Brian's Thankful Thursday September 9, 2021

 Thanks to Brian for Thankful Thursday!

After a delicious dinner Thursday evening we all retired early as the time for Friday's start was 7 am! Here are a few photos of the Cliffside restaurant:

Here's Lap and his daughter. Lap arranged our pleasant get together at the Cliffside- a perfect kick-off for the race!  

Here are two stellar views from our table! The Cliffside was the perfect choice for our get together!

Friday August 27, 2021 was the first leg of this intense Three Day 500 mile bike race. Our friends left at 7am and screeched in right around 8:30pm. Russell helped crew for two of the racers and I drove 3 hours up to Escalante. I first drove up I-15 north to exit 95 where I went east a bit on 20, then hung a right on 12 traveling through the Red Canyon and part of Bryce Canyon National Park. Once again such a gorgeous eye massage of landscapes. There were several high elevation climbs of over 7,000 feet. I got in early and figured out where to pick up all the dinners people had asked me to get for them as they were coming in so late. I went to the Circle D restaurant around 7pm and ordered my dinner to eat there while also ordering their "to go" meals to be ready by 8:30pm. I sat by the front window, sipped my beer, ate and watched for our buddies and just about the right time here they came in...and came in with BIG appetites! I packed up their food, paid the bill and brought the meals to their motel rooms. They were all famished and exhausted. All I had to do was drive 3 hours and purchase food. Russell enjoyed riding along helping the bicyclists with water, food, and resting in the car. Here are a few of the photos I took while driving along. Saturdays drive for us will be shorter- only an hour and a half to Panguitch which means Russell and I can do some exploring. We will be together as they will not need Russell's help that day. Here are a few photos I took the first race day. 

All the riders are getting ready to start! 

After exiting I-15 this National forest was on my right as I first went down 20 and then on 12.   

Entering the Red Canyon area, 

I played tourist a bit by stopping at a few touristy places. This one had a huge exhibit of local wildlife. Evidently a taxidermist spent 40+ years helping create this Natural History Museum. Here are a few of the many exhibits. 

A person could spend a whole day here, but after awhile I left and indulged myself in feeding the wild deer and local goats for an additional $2.00 for the corn.

Did not take long to get to the motel from here. I relaxed before going to get the riders their much earned yummy food!

Tomorrow we will head to Panguitch Utah- a short drive!

I am thankful for this enriching experience. Thanks to our good friends who included us in the adventure!

And big thanks to Brian!