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Day 27. Fredonia, AZ to Marble Canyon, AZYesterday: Day 26. Zion National Park, UT to Fredonia, AZTomorrow: Day 28. Marble Canyon, AZ
5 September, 2003 -- Day 27.
From Fredonia, the route continued on HW89A with a climb of over 3000 feet to Jacob Lake before descending into the Colorado River Valley and the edge of the Grand Canyon. They say the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most spectacular spot from which to enjoy its beauty, and it is through Jacob Lake that one must pass to reach the North Rim's entrance. When I first set out on the trip, I had planned on spending a day at the North Rim. Requiring a 44-mile climb from Jacob Lake (then coming back along the same road), I chose instead to skip it and save the North Rim for another time. The climb up to Jacob Lake was a slow-and-steady four-hour ride, up to an altitude of just under 8000 feet (the highest since Carson Pass and the highest point I will reach for the rest of the trip) starting from Fredonia's 4700 foot altitude over 30 miles. Stopping at the Jacob Lake Lodge's Cafe for lunch, I found myself surrounded by scores of camo-wearing deer hunters... On my way out, as I was filling my water bottles, I then found myself surrounded by scores (okay, maybe just 3) of retired men admiring my bike. "Where you ride that thing from?" "From WHERE!?" "Son you got bigger b***s than I do!" I bid farewell and started the descent. The transition from pine-covered hills into sandstone slickrock was a sudden one. Just like that, I went from a dense forest filled with deer hunters into a vast and open desert, reaching as far as the eyes could see. Sheer cliffs, mesas, river gorges, dried arroyos. In front of me had appeared the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, around which the road would skirt for the rest of the day's trip. At one point, I pulled off to the side of the road to snap a photo and an RV pulled over and stopped too. They told me that I was "gutsy", wanted to hear where I came from, then offered me some cold drink. The day did come with a little bit of drama, as once again I found myself staring into a lightning-filled stormcloud up the road. But it was gone long before I got there...but not before a rainbow appeared, capping off a spectacular day of nature. I will start my climb out of the Colorado River Valley and head to Cameron, Arizona, for another 70 miles day with a lot of climbing.
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