Day 36
Monday 30th July
To Moab for a slap-up feed at breakfast and a visit to the post office to discover that airmail prices have skyrocketed. Clerk suggests sending money instead of gifts. We enter the National Park and climb out towards the well documented red rock formations and arches. Everchanging shadows and goblin faces everywhere and a steady stream of cars and RV’s. Too much pain to walk out at the end of the road but we see awe inspiring wind sculptures from the camper. Lisa ministers to an Australian adventurer on the GreenTortoise adventure bus whose leg and backside are swollen from spider bites. Leaving Moab we try to reach the motorway by the picturesque route along the Colorado river but signs say a bridge is down so we backtrack and head upwards along a major road. Its very bare country and becomes more desolate as we reach the main east-west highway. This is the lowest route west but even so we climb for miles at under 30 mph and Lisa starts to hurt. Staggering views unfold around us as we cross the great reef - a vast mountain ridge which bars our way. More climbing and more stupendous panoramas until we eventually begin the long but speedy decline to Salinas. Over 100 miles through heat and dust without ant services whatsoever. We check into a motel for the night so we can have a bath and a poor mexican meal. Not much here bar gas stations, base hotels and hookers.