Bear’s Ears – Day 5

Admittedly posting the map of the day’s ride is embarrassing. The only slightly redeeming quality is that we did pedal it both ways. Today was our day trip – another novelty introduced by our local expert Anne. While I complain about the low mileage, I was grateful to be back at the VOG B&B before the wind began to blow again. However, sitting around for an afternoon isn’t my normal day on a bike tour but it could have been in far worse places.

Again we were up and out the door early in hopes of beating the wind. Before leaving the VOG B&B we enjoyed the “B” portion of our stay VERY MUCH. Earlier in the trip we’d had some “premier” breakfasts including oatmeal and cold cereal, not to mention snack bars. Despite this being in the middle of nowhere and off grid, the breakfast provided was amazing!

The ride, mostly down, and also south to the Goosenecks State Park was pleasant in the cool morning and almost without cars. The entry was a bit of a shocker as we paid $2/person rather than $5/car – odd, but not surprising in Utah, that four people in a car are cheaper than four people on bikes. It was worth the $2 entry as you walk right to the edge, off if you want, and gape down into this incredible geologic formation. Like the Grand Canyon, it formed as the Colorado Plateau rose and in this case the San Juan river cut slowly down. Also like the Grand, the pictures do it no justice.

So, how do you spend an afternoon in an off-grid B&B. You learn how to live off-grid. The owner, in tie-dyed T-shirt (we should have played some Grateful Dead in the background), proudly showed us how he had set up solar water heating, solar power, propane powered backup generator, vegetable oil powered truck, and storage battery bank. The photo with the eight sided cone of glass is in fact a solar oven. He had a lot to be proud of and we enjoyed the benefits as well as the tour. It was an interesting, educational, and relaxing afteroon. Sitting and watching birds fly around and feed their young doesn’t sound too exciting, but it is pleasantly relaxing.