JULY 20: Hite, Utah, to Torrey, Utah, 100 miles via Utah Routes 95 and 24. Average speed today, 12.6 mph. Total trip mileage to date, 2,903. Average daily mileage since June 1, 58.

Yes, you read it right: We rode a century today. Even though we didn’t start until 6:30, the ride was easy. After crossing the Colorado River Bridge and climbing out of the canyon, the road leveled off and we cruised. Then a long downhill to Hanksville commenced and we flew.

Our preliminary plans were to keep going to Caineville, 18 miles beyond.  As Randy watched the conclusion of the British Open at a tavern in Hanksville,  we pedaled on. Our only stop was at a decaying stone building, the only remnants of the long-gone community of Gilestown. We snapped a couple of photos and headed on.

We arrived in Caineville 90 minutes later, but decided to abandon plans to stay there for two reasons:  First, we covered the 70 miles by 12:30 p.m., far too early to quit. Second, although Caineville had a nearly brand new motel, it had nothing else. No store, no restaurant, no nothing.

So Randy took out some cold cuts left over from yesterday, made sandwiches and we ate them in the shade of a tree near the Caineville Motel. When Ben suggested a photo, I reached into my back jersey pocket and nothing was there.

A quick search of the area yielded first to panic, then to the realization we had left the camera at the Gilestown ruin. Had we been on our own, neither Ben nor I would have been willing to ride the 15 miles back to the crumbling stone building. Likely we would have written the camera off sooner than repeat the hot ride.

But once again Randy bailed us out. He drove back, found the camera at Gilestown and brought it to us. Praise the Lord!

The 30 miles between Caineville and Torrey were the most beautiful of the day. Utah 24 wound through Capitol Reef National Park. Flanking the Fremont River were spectacular red canyon walls, rocks and buttes. Not only that, but the road was level and clouds blocked the sun and showered us with an afternoon rain.

Two steep climbs led us into Torrey, more than 2,000 feet above Hite. The air was cool, the wind refreshing and my odometer read 99.7. I circled the motel parking lot twice, saw the odo hit 100 and ended the day.