Wednesday, July 13th.
Today I took the 3rd of the three tours I pre-booked. I rode 8km from my hotel to Wahweap Resort and Marina to take a boat tour of Navajo Canyon on Lake Powell. The lake is a huge reservoir created by the Glen Canyon Dam completed in 1963, which caused the Colorado River to back up and eventually, 16 years later flood the Glen Canyon to the 3,700 feet level creating Lake Powell. The lake level fluctuates considerably depending on the seasonal snow runoff from the Rocky Mountains. But, in recent years it has dropped 160 ft. leaving many of the boat launches and ramps high and dry. There are many areas that cannot be navigated anymore. The lake is still 400 ft deep by the dam but there is a lot of concern about water levels and water usage in the future. It is a major vacation destination visited by approximately two million people every year and it is full of boats, both pleasure craft and houseboats of all sizes. Many of these are used as cottages and timeshares. It is very strange to see trucks pulling boats through the desert on their way to Lake Powell. The three and a half hour tour was relaxing as we cruised the lake, past two marinas with hundreds of boats and into the Navajo Canyon to see the “Tapestry Wall’, and then back again. When I got back I changed into long pants and saddled up and rode out of Utah, into Arizona and finally into Nevada. It was a five hour ride in the hottest part of the day. It was incredibly hot. The heat from the sun, the pavement, trucks and the wind made riding uncomfortable. The brake and clutch levers were very hot to the touch and it felt like I was frying my face, fingers and ankles. My pants were soaked and sweat ran out of my helmet down my back. Twice when I stopped for gas I bought a bottle of Gatorade and drank the whole thing to keep hydrated. Plus the wind was trying to blow me off the highway. After Mesquite highway 15 meanders through a beautiful mountain pass and later past some Joshua trees, but sadly it was too hot and dangerous to stop on the side of the road for photographs. I rode to Overton, Nevada and found a nice little hotel called the North Shore Inn, checked in quickly and jumped in the pool to put out the fire. I checked the Weather Network when I got here, and it was 44 degrees or 111 degrees F! Long hot ride, but I’m where I want to be. 391 kms today through the blast furnace.
It's scary to think about all the repercussions for those who live in the surrounding area with the dwindling water supply of Lake Powell.
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