Sunday, July 21st, 2024
Moab, UT → Moab, UT
0 miles, 0 feet elevation
Despite being in one of the most beautiful places in the world, we started our rest day sluggishly. The team had biked a century the day before, and gotten 6 flats in the process, an emotionally taxing experience. I think I only went outside in the morning to search for miscellaneous items in Chrissy, the Keeper of Lost Socks and Chamois Butter. By lunch, the most exciting thing that had happened to us was Joe Biden dropping out and the discovery that the Joever meter had made a final statement.
We eventually mobilized and made the world's most adequate rest day plan. The thing is, being in Moab, Utah, any rest day plan was guaranteed to be incredible. We drove to the Colorado River and cooled off.
The current was quite strong, but through the power of clinging to rocks, Cleo was able to swim at 0 meters per second against the force of the waters.
Before heading into the park, we went to MOYO and went overboard on frozen yogurt. I hadn't had froyo since high school, and so I lost my head and ended up making a $9 sundae.
We then scooted over to Arches, where I pretended to be driving through Radiator Springs from cars around the long curves and among the red rocks. It almost felt wrong to be in Arches. The scenery expanded in every direction; the world outside the park didn’t exist. The rock formations sat quietly around me, not quite alive but not just an object.
We hiked to Delicate Arch, the most iconic of the arches. Apparently in 1991 one of the biggest arches, Landscape Arch, had a piece of rock fall off that was 60x11x4ft! Imagine hiking up and then seeing that fall.
Apparently a lot of the soil has a thick biological crust from cyanobacteria interacting with the soil. So Arches National Park is actually alive. That explains the creepiness that you feel when you’re there along with the awe. The park is actually watching you!
One of the best parts of today was actually just the conversations I had. I forgot that hiking is such a social activity and me, Varsha, Jess, and Amulya ended up talking the whole way. It was 3 miles and not lots of elevation but involved cool walks up rocks. I had to put on both of my knee braces. As we walked, we tried to guess the grade of the hike and marveled about how we had probably biked roads as steep as these paths that made our calves and thighs cry out.
After getting slightly lost, we met up with the rest of the team at the top of the hike to view Delicate Arch.
As a team we are going through the 36 questions to fall in love. Tonight over Mexican food we did question 4 which asks "what is the perfect day for you?" We pushed two tables together and sat outside, the rock formations of Moab keeping us company. We all had similar answers like to share time with loved ones like families and partners, cook with people, go into nature. If you’re interested my answer was that the perfect day would have 3 components: 1) see my loved ones 2) go to a park (doesn’t matter what kind) 3) see live music. I’m happy because all of these things will be achievable in a little bit of time. I can’t believe the summer is passing by so quickly. Hank said that almost every day of Spokes was like the ideal day for him. Varsha described a dinner with friends as night falls, over good food and with fulfilling conversation. Maybe we weren't having the best Mexican food, but this dinner felt like one of those nights she was describing.
What a journey Rebecca. So proud of you! Love you 💕🤗🌸🙏🏼
cant wait to spend a perfect day with you? someday maybe???? <3 louise :)
So well written Rebecca!