Utah Day 2: Calf Creek to Bryce Canyon - 69mi

Made a few bike adjustments last night before a cold sleep. My compact 30'F sleeping bag and bivvy sack combo weren't really sufficient for the higher elevations and cooler temps than I'd encountered this time last year in the southeastern Utah desert. Ken & Rilla invited me to share their next campsite at Bryce, and so long as I made the distance I'd have a nice place to sleep... an offer I can't refuse, but a big day ahead with several big climbs.

I left camp an hour before Ken, but he caught me topping out the first climb. We started from the flats below in the background (Escalante River valley.)

must be nice climbing sans ~60 lbs of gear!

Dropped down into the valley to find it flooded with these gorgeous yellow flowers. Table Cliff Plateau in the background:

5mi before the town of Escalante (5800ft), my first mechanical. Threads on the front tire failed (due to the pannier weight I suppose. Touring on old Kenda 25c road slicks? Maybe not the best idea.) Surprised to find NO tires in town, so installed my one spare at a small outfitter who loaned me his floor pump. While in town, I also picked up a $3 cashmere(!) sweater from the thrift store for the cold nights. And a delicious Americano coffee. Minor delays, then onward into more relentless headwinds.

 Summiting over Table Cliffs before a nice, well deserved descent back down to Henrieville at 6000ft

After the buying some groceries in the tiny town of Tropic, a big final 2000ft climb up the Paunsaugunt Plateau to the 7900ft entrance of Bryce, just as the sun was sinking low. I was exhausted and elated and darn happy with my efforts. Found Ken & Rilla and set up camp just before the the sun set.

Put in almost 6000 vertical ft of climbing today. Into wind. Second day. Achilles tendons hurt. I'm tired.