Day 67 – 5/19/16
45 miles biked
62.2 total
We wanted to ease into the biking, so we waited til 9:30am to leave town and start the ~5000′ climb up to Cedar Breaks National Monument. For those who might not be able to picture what that means, I think it’s the biking equivalent of trying to climb Mt. Hood after doing nothing but sitting on the couch eating Doritos for the past year. 
While we don’t have biking legs at all, we do have some endurance and stubbornness built up from the Hayduke.
Much of the uphill we plodded along at a measly 5mph, but we kept at it and topped out ~10,500′ at Cedar Breaks NM. Cedar Breaks is not technically open yet for the season, and the road going through it is gated off. But that’s no problem with bikes!
We figured the park already had started plowing the road in preparation for opening by Memorial Day. And of course it really great to have it all to ourselves!
There were a few stretches of slush left and after we both nearly lost control on the first one, decided to play it safe and walk the bikes through the rest.
Once through the gate at the other end of the park, we had a gloriously long downhill, which I thoroughly enjoyed bombing down at up to 40mph. Bubs is not a fan of going fast on the bike and kept on the brakes pretty hard.
With all that cruising downhill, we ended up riding farther than we’d initially planned, reaching a general store at Panguitch Lake. We stopped in to fill up some water and ended up buying a crappuccino (the stuff made from powder you get out of a machine at a gas station) and lounging on the porch to drink it. As I learned today, on a bike tour, every day is town day. This could be dangerous!
We rode a few more miles and stopped to camp at a USFS campground that appears to not yet be open for the season, but doesn’t explicitly say it’s closed. The water spigots are on and one of the pit toilets is open. It’s beautiful and we have it all to ourselves!
Road Warriors! Almost four seasons in a day.
Sounds like that route would have kicked the average non-bikers butt. So, you two did pretty well.
Digging on the leggings. Spicin’ up the ride and helpin’ the cars see ya. Ha, probably not many cars to see you two today. But they’ll work a treat as you keep riding.
What an awesome day. Way to jump in you two. Love the snow portage shot. And so glad you had some campground luxury. Water from a tap! That you can drink? Awesome.
Did you have a table to? That would be extra fancy.
Oh yes we did! All the sitting we could handle!
BTW, Google says it takes one day and two hours to bike from Cedar City to Moab… 289miles. Nonsense!
Have to shake my head at your determination. You constantly test yourselves. Am thinking you are a it nuts.. Wow.
It’s been great following your trip on the Hayduke. I think it is pretty special that you are finishing the loop under human power!
We are in Moab and like to host thru-hikers and touring bikers. And your guys are both. Let us know if you need a place in when you get back to town.
Here is my Warmshowers account. https://www.warmshowers.org/user/96222
Awesome! We have some friends we’ll be staying with but thank you so much for the offer!