Sleeping in Huts
The Gateway Hut was tucked away on a cattle ranch, covered by a canopy of towering cottonwood trees, they must have been 100 years old. Our hut was a simple shed with bunk beds on two sides, a sink at the front, cooking stove, and pantry stocked to the ceiling with a selection of foods. We were expecting to have only boxed and canned foods, but were surprised to find two coolers inside; one was stocked with eggs, bacon, cheese, tortillas, butter, and hearty veggies such as cabbage and carrots. The other cooler was full of ice cold beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic; of course, if you want a cold beer or hard seltzer you have to pay extra for the alcohol package. There was no running water, but several five gallon jugs sat outside the hut and there was plenty of water to refill our packs, cook, and clean dishes.
San Juan Huts has gone to great lengths to make these backcountry huts sustainable. Sitting behind the hut was a composting toilet perched up on stilts; each time you go you throw a little sawdust down the hole. There was also a large compost pile behind the hut, and as you cook you discard all your food scraps into the compost bucket and add to the pile before leaving the hut the next day. They also offer a recycling bin for all the tin cans, paperboard boxes, and any plastic containers you might use.
Our first night in the hut was a long one. I assumed that being so exhausted I would crash, but it was rather warm in the hut and not much air flow; the five of us tossed and turned throughout the night. We had to pack our own sleeping bags on the trip, I didn’t bring a pillow so I used a pair of my padded shorts, but I wish I would have had an inflatable backpacking pillow on the journey.
DAY 2
Before we settled in for the first night, Bob and Steve had some reservations about continuing onward, they said they were not sure they could handle another long windy day. As we started packing up and getting ready for our second day, Bob and Steve decided they would hang back, take a shuttle back to Grand Junction and then drive into Moab to meet up with Dan. On the bright side, the guys offered to cook breakfast and clean up the hut so Pat, Dan, and I could get an early start.
We loaded up our bikes, said our goodbyes, and set off for Paradox Valley. Happy that the wind was at our backs as we reached Highway 141; we were a little giddy because the ride was actually easy, the first 20 miles was mostly flat, with a few rolling hills. After pedaling about 15 minutes, we were ready to stop for some grub. All your life you have heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”; this is especially true when you are burning a lot of calories. We should have eaten a heartier breakfast, because a bowl of oatmeal with raisins and some peanut M&Ms wasn’t cutting it. We all felt like we were running on empty just a few miles down the road.
As a native to Mesa County, I have explored many areas along Highway 141, and I happened to remember a rock art panel hidden off the side of the highway, roughly 12-14 miles from Gateway. We stopped for a few minutes to walk around and look at the ancient Native American petroglyphs. At mile 19 there was a natural spring, a nice little place for a rest and a chance to refill your water if needed. The spring had a strong sulfur smell so we weren’t too tempted to refill, but having been on the road less than two hours we didn’t really need to replenish our water. While we were stopped the clouds rolled in and we got a light sprinkle, which was nice way to cool off.
Shortly after leaving the spring, we gradually began climbing up hill, by mile 29 mile we made it to the top of the Hanging Flume, a historical landmark in Western Colorado. We stopped at the flume overlook, which towers nearly 2500 feet above the bottom of the Dolores River Canyon. This was a perfect spot for lunch, as we dug our sandwiches out of our bags the thunder rolled and suddenly it was pouring, which sent us scrambling to get our rain jackets. Fortunately, the rain didn’t last long and the cloud cover kept it cool for most of the afternoon.
After lunch we headed downhill a few miles to Y-11 road, a dirt road connecting to Highway 90. We crossed an old abandoned bridge to get to Y-11; the best part of the day was about to begin, 12 miles of biking on jeep trail. Biking under the Hanging Flume was a blast! Ever since my first visit to the flume, I have wanted to bike the stretch of road. The canyon was scenic, the dirt road was well maintained, and we were in awe as we stopped to admire the engineering of the flume, much of which is still suspended along the sandstone walls. Built in 1891, the Hanging Flume was used by mining companies to get water to their gold mines.
Bedrock, CO
The flume road leads to Highway 90 and the little town of Bedrock, at the 47 mile mark we came across the Historic Bedrock Store. Prior to departing on our journey, we watched a YouTube video made by a few riders who had previously done the same hut tour. The video depicted the Bedrock Store as a “must stop” place, filled with treasures and cold drinks. We arrived at the store, there was a sign over the door saying “Serving Outlaws Since 1881”. The store was closed, but at least there was an outhouse on the side. We made a short pit stop and were just about to head out on the last leg of the day’s ride when an older guy pulled up in his truck; it was the store owner and he was insistent we came inside. Inside the store there was a collection of historical photos, antiques, and some locally made crafts. The owner, originally from New York, gave us a short history of the old store, told us his story about how he and his wife ventured out to Bedrock, CO, and he rambled on about a number of odd topics like astrology and such; he was quite the character. There was a small fridge in the back with sodas and iced tea, of course nothing had any prices, he threw out a number when we took our drinks to the counter; $5.00 for two twelve ounce iced teas, seemed a bit steep.
Back on the road again with only seven miles left to the hut, we pedaled along Highway 90 a short distance before we headed down some farm roads, making our way back to the Paradox Hut. After biking six hours and forty minutes, we reached the hut; pedaling 54.2 miles with 2,587 feet of elevation gain. The Paradox hut was surrounded by pinyon and juniper trees, set in the middle of desert scape with miles of unobstructed views. We raided the cooler, grabbed some snacks, and sat outside to raise a toast for completing our second day.
Paradox Hut
Hungry and indecisive about what to make for dinner we ended up feasting on chicken burritos (made with canned chicken), black beans, and macaroni and cheese. I think I enjoyed Hut 2 the most; first off the candy selection was much better, they had Twix. The views were my favorite and there was not a silk worm in sight, the Gateway hut was crawling with them. Also, the air temperature was cooler and we all slept much better. As the sun set, we sat on the front porch to enjoy the views and good company.
Knowing we had hefty climbs on Day 3, we decided to get up earlier, setting our alarm for 5:30 AM. We cooked a breakfast of champions this time, savory breakfast burritos. Despite getting up an hour earlier, we didn’t end up with as much of a head start as we thought we would. There are a number of chores that need to be done before you leave the huts each day, and I suppose it didn’t help that Pat overflowed the gray water, leaving an even bigger mess to clean up. Repacking the paniers can also be a little time consuming, next time I will pack my stuff in plastic bags and leave the paniers on the bike to save some time.
Day 3
Ready to tackle the third and final day of riding, we started our journey from Paradox, CO to Moab, UT at 7:50 in the morning, leaving the hut we set out on country roads, making our way back to Highway 90. Within a few miles we began climbing out of the valley, 900 feet of elevation gain over three miles; it was a hell of a climb. There was a large pullout on the side of the road, offering a perfect rest spot with views of the Paradox Valley. We had some downhill relief the next several miles, reaching speeds as high as 28 mph, practically coasting our way into Utah.
The Colorado, Utah state line was only 13 miles from our starting point for the day; we made a short stop for some photos next to each of the state signs before starting our second big climb of the day. Now on Highway 46 in Utah, we were ascending yet again, which was possibly the most difficult, and longest climb of the day. One section was so steep that it was actually faster to walk our bikes. After a long rest, we continued our nine-mile uphill battle. Halfway up this long haul, we were graced with a fresh mountain spring. This spring is private, but the owner installed a pipe and hose, making the water available to the public. When we stopped an old dog came up to us for some pets, he appeared to be a local resident out for his routine patrol of the neighborhood.
The cool mountain water was refreshing and rejuvenating, a magical serum that lifted our souls and gave us the energy we needed to continue onward and upward. Soon after leaving the spring, we came into the view of the La Sal Mountains. I was feeling tired from trying to keep up with the guys and with the crisp mountain breeze I was needing to stop to add a layer. Stopping alongside the road, there was a mountain pond and lush marshland inviting several bird species. I noticed a few Sandhill Cranes feeding in the water and took a moment to watch them and take some photos.
Nearing the end of the longest climb of the day, a nice man with a pickup stopped to offer me a ride. Knowing I had just under a mile to the top, I turned him down because I wanted to complete this physically demanding journey on my own. The first half of Day 3 was along the highway, and there were not many places to stop when Mother Nature started calling. Knowing that the town of La Sal had a small gas station, I figured I would have a chance to use the restroom when we reached town. Forget a pit stop on a Sunday in Utah, because all store close shop for the Sabbath, so I had to make due with a hidden spot behind the little library.
When you register for a hut tour, it includes a ride packet with detailed route information and maps. We referenced our packet before leaving La Sal, we only had 3.6 miles to go before we would turn off Highway 46 onto dirt roads. Pedaling along, looking for BLM Road 174; of course, the road was unmarked. Soon we were moving downhill with the wind at our backs, traveling at a quicker pace; I looked down at my Garmin, only to find we had gone further than we were supposed to. We turned around and pushed an extra mile uphill to our missed turn.
Following Rim Rocker, we had roughly 15 miles of dirt and rocky riding. Once again, I was in my natural element! Rolling over hills, watching my lines, and climbing over rocks; I was in flow state, enjoying the ride. There were a few moments when I forgot I had a hefty load over my rear tires; each time I rode over rocks my rack and paniers would rattle and bounce around. After a few miles, my packs bounced off and I stopped briefly to quickly adjust. Moving along, I hit another fun section, I pulled up off my seat and let it rip downhill. Once again my packs bounced off. Fortunately, Dan the bike touring guru, was riding with us. Dan un-cinched my paneers and reattached my rack, starting from scratch. We reassembled everything, snuggly fastening my packs; those paniers didn’t move again until we made it to Moab.
As we pedaled along, Dan told us that of all the bike tours he has done, this particular tour was the first ever he had done with rocky dirt roads. There he was on skinny tires, pedaling a touring bike on rough jeep trail. The “Cadillac” of bikes, as Dan would say, was certainly taking a beating going over some of these rocky sections. Capturing the moment as Dan rode over some technical features, this Tennessee guy, was mountain biking for his first time, in Moab of all places.
Our last day took us much longer than we had planned. Fortunately I had enough cell service in La Sal to call my parents and let them know we might be rolling into Moab a few hours later than we had planned. They were driving from Fruita to greet us and leave us with a vehicle to get back home.
Just few miles from our finish, we stopped to look at our map and read the final directions. There were a few options. We could continue on the dirt road, but the directions indicated things got a little confusing and the ride would get rough and sandy. Exhausted and already later than our target time, we decided to cut off a few miles and we followed the Rim Rocker trail down to where it met up with Highway 191. We only had a few miles left to go until we reached our final destination, Ken’s Lake Campground, located 11 miles south of downtown Moab. Although the ride packet has the route ending in downtown Moab, Ken’s Lake was a much better option; there is plenty of parking and it cut off some unnecessary mileage. Riding along 191, there was plenty of shoulder alongside the road, but it was a bit unnerving to have vehicles and semi-trucks whizzing by.
Throughout the tour Dan had been riding with a small US flag on the back of his bike. He told us that several years ago he found this little flag while he was on one of his many bike tours, and for the fun of it he put it on the back of his bike. Then over the years of touring, he realized that drivers veered away from him, giving him plenty of space on his bike, and he said it was all because of his American Flag. Many truckers would often give him a friendly honk out of respect for the flag.
Finally we reached our turn, we left Highway 191 and headed for Ken’s Lake. We had completed our last day, with 52 miles of riding and 4,305 feet of elevation gain. Starting our hut tour on May 7 ending on May 9, 2021 with a grand total of 158 miles and nearly 10,000 feet of elevation gain over the course of the three days. Rolling into the campground, there was a sense of satisfaction for having completed the three day ride and yet a feeling of relief to be done pedaling. Greeted by my parents and our four dogs, I could hardly get off my bike before I was surrounded my loyal pack. My pups were probably confused as to why they had to drive so far to see us, but none the less, relieved to see us once again.
Bob and Steve who had left us on Day 2, made their way back to Grand Junction and then over to Moab. They were camping at Ken’s Lake, planning to meet up with Dan. After we packed up our gear we made our way over to their campsite to see them one last time.
As Pat and I made our way home, we recalled the highlights of our three day tour. The trip was physically challenging, exhausting, and yet exciting; although, we decided not classify the trip as “fun”. Uphill battles in the wind were not our favorite parts of the trip, but that was part of the adventure. When traveling by bike there is more opportunity to enjoy the scenery, to take notice to things you may not see when you travel in a car. Often when we take a trip in the car we are trying to get the destination as quickly as possible, blurring much of the scenery. Biking allowed us to appreciate the details of our surroundings; we noticed the contours of the canyons, the ridgelines of the cliffs, numerous wildflowers alongside the road, the many colors of the desert, and the changing geology from one segment of the ride to another. There was something very satisfying about self-propelling ourselves from the front door of our house in Grand Junction to Moab, and that left us feeling accomplished and grateful for the adventure.
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