“Your bike is discovery; your bike is freedom. It doesn’t matter where you are, when you’re on the saddle, you’re taken away.” Doug Donaldson
- Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
- Weather: Crisp, clear, and calm with temps in the low 40s that rose to the mid-80s F and pleasant.
- Starting Point: Loa, UT
- Departure Time: 0650 MST
- Miles: 64
- Moving Time: 3:06
- Total time: 3:28
- Overnight Location: Duke’s RV Park, Hanksville, UT
Kristin asked me a familiar question as we lay in bed, summoning the courage to peak our heads out from under the blanket to sample the world. “How do your legs feel,” she inquired, expecting to get a quick answer and one of the several she had heard countless times before.
Rest days are my least favorite, and the over 40,000 miles I’ve ridden in the last three years haven’t included many, or miles outdoors on the road. It is novel stress to battle the swirling wind, brave the fluctuating temps, maintain steely focus when a momentary lapse will find you in a ditch, and VERY BIG TRUCKS!
It had taken a toll on my legs, and I had no response. Not because I didn’t feel them, but rather it was a denial of the truth.
My fingers and toes, I knew exactly why I couldn’t feel them—40 F and crisp as I rolled off to chase the warming sun.
My thoughts turned to absorb the abundant stimuli, with buffalo grazing and the red rocks blazing in my view. The landscape was changing before my eyes, and it was brilliant.
As I lay awake, envisioning the ideals of my cross-country journey, rides like this filled my mind’s eye. I would have pinched myself if the seam between my chamois and the saddle hadn’t done it for me. The scenery cramped my neck from looking upward and swiveling side to side.
Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden gem, and I had the privilege to enjoy it on a bike for twenty miles. It was stunning, and each bend in the road was like Christmas morning for a cyclist with a dream. The ride was effortless and I didn’t feel my legs for a good reason.
Petroglyphs, pictographs, and rock art figures created by ancient Native Americans adorn the stone canyons of several places in Capitol Reef National Park. Historians and archaeologists attribute them to the Fremont Culture, which existed in areas of Utah from approximately AD 600 to 1300.
As I rode from the park, the terrain changed and was no less stunning. The ride was a wealth of riches that kept on giving. Today was the day that made you want to ride a bicycle then and continue long into the then.
Flash flooding in this part of the country is no joke, and the frequent swaths carved in the desert floor were a constant reminder. Just how serious I wasn’t aware until I engaged the cashier in the convenience store of our overnight destination wearing a “Hanksville Strong” tee-shirt.
She went on to explain that in September of 2021, flash floods swept through parts of southern Utah, including their small town of Hanksville, where the 6-foot surge inundated homes, businesses, farms, and cars. Thankfully, no lives were lost.
Hanksville is an eccentric oasis in an ultra-traditionalist Southern Utah stronghold. I wish I knew what goes on at the BLM office.
Duke’s RV park is one of the better ones, with suitable amenities, and Dan, the attentive and witty maintenance man. The shower reminded me of a few of my college “girlfriends” with frequent mood swings, hot to cold and back, and it was nice while it lasted, but when our time is up, I won’t be upset to find a new place to park my RV.
About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Thirteen—Michael Connors
Here is what Michael had to say—”DIRT has helped keep me sane during this rough patch with our family. My mother-in-law passed very suddenly last year just after Easter and then shortly after we got my son’s terminal diagnosis (https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/infantile-neuroaxonal-dystrophy). Without the Discord group, I would have lost my mind a few times, I’m still riding and training for a triathlon but unfortunately not able to make many DIRT events. Knowing how difficult these times can be, my wife and I try and help other families out whenever and however we can”
Amount Raised to Date—$3,161
Thank you, Michael!
Now off to Green River, UT!
To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.
Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
Hi Chris–hang in there! You are doing great. Wish I could be there seeing & riding &, of course, photographing. Your photos are terrific & really help to tell your adventure!
Thank you 🙏 Karen! It’s been an amazing experience. I need your photog skills!