Canyonlands N.P. Maze District, Cathedral Valley, Bryce N.P.
Wednesday, June 21
| The
goal today is to get home. I know the radiator leak, so far, does not
leak when the radiator is HOT. The task is to keep the motor running
and keep it hot / sealed and make it home. Once home I can work at
repairing or replacing the radiator (replacement will happen). With the cooling system topped off, we plan a long day of driving to get home. Today will be a new-to-me road that I will find to be memorable - Utah Scenic Byway 12. The western intersection at US-89, heading east, we'll jump up through Red Canyon. At the top of the canyon is the entrance to Bryce National Park. Heading east the road will travel through a wide variety of landcapes and scenery - enjoy the photos and info signs. |
| The
UT-12 Scenic Byway will present a variety of elevation changes. |
| Miles |
Elapsed
Time |
Speed Average |
Speed Maximum |
| 410* + 237 remaining = 647 full day - est * (not a complete day - GPS tracklog hit full) |
11h 27m* + 3h 45m = 15h 12m |
36 mph* |
69 mph* |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| East of Bryce - a hint of the park's scenery. |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| In the valley bottom with green grass. |
| Then we switch to light tan rock scenery. |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Up high, we'll drop down into the valley with
green trees. |
| This section stands out as an oddity of road
construction - riding the spine of a mountain - drop-offs on both sides. |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) Building Hell's Backbone Road |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Panorama (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| In the saddle, center-left of this photo is
the pass. |
| Mom, looking both ways and stopping traffic
for the kids. |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Snow |
| Panorama (Click for a larger size) |
| Dirt two-track into the trees... Let's go! A short jump to a camping spot. No camping for us right now - perhaps another day. |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Info Sign (Click for a larger size) |
| Panorama (Click for a larger size) The Henry Mountains |
| The eastern end of Scenic Byway 12, near
Torrey UT |
| Nearing Capitol Reef National Park |
| We're back to red rock with green trees and
grass. |
| As it's getting later in the day - with many
miles remaining - I toyed with the idea to camp in the area. The formal
campsite was full - I'll keep driving. A more assured choice as the
jeep's leak is in my favor. |
| Behunin Cabin |
| Leaving Capitol Reef, the rock turns grey |
| Back to the washed out dam just west of
Hanksville. |
| I think this is north of Hanksville |
| Long straight sections north of Hanksville.
I-70 is rolling east-west (right-left) before the distant mountains. |
| The car fire. N38.93770 W109.40873 Utah I-70 mile marker 204, the western interchange for Cisco Utah. Rolling east, there was a black car sitting on the right shoulder. Traffic was light and I moved over to the left lane. As I neared I saw the hood open, a sign that something's up vs someone stopping to check for directions on a phone. Hood up, I'll typically stop to ask if they wish a hand. I start to slow and see the driver carrying a desktop computer off to the weeds. That's not good. About the only time you carry valuables out of a car is if it's on fire. Quick pull to the shoulder and back up. It's on fire but it's still small enough that the extinguisher should handle this. Left alone the car would be a highway shoulder burn spot. Time to see if the $20 First Alert fire extinguisher I purchased April 9, 2012 works. It did... perfectly!! Only about two seconds of application had the fire extinguished. The fire was about 12 inches wide (maybe a bit more). With it extinguished I grabbed one of the four gallon jugs of water and doused the area to cool it down. Back to the jeep and pull out the metric wrenches and disconnected the negative battery cable. The gent said the engine died and he looked in the mirror and saw smoke. Pulling over and opening the hood there was fire - and then he started to pull valuables out and I passed by. He said the engine had just been replaced* (somewhere in Utah) and was heading to see family in the Grand Junction area. We pushed the car a bit further from the roadway and I shuffled stuff in the jeep to open up the passenger seat to give him a ride. I don't know if anyone else would have stopped to catch the fire before it became a lost cause - but the timing worked out and damage seems minimal / repairable. * Update: 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer with a 2017 motor |
| First picture - fire's out but water has yet
to be doused. |
| Now with a bit of water |
| Click here to
open the large original The component is the Anti-Lock Braking System motor/pump |
| Fortunately, only a small spot on the road vs
a large char mark. `right place, `right time. |
| The passenger has been dropped off with family
near
western Grand Junction - I'm rolling solo again. |
| Leaving the open Grand Junction scene -
entering the mountain valley riding. |
| Just through the Beavertail Mountain tunnel
with DeBeque the next exit. |
| Perhaps somewhere near Silt - storm clouds
ahead. For now, they're nicely lit with the setting sun. |
