Monday, October 6, 2014

The White Rim Trail, Canyonlands National Park...



Lovers of nature and wild places have the Cold War to thank for providing future generations with this 100 mile 4X4/mountain bike route. It was in the 1950's when the Atomic Energy Commission was searching high and low and in between for uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons. After all, as a nation we didn't feel safe unless we could destroy most of the life on the planet a few times. (The cockroaches would have been kings). 

Lucky for all of us, it never came to that. The yellow element wasn't found in enough abundance to warrant mining operations. The views were spared.

In 1964, LBJ (in a moment when he wasn't abusing his pet beagles) signed into law the creation of Canyonlands National Park. Good for him. 

In the early 90's. I rode the trail for the first time. I took a nasty header where I punctured my thigh. There was an ER doc on that trip with a stitch kit. He sutured me in the middle of the desert. Guess what general anesthesia was used? 
A few shots of tequila with limes and salt of course!

I'm heading in maƱana for the fourth time.
Wish me luck.

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