The morning began at 4:30 a.m. with the sound of the watch alarm clock of a fellow rider in the tent next door. I was slow to move from my sleeping bag. Once awake (without coffee), I quickly packed up my gear to avoid being eaten alive by the mosquitoes that were out in droves.

As we peddled out of Hanksville at the first light of day, I was thankful to God to be back in the saddle with my fellow riders, if only for a short portion of the day. The past week I have been side lined due to an injury. Thankfully the staff of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has allowed me to continue the journey, as I slowly return to riding for the cause. In this short week, I have learned a great deal about humility while I sit on the sidelines and support my fellow riders.

Today's ride was far from most anything- people, services or shelter. Shortly after we turned onto route 95 on the eastern edge of Hanksville, I knew we were in an unpopulated area of Utah on the way to Fry Canyon due to the signs reading limited services for the next 72 miles. The terrain was, however, some of the most spectacular we have seen. As we crossed into Garfield County about 15 miles into the ride, Bull Mountain, a 9,817-foot peak with jagged edges, was at our right. Further down the road, we wound our way through the midst of red rocks jetting up along the road to quickly find ourselves at the first rest stop at mile 20.

My ride ended for the day at the first rest stop, but I continued assisting the riders in the SAG vehicle from that point forward into Fry Canyon. The SAG vehicle has enabled the riders to complete the daily course to the best of their physical and mental ability by providing water and food- the basic necessities of life. It has been a real pleasure to greet each rider at the rest stops, since they are very appreciate of such necessities in the warm, beating sun!

The remainder of the ride to Fry Canyon took us through more spectacular scenery. We rode through Hog Canyon, which many folks compared to the Grand Canyon. Shortly after entering Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we crossed two rivers- the Dirty Devil River and the Colorado River. As some members of our group crossed the Colorado River, they sang ôShall We Gather at the Riverö due to its importance as a source of water in Arizona where they reside permanently. (This event was not entirely spontaneous, as Lyle handed out music sheets in the evening meeting last night.)

Upon reaching Fry Canyon, many of the riders welcomed retreat from the exhausting heat and an ice cold soda pop on the porch of the Fry Canyon Lodge. The Lodge, which provides the only services in Fry Canyon, is our headquarters for the evening. During the 1950Æs, Fry Canyon was a thriving community of prospectors and cowboys. Today all that remains is the Lodge that was established in 1955. The Lodge is a wonderful backcounty inn run on solar power with no phone or Internet service. A good portion of its business comes from its two gas tanks, the only two for miles, and the restaurant, where we all had a wonderful gourmet meal.

Jennifer Seibly