Only a fool would venture out into the desert on a motorbike, with temperatures in the 100’s, on mid-summer’s day. Oh well, they say “Mad dogs and Englishmen …”!
We felt it was time to move on from Las Vegas, and next on our itinerary was the Grand Canyon, in Theodore Roosevelt’s words, “the one sight every American should see”.
Our idea was to base ourselves in Kanab, UT, which Brigid had read somewhere was a centre for the National Parks of southern Utah and northern Arizona. These include (amongst others) Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon Northern Rim, and Grand Staircase.
After about 100 miles on I-15, we were both beginning to suffer from the heat. We left the Interstate at St. George, and stopped for a break at Hurricane. We were feeling so weak, that we asked the chap in McDonalds if he knew what the temperature was outside. When he left for work, an hour before, it had been 106 degrees!
After a considerable break, we consulted the map, and elected to take the scenic route to Kanab, through Zion National Park – away from the desert.
What a good decision! Quite apart from the stunning views, the road through Zion is in immaculate condition, with some great twisties – perfect for motorcyclists, despite the low speed limit. We were also strangely glad of the mile long tunnel, built in the 30’s, which provided a cool respite from the sun. Our $10 passes were valid for 7 days, so we made ourselves a promise to revisit the Park later in the week.