Day 4:
North Rim, Grand Canyon to Capitol Reef National Park
Up in the morning, we packed our camping gear and decided to delay breakfast until after a ride to Cape Royal, a side trip of about twenty miles each way. The road winds through thick forests with occasional glimpses of the Canyon enroute.
Cape Royal was the only point from which we could see the Colorado River on the canyon floor.
At the viewpoint, Boris borrows my camera to snap this shot of me.
When I snap Boris, he strikes a classic pose.
We walk the short trail back to the parking area where we meet this retired couple from Iowa who have logged over 100,000 miles on their 1998 K1200RS. Paul and Boris create a photo op by convincing them to back their bike out for a pose.
One last Grand Canyon photo from a viewpoint along the highway.
We ride northward out of Grand Canyon National Park, then stop for food at Jacob Lake. Too late now for breakfast. We do lunch.
After lunch we ride north on US Alt 89 to US 89, with a quick stop for gas in Kanab, Utah. We turn eastward on Utah highway 12, and stop for a rest just before passing Bryce Canyon National Park.
Boris and I trade bikes for a short stretch. I had never ridden an ST1100, and I am amazed at how light and maneuverable it feels -- more like the Katana 600 I had for a few years than the Concours. Although Boris informs me that the ST1100 actually weighs more than the Concours. How does Honda do that? It's the same with the Gold Wing and the K1200LT. Although the Gold Wing almost certainly weighs more, it is a much easier motorcycle to ride.
Paul and I stop for a moment because Boris has dropped from sight behind us on my K1200. Finally, he reappears and waves us on. I get to thinking: did I remember to fasten the strap holding my camping gear on the passenger seat before I turned the bike over to Boris? This question continues to torment me. Finally I pull to the side and ask Boris what the delay had been. He tells me he saw a strap flapping loose in the wind and had to tuck it in. Ahah! I was right! The camping stuff is just sitting on the seat behind him. Good thing he was using it as a backrest.
I fasten the strap, and we trade back. The ST1100 was fun to ride, but I am accustomed now to the massive feel of the K1200LT, and I am missing it.
We ride off, stopping a while later to watch the Utah sun set behind the Escalante Mountains.
At Torrey, we turn eastward again onto Utah highway 24. It is completely dark. We stop for dinner at a fast food cafe, the Hidden Falls Market and Sinclair station. Torrey is strangely quiet, in spite of the fact this should be the height of the tourist season. There are many motels, virtually all with vacancies. We theorize that motels were built in anticipation of visitors to the one of the newest national parks, but perhaps the park did not prove as popular as expected. The waitress at the cafe says no, it's just that tourist traffic is way down this year. An after-effect of 9/11? I would think tourism would thrive at a place like Capitol Reef. What could be a safer place for a vacation?
The food and service are excellent.
After dinner, we gas up with our credit cards (the station is closed), then ride east to the campground at Capitol Reef National Park. Boris and Paul know the way because they camped here the night before they rode to the Grand Canyon. We set up camp in the dark and quickly turn in for the night.
Return to 2002 trip map.
