Could not avoid Potash Rd again! Utah
Friday, May 16th, 2008
It is really hard to explain the fact that I can go back the same places, same roads, over and over again and feel them as new. After all, every day is a new day, is a new mind set, and different space at times, and that is only my own physical and mental condition! The time of the day in itself makes the scenery at any given moment as being retouched by this magical wand. Right now the flowers are blooming, the trees are greener and even the birds are resting and contemplating the serenity that surrounds them.
It is Paradise outside Moab. We left a bit early around noon, thinking I have to ride Potash Rd one more time before heading south again. I love the surroundings of Moab, I do love the town, but cannot handle it too long and either way we go, we have to go through it and feel this energy that just does not belong to me. A few miles from camp, my clutch lever was just getting too soft. I stopped and sure enough the cable by the lever was frayed only holding by a few strands. No problem, I carry a spare and all the tools needed. We head back to camp to change it and of course one thing leading to another it took a couple hours for a 20 minute job! I started laughing at myself…
I did because of an experience I had the day before when having my tires changed at "Lone Rider", by John the owner. I by the way have never seen anyone change two tires with such ease, with only a bead breaker and two tire irons, some duct tape also to protect the rim. I truly learned a lot. I did not go to the, I will call it, "the other shop", because of its owner’s attitude… common knowledge here amongst riders that have experienced his "vocal" dilemma and lack of time to take care of his own customers! Sorry… but I have to say it the way it is.
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Now doesn’t Spirit looks comfy?… and I was too. John and I are from the same era and we hit it off right away. I am not into motorcycle prejudice, John is a Harley rider, he is not either. I have said this before… quite ashamed actually to have been reading such prejudice in the BMW Motorcycle Magazine (US Edition) in letters to the Editor lately. Did not see any in the last issue as such childish behavior is so unacceptable. "But to make a long story short"… and that is the cause of my smiles… as it took John… and I… 4 hours to change two tires!!! Many have walked into his shop… Sharon Stone, Desi Arnez, Gene Hackman, he has met Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood and the list goes on and on… and the stories in parallel also… go on and on. I think he should be writing his own Blog… and then again, it was just too much fun to watch and listen to him. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts"!
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Whatever you ride John will help you and will succeed if the parts are available… you might even get to hear some of his stories! Not to be missed… Back to the ride. So we are on Potash Rd and for some reason unknown to me this time, the blue waters of the Potash Salt Mines looked as such a beautiful hue contrasting with the red of the sandstone rocks.
Perfect skies, weather, temperature… short sleeve T shirt under the riding jacket and the vents open. I know that I preach "ATGATT" (All The Gear All The Time), but I truly got inconvenienced, to put it mildly, by having to remove eyeglasses, helmet and liner for every picture taken. I end up buying a regular old fashion helmet from John, have no fear, DOT approved, and this was the first time I could just stop anywhere, remove only my gloves and take a picture or a few! Now that was just incredible… so now I have even more pictures to choose from.
Potash Rd was much worse this time around. I just did not remember it being this rough, most likely as the season is almost in full swing much of the traffic has disturbed its terrain. Will definitely wear my full face again for long distances, but, on three wheels at 10 mph, I felt very safe and enjoyed that wind on my face. I will have someone take a picture of it wearing it with goggles on… I find it very hysterical, reminds me of this cartoon character with his eyes wide open and bugs in his teeth! I cannot find it, I am sure it is still circulating somewhere in cyber space.
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A bit further down the road, crossing a wash we came across some Potash on the surface. Someone actually stopped while we were taking pictures and ask me what it was. I wrongly said "salt"… as it is potash as the salt itself is separated from it by a floatation method. The blue color is a dye to assist in the evaporation and some 700 to 1000 lbs a day are produced by the mill. You can read more about it here… I find it fascinating considering that the layers of potash are buried 3000 feet below the surface.
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We went on slow that day, I am always fascinated by the rock formations even if they are not the Arches or have a name to them. Fascinated by trying to comprehend how much time it has taken for this water covered land to be presented to us in this fashion. Everyone so different from the other, none two alike as fingerprints of every step taken. It was a calm afternoon. I knew this would be the last time we rode that trail for a while as we are moving back south, about one hundred miles… Bluff again! It will be home base for many areas we have not seen yet and some we have seen, such as "The Valley of the Gods", one magnificent area I could probably settle in for a while if they let us!
We did not even pass this point, we both took a break right at the edge of this picture, calm and quiet… always speechless!
Even Spirit who quickly finds some much needed shade and can get comfortable anywhere, anytime! I just noticed that you can see my new helmet!… yes, with an ADV sticker already on it. Still working on the Blog’s sticker with Spirit, his Doggles and Helmet on, same picture as the T shirts. I end up eating in town that night. Nothing to speak off really… good food is hard to find anywhere, but it was fun to chat with some of the locals sitting next to me. Mike, a local now since he is building a new house near by, had just rescued Occy, a beautiful male dog, white and brown at around 60lbs, with hunting dog features, found in the desert weighing at the time only 48lbs.
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Rescued just a month ago, from definite abuse, he was the image of Spirit 3 years ago. We talked a lot about Occy, Mike is a good man and I know that they will be soon as Spirit and I are. He has my email address and is going to let me know of the progress, hopefully also send me some pictures which I will share with you. Time and lots of love… the only prescription one can and should use. Tomorrow we are going back to the Arches National Park for another ride… never get tired of that one either!
What a ride!
"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed" [Ghalil Gebran]
Till next time… have a great day, come and visit! Utah is beautiful…
You be well and stay well… Ara & Spirit
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