AU JOUR LE JOUR.

The sun summoned me from my slumber. I was sweating in that sauna of a tent, and it was clear that today was going to be a scorcher. After packing up my gear, I continued south on Highway 191. A local convenience store provided me with a red bull, peanuts, and dried sausage links. A breakfast of champions. The morning was mostly uphill. I had to finish climbing the mountain that I started yesterday. It took about twelve miles of ascension to reach the peak. The payoff was well worth it. This downhill started slowly. 

Suddenly, I left the forest behind and reentered the desert. The remarkable rock formations appeared again. This is where the proper plunge began. Signs showed that the grade was eight percent. There were runaway truck ramps scattered throughout the descent. I felt free flying down those mountain curves. Sadly, the decline came to its demise, and there was one more hill to conquer. After completing that climb, it was eleven miles of fresh flat highway to Vernal. My first stop was at the town's brewery, and I secured a shaded spot outside. My midday meal was sweet and sour fries, tomato bisque soup, some pickles, and their IPA. Everything was satisfactory, and it was a lovely experience. 

I managed to locate a motel that was dirt cheap. It was no Ritz Carlton, but four walls, running water, and a bed were quite the luxury to me. I relaxed in bed and worked on various things. It did not take long for my hunger to reappear. I walked about a mile to a local watering hole. It is easy to tell what territory you are trekking into based on context clues. The parking lot was full of trucks, there was a blue lives matter flag flying outside, and Trump garb for purchase upon entering. All these tiny towns seem to have similar ideologies, and this support no longer phases me. I just know not to talk politics with these folks. 

For dinner, I had a siracha burger, some fries, and a stein of amber ale to wash it all down. It was delicious and decently priced. Knowing I would be hungry later, I ordered a custom burger with mushrooms, hatch peppers, jalapenos, and an egg. While I waited, I worked on my tablet and polished off a jack and coke. When my to-go order was complete, I returned to my motel. There were not many channels available, but I watched the reboot of the NBA season and some Fox News. It was odd to be watching television. I was not an avid consumer of cable TV before this adventure. It served as a nice white noise to send me to sleep. Not too bad for a day's work, here is the route.