Day 34: Monumental

Heber City, Utah

Distance for the day: 294.8 km

Cumulative distance: 7,317.6 km

Top speed: 133 kph

Moving average: 82 kph

Temperature:  14.2 - 37.2

Spent the morning at Dinosaur Natuonal Monument, a fascinating trip back in time seeing dinosaur fossils embedded in the silty, ashen rock that holds the bones.

That is a big bone.

Here, Nan is getting acquainted with a 149 million year old bone.

This is the most complete Allosaurus skeleten found anywhere.

Pinch and zoom, if you can. This rock face was filled with bones.

Green River, which was almost Green Reservoir.

This building was constructed to protect the wall
of fossils and allow viewers to study them.

Stegasaurus disply outside the visitor's centre.

Fun haters. Spoiling a perfectly good photo op.

There is a "wall" of rock, long since turned perpendicular to what is our base ground. Fossils from the region date back to about 149 million years, 85 million years before the Extinction Event that eliminated dinosaurs from remaining the dominant animal species on Earth.  The wall is enclosed inside a building that was built around the fossil bed.

Ranger Molly explained to me that a river flowed through here but there is evidence (fossilized clam shells) that there were at least two periods of extreme drought. The dinosaurs would have gathered around the river to have access to water and plant life that would have remained until the droughts delivered their final verdicts.  The dinosaurs would have died near the reliver then subsequent floods had washed their carcasses and bones down river and collected in this spot. Millennia of ash from volcanoes in what is now California drifted and fell in the region, burying the bones. Many layers of rock reflect the multiple times the region has been home to an inland sea and drifting ash. Tectonic activity since then has folded the former sea floor to create rising rock formations, exposing the fossils.

We did a little moto tour through the park, at least where the road was paved, including one campground which surprised us to no end that it was not fully booked for a Friday. The geography, the geology was realy quite dramatic including several rocky areas that were a distinctive light green and to top it off, the road was swarming with LOCUSTS or at least, Mormon Grasshoppers. We saw them by the thousands walking on the road and alongside. Not sure what is so special about them that they felt they could take over... well, Utah but there seems to be some kind of connection: Mormon - Utah. "Mormon crickets are named after the role they played in the mid 19th century invasion of Mormon's settlers crops in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah." I had a difficult time avoiding them on the bike. I didn't want that bug splatter all over. Me. 

Mormon cricket.

In 1950, there was a plan to build a 168 metre dam on the Green River, which passes by the park, which would have flooded the region and the fossils would have been lost. Fortunately, the American public objected and the plan was scrapped. That was back when "united we stand" as seen all over US license plates, meant something.

After the park, the ride was pretty routine. We had discussed going north then west and

Vending machine where we had lunch. Teach those kids early!

The Vernal dinosaur collection.

south to Herber City but decided there was too much risk in getting to our destination close to the start of the Oilers game. Not unlike yesterday, we went through a pretty major storm cell. We could see thunder clouds building ahead of us and we talked about puttig on our rain gear before we got nailed. I was looking for a place to safely pull over but none was forthcoming, unless I was prepared to make a very tight turnaround on gravel. The wind had us buffeting around, with swirling winds blowing us left and right. My hands were getting tired hanging onto the handlebars. Then the rain started but to our amazement, we were pretty much through it in only 15 minutes.  The skies remained threatening all around us but we kind of shot throught the middle and it continued to rain on our left and right but we slipped through without getting too wet. Less so than yesterday in fact. 

Arrived in Herber City at 4:00 pm, in time to go pick up "some refreshments" before the game. 

We had the US feed on the TV in the motel and the Canadian feed on the tablet.

Oiler's deadline acquisition Adam Henrique scoring the GAME WINNING GOAL!

Hard to believe after three games of this series, we were all thinking that the Oilers just didn't have what it takes. Now, after the last three games, we are all thinking the Panthers just don't have what it takes. Game 7 Monday, winner takes all!