of the middle Triassic Chinle Formation.
Gooseberry Mesa, UT
After I got up from my impromptu camp,
I tried to arrange my kayak trip. They couldn't fit me in this day, as they
have to
submit a permit ahead of time. So tomorrow it would be.
At this point I decided I would blast
up to Gooseberry Mesa, UT (about 2+ hours drive). I went up, but cut the ride
short
because I wanted to get my bike back to the shop that day, as I didn't know
if I'd get back from my river trip the next day
before they closed. Unfortunately, after I cut my bike ride short, and drove
all the way back, I realized it was Memorial Day
and the bike shop was closed! Oh, well, nothing I could do at that point.
The rock which caps the mesa and is
the slickrock upon which one rides is the Shinarump Conglomerate at the base
of the middle Triassic Chinle Formation.
A local guy was out riding and I got
him to take a couple of pictures of me. Later I met another local, who was
actually much friendlier.
I actually didn't like the style of
riding there at Gooseberry. The slickrock was fine, but there were too many
steep bits where the trail would cross gullies, and I had a hard time trusting
to not endo. I'm sure it's a getting-used-to
thing. Also I can't breathe at these way-above-sea level elevations, even though
it's been days out here.
But there sure is great scenery out
here!
Looking off the NE, one can see the
colorful shales of the Chinle Fm. overlying its basal member,
the Shinarump Conglomerate upon which I'm standing. Above the Chinle is Jurassic
Moenave Fm. and above that
is the Kayenta Fm. In the high background is the Navajo Sandstone.
On the way back to the highway, I
stopped to take a shot of the remarkably dense pile of tumbleweeds.
Back to Las Vegas where I got a motel room in the Henderson area and had dinner at a better-than-fast-food joint.
Next Stop: Colorado River Kayak Trip
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