mtn bike sites & Google. Called COPMOBA answering machine, left message hoping a return call w/ beta on trail. Annie called back. She told me the trail was built for motor cycles and as a result they will not be “dealt” w/ on bike maps.

Drove out Little Park rd  which travels up onto mesa albeit just under 10,000′. Trails cross road down low and several THs go off road. Going to check out Turkey Flats ride as described by Jen. Drove & drove upward and lesser roads. Hoping to find a sleep spot on public land. Mistake as it is Sat. night and weekend people are out. Passes Mud Spring XG hoping for spot in small piece of USFS land. None. Ground is wet from past rains. Tracks leading off road were rutted and prone to mud should enough rain fall. Skies & forecast wanted some. Turned around & paid $10 to stay in Mud Spring XG @ just under 9,000′

Light rain fell for awhile overnight. Drove campers under cover for a quiet night.

This AM dropped down to TH on Little Park.  Rigs present looked like 4X4 support rigs. Took off and dropped down twist & shout which is open for quads. They hadn’t beat it up too badly & was able to ride a rut when needed. Trail junction for Butter Knife was a narrow chute in the fence designed to not allow ATVs to pass. Junction sign but trails not named. New trail but rode real well. A few pieces I walked, if I would have sessioned them I would have made them. Trail in desert following fingers of land worn from the mesa. Saw 1 mtn bike track fresh today. No dirt bike tracks. Put this as a trail to enjoy.

The ST dumped out onto 4X4 road. I could go up the canyon which was shorter or ride a path that was out of canyon. W/ no local knowledge I chose the canyon. It is a 4X4 trials course. No stock rigs here. I rode some 4X4 trails in Moab and watched rigs negotiate them. This canyon trail was over the top for them. I found just hike a biking to be difficult in places. I encountered 2 groups of 4X4 and they were both stopped helping a wounded rig. I should have ridden the longer route that I would have been able to ride. But I had a 4X4 experience. A flash flood would just flush any rigs out. I asked 1 group if anybody ever get left out. No, and trail showed that.

Back @ TH I putzed around as I had time on my hands. Drove back into GJ for h2o & shower @ Golds. This time the woman working the desk knew how to charge me $5.00.

Plan is to drive towards Vernal this afternoon and sleep above Douglas Pass. Ride Vernal trails Mon & maybe Tues then Park city mid mtn, an IMBA epic. Next week is ID for sure. Look forward to getting into forest cover.

Bruise on right hip from fall taken 1 day later:

Warm night out on road 18. Hip sore but movable when I swung my legs over the side of my bed.

Drove into Grand unction seeking Discount Tire to buy replacement tires for original last pair @ 72,000 miles. Could have gotten maybe another month or so, but all 4 tires are the same, as a result the van doesn’t wander around so badly.

Drove to town of Palisade east of GJ for ride of name sake tomorrow, Rapid Creek cycles suggested driving up to Great Mesa to escape the heat in the valley. heeded their advice. Road just climbed till I pulled into a XC ski trail system parking lot @ 10,600′ Back up in the sky again. Temp was 25 degrees cooler than valley. Pretty late afternoon, skies were clear, smell of firs & elevation.

Going to sleep well tonight, maybe the down blanket? 52 degrees @ 9:30.

I am planning on riding Butter Knife @ GJ as I travel west. Plan of being in UT this week was over ridden by CO rides. Next week.

Palisade peaches are in season.