We woke up and headed back a few miles to Natural Bridges. I wandered through the plant garden...
Natural Bridges is set up on about an mile loop, with 5 stops to view different phenomenon. The first was the Sipapu Bridge.
Stunningly beautiful. Next stop was Horsecollar Ruin; this was the one I was looking forward to. Ancient Ruins spark my interest.
Spanky got a wee bit distracted on the hike.
Someday I will find more ruins; closer ruins. These were way cool though. They're way down there; the hypothesis is that they were storage for grain that was farmed on the plateau on top. We spent much time discussing how they transported the grain; The short hike we did was not easy! It was hot in motorcycle gear.
We enjoyed some more bridges.
And then we headed for Moki Dugway! Moki Dugway is a fantastic road on which you drop 1200 feet in three miles on gravel switchbacks.
Doesn't that look fun?
And check out that view! That's where the road continues.... We didn't go that way...
See the dirt to the left? That's where we're headed!
At the bottom of the Dugway (which means road, carved from a hillside), we got to something with a much more fanciful name! Valley of the Gods. One of our absolute favorite roads on the trip.
Our tummies were a rumbling after all this delight. We got to the little town of Bluff, and were treated to the most amazing burger ever! We also happened to get there 30 minutes before they stopped serving lunch. When they had to turn the next motorcyclists away, I felt very happy that we had gotten to eat the wonderful food, and bs with the locals about how the world is going to hell in a handbasket.
After bidding our goodbye's to the metal dog, we set our sights for MOAB! We were headed to the "Worst Motorcycle Campout Ever" (Straight from the advertising materials.) Just outside of Moab, on private property, 850 riders were going to gather, party, and ride for days.
We stopped at the entrance. It was about as different feeling from our remote dispersed camping in the middle of nowhere as you could get. People were riding around the flat track, there was music, talking, goofing off. All good things... But soooo different.
We wandered over to the sleeping area, and set up our tent on the banks of the Colorado river. Absolutely stunningly beautiful... There was a fairly problematic 25 mph speed limit, but it was a lovely drive nonetheless. This would be our view for the next few days.
They had contracted with a food truck that had AMAZING BBQ. We tried most things on the menu over the next three days.
Well, if this isn't some hillbilly delight!
We gathered for the opening ceremony.... this I was looking forward to.
People started riding around the campfire...
Dirty, Dusty, and just before this next conversation...
Nathan "Want to ride around the Bonfire?"
half beat
Kris "yes!"
Riding around the bonfire was a total hoot. A great way to end our first day at Moto's in Moab. Of course, we were planning to get the heck out of dodge first thing the next morning... Back to nature for us please and thank you. Good night!
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