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DAY 5, TORREY TO ESCALANTE - 68 MILES

At nearly 70 miles and over 5000 feet of climbing (2 major climbs) we were certainly taking today's ride seriously. We ate a light breakfast so as not to be bogged down, packed plenty of extra water and food to snack on and got an early start on what would be a 4 hour ride to the first, and highest summit (9600 ft.) at the 25 mile mark. It was a heart-pounding climb with lots of 8% grades and many stops to catch our breath. With great relief we finally reached the top.

This is Utah Highway 12, appropriately designated a "Scenic Byway." We would enjoy this road for nearly 120 miles over the next couple of days.

The downhill into Boulder was fantastic. Again, large sweeping turns allowed us to avoid using the brakes and enjoy the effortless speed and magnificent views. Boulder's a very small town but had a really nice restaurant where we stopped for a longer-than-usual lunch and a well deserved break.

A moderate climb out of Boulder brought us to the top of the Hogback Spine and what would be the most spectacular 10 miles of cycling imaginable.

Relieved to Reach the Summit
Neither words nor pictures are adequate to describe the Hogback road. It's two-lanes along a ridge separating massive rock canyons with very little shoulders as both sides of the road drop precipitously into the abyss below. The views were incredible and it seemed as if you could see mountains all the way across the state to Colorado. We were very lucky to be going downhill on the 14% grades.

Escalante Grand Staircase Canyon
along the Hogback
Of course, what goes up must come down. The 14% downhill grades finally bottomed out at the Calf Creek Trailhead and we began an excruciatingly steep climb back out the western canyon. The "staircase" gets lower as you head south, so our climb out was not as long as our downhill run, but still exhausting. Then, once you reach the top, it's an easy 10 miles of gentle downhill into the town of Escalante. Next