Day 4 - First mistake for the trip

Woke up before sunrise and packed up my gear and loaded the bike.  Evening before I asked a fellow for the best place to get breakfast in Monticello early.  He said the only good restaurant did not open until 8:00.  So I decided I would ride in to Moab, UT and find nourishment.  Fifty five miles and I would be awake and ready for food.

I found a favorite breakfast place called Denny's.  Familiar menu, familiar logo, always reasonable.  Here rears the ugly head of my mistake. While paying my bill I noticed that I still had my motel key.  Yes, and older, small town motel that still used keys.  So, back to the motel to turn in my key and then proceed with the ride.  Just a 110 mile detour for my day.  At least I had the flexibility to handle it without a problem.

After leaving Moab I went to Arches National Park.  Sure glad I brought my Senior Pass with me this time.  Awesome rock formations.  I did not go all the way in and back, just part way.  When I left the motel that morning it was 45 degrees.  I had unpacked my heavy, leather jacket and by the time I got into Arches up amongst the rocks it was in the mid-eighties and I was roasting when not moving.

Don't trust your GPS if your instincts tell you something is wrong.

When I left Arches I set my GPS for Green River, UT.  GPS said it was over 300 miles.  OK, I guess.  I got up to I-70 and it told me to turn East.  That seemed wrong even though it still said it was over 287 miles away.  A few miles down the road, I pulled of the road and stopped the program and reentered the town.  Ahhh, surprise.  Green River is only 27 miles away in the opposite direction.

Instinct wins again.

After leaving Green River (around 4,000' elevation) I started climbing.  Got into construction again.  No, they are not working on the weekend, but one lane is closed going east and west.  My luck I got in a line of cars behind an 18 wheeler (?) pulling three trailers on this long uphill grade at 20 mph.  That was a long 10-15 miles.  And again very hot, still wearing that leather jacket.

Pulled into Salina, UT and the first thing I see (initial surprise) are seagulls.  Maybe you know, maybe not, but when Mormons were first settling in Utah the had a plague of locusts and out of nowhere appeared these seagulls who devoured the locusts and saved their crops.  I had forgotten all about that and it may not be totally accurate.  Perhaps you can research it on the internet.

Ending mileage for the day is 161,313 for a total of 457 for the day.