The loneliest section

"If you don't want to go that far out of your way, make the detour to Moab". I was chatting with John and Peter in Border (its a small town on the Utah state line, not the bookshop. I wonder how long it took to come up with that one....) at the last gas station for 80 miles.

After I had explained my navigation technique, they had enthusiastically recommended Durango and the San Juan National Forest. That would take me too far off R50 to say I did the thing. But if I go south to Moab I can cut off the rest of Interstate 70 and some dual carriageway and rejoin 50 at Montrose. Looks really scenic so that's tomorrow sorted!

They were out with their wives trying out Peters new Kawasaki. The Kwaka and the Suzi looked just like Harleys. So much so, I asked what models they were.... Duh.... Again.... I think today I ticked off the longest stretches without gas. Even then I didn't need the spare tank. One stretch was 83 miles and the other 104. So the worse prediction of Captain Birdseye and the Recliner Bandit were extremely exagerated. And as far as I can see the folks here dont roll up their sidewalks any earlier than anywhere else I've been. Everywhere closes their restaurants at 9pm!

I asked if the winding road on the map going to Green River indicated a climb into the mountains. Peter said that nope, they were just drunk when they laid the pavement. Much mirth. John suggested instead that the cartographer was drunk when he drew the map. Much more mirth. Oh, these Americans....

The reality was that the road did rise (to 7776 feet) and fell to I don't know what, but mostly it wound its way through what looked like the Grand Canyon. Not as deep but wow, the San Raphael Swell is spectacular all the same. I didn't even mind the upgrade of R50 to I70 for the purpose.

Stopped for the night at Green River. Not really a one horse town; probably two horses. Another of those nothing places on the map but its really worth a few days stopover. Its at the centre of some fantastic countryside and worth a trip - http://www.sanrafaelcastlecountry.com/ and http://www.greenriverutah.com/

Earlier on the longest straight so far on the trip, I ran alongside the most enormous salt lake. Huge!