Tuba City, AZ

Yesterday got off to a slow start with Darryl getting nearly no sleep due to cold-like symptoms throughout the night and feeling fatigued as we left Kanab. On top of that it was a loooong uphill after we left Fredonia with a strong crosswind. Things turned around, though, once we got to the downside of Kaibab Forest and came to an overlook that was a panorama of the northeast end of the Grand Canyon. From there the ride was very pleasant and even though the strong crosswinds were still there, it gave us a chance to try drafting each other (it really works – who knew?). Shortly after that, the route was mostly downhill and turned so we had a 25 mph tailwind. A great way to end the day and Darryl seemed his old self again.

We camped at Lee’s Ferry named after John Lee who, along with the Mormon church was complicit in the Mountain Meadows Massacre of over 100 Paiutes - our host Logan in Rockville is writing a book about this injustice and pressing the church to admit its roll. The site was a beautiful location right on the Colorado River that is the very beginning of the Grand Canyon. We saw a number of float trips preparing to launch and we all dipped our toes in the phenomenally cold river.

Today’s ride was another long uphill, but before we could make it to Tuba City (it’s everything you might imagine it to be) there was a severe wind storm that kicked up making riding too dangerous on busy route 89. According to my barber (who took out centeries of Navajo repression by the white man on my hair) , there's always a red cloud (from the red dust) over Tuba City, but it never rains. Tomorrow will take us to Second Mesa in the middle of a Hopi reservation where there is a weekend-long Kachina dance. Hopefully we’ll get there in time to see parts of it.