Day 18 Grand Canyon to Blanding

Woke up early with a ferocious appetite no doubt from trekking the big fella yesterday. Drove the van round to the breakfast plaza occasionally edging past the 15mph speed limit. The breakfast was pretty good yesterday and to my puzzlement the menu was limited to one choice only this morning and unforgiveably no toast. Whats going on I thought but proceeded anyway. As I walked to the till there was nobody there and others walked on by. Wait a minute there is no lady at the till either? It suddenly dawned on me that last night I'd noticed evening meal was closed due to a business convention. As if there were an ice blanket thrown on my back I shuddered at the thought........ I was freeloading!!

It was way too early in the morning to think logically. I was still in Ludite mode and the immeditae reaction was to eat the sausage and egg as fast as possible and get out of there. What if one of the attendees asked my opinion on say reverse dynamics (I've no idea what that is but you get my drift). Sitting as far away from anyone as I could ...eye content was established with one delegate. Hows it going he asked?. At that point my cheeks looked like a squirrel storing nuts for winter and I blurted out some incomprehensible reply thus avoiding further rappore. Exit centre stage please. Getting into the van the full embarressment hit as I thought "Are there people out there doing that on a daily basis"?

Today was all about heading for Moab the mountain bike mecca and home of Arches National Park. Home of the most photographed stone on earth. None other than the "Delicate Arch". It was going to be a long drive but something just did not feel right. As I stopped at the East Viewpoint within the Grand Canyon I realised what it was. The van was a shambles. Pants hanging from the wing mirror, socks in the glove box.....basically a good tidy up was required. After a quick visit to see the desrt view watchtower and some funky indigenous paintings I emptied the van and had a nap.

Losing valuable time I had to zoom past monument valley with dusk setting in and got far as a tiny place called 'Blanding' by sundown. Parked the horse at the motel for the evening. One hours drive tomorrow would see me reach Moab in Utah and fulfill my pilgrimage. Would it live up to the mountain bike mgazine article I'd read only a few months earlier.......??