My plan for the day was to see something I wanted to see even more than dinosaur bones. Dinosaur footprints. Rather by chance I found out that there were supposed to be footprints of dinosaurs in this area. Even luckier, I camped almost in front of them without knowing it. Before pitching my tent I asked the campsite host if there were any tracks in this area since this would be the absolute highlight for me and admittedly I would have been a little bit disappointed having come all this way to the heart of dinosaur land and not having seen foot prints to get the complete package of what we can experience from dinosaurs today. I was told it would take about an hour to hike there but the sun was about to set. I would have been a hike through the desert and while I really wanted to see the site with the setting sun and strong sideways shadows in the tracks and I thought it would have been great to wander through the desert with my headlamp but I thought about those people who get lost in the desert and lose orientation and I didn’t want to take any risks so instead I got up early in the morning with my goal in sight. All I had to do was get to the other side.

I don’t know why they didn’t just run a little ferry service but then again I would not have had to hike there and missed that experience. So I packed my things and got on the road again. I had to take the first paved right turn back up north on the main road but I wished I had time to take the first non paved turn. Throughout the area there are signs describing the local geological dinosaur context. It was a stunning feeling being right in the middle of this part of history only millions of years later.

On second thought maybe it was a good idea I didn’t explore this amazing dirt road further as not only geologists and paleontologists were interested in this terrain but also a mining company blasting away the mountain with debris flying everywhere.

There was a sign at the beginning of the trail to the tracks which read that it was only recommended to proceed with a body weight proportional amount of water with you and ample heat protection and to let somebody know where you were hiking.

Upon taking the first few steps I thought I had already found a track but that was just how the path in the middle of nowhere was market. I would never have been able to find these markers in the darkness with just my headlamp.

The scenery was unlike anything I had ever seen. Seeing terrain like this was a bucket list moment. The sandstone and it’s vivid orange color with the blue sky was a sight I wish I had more time for to appreciate.

Just two days ago I had had snow in my hand on a mountain, now I touched the hot sand of the desert.

I was surprised at how much life there was here. Not just the vegetation that was actually green (which was probably due to the fact that it was close to the lake water) but also animal life was somewhat abundant for a desert.

Funny enough this guy is less related to dinosaurs than the ones we eat.

The sun was merciless and I while I was walking I was trying to remember way-points so I would be able to get back. Everything looked the same and walking back it would all look different.

Around each corner I wondered if I had reached the goal.

At least the geology made it clear that this is where dinosaurs tracks might be found.

Layer upon layer upon layer.

Finally. I reached the lake and could not help but wonder if there was a Velociraptor waiting for me there at the water. The view was stunning. It would have been a great experience even without seeing any tracks.

There were some signs at the waterline explaining the site and one had a layout map of the tracks.

It was a good thing the scenery itself was well worth the hike as you can imagine my disappointment when I realized that all the tracks were under water.

You can(‘t) see a foot print here.

The lakes water level rises periodically thus covering all tracks.

But wait, what was that! Not all tracks were submerged under water. In the center of the photo, left of the broken stripe of rock you can see the three toes foot print of a Dilophosaurus.

It was an electrifying and humbling feeling to touch this shape in the rock. 200 million years after a dinosaur hat put it’s foot there.

In Jurassic Park Dilophosauruses looked like this:

And when I knew what I was looking for I found another one.

These were not the most prominent prints of the 30 or 40 prints under water but I got what I was looking for. As I felt the shapes of the prints I though how lucky we are that this layer of rock has just been revealed to us now. There are hundreds or thousands of layers of rock and of all the layers that could be visible because of erosion it is one with dinosaur tracks. This begs the question what else lies under the surface that we just can’t get to. Also it means that this layer will be gone “soon” just like the layers that were above it until this one got revealed by erosion.The water is sanding down the rock each day. Maybe in a thousand years the show will already be over – but another one might just start.

I spent another half hour trying to imagine the changes of 200 million years before I tracked my way back to my bike. I had reached the most southern point of my journey and from now on my general heading would west. Next stop Salt lake City.

The landscape became less spectacular but the high temperatures stayed.

I reached Salt Lake City in the afternoon and was surprised to find a not so small version of the Washington DC capitol there. Salt Lake city is also the capital of the state of Utah.

 

For the first time I saw gated communities which to me was a really sad impression. People wanting to build a wall around them to keep others away, creating a “we vs. them” feeling. Reminds me of the middle ages or some dystopian mindset after the world has gone to hell. Speaking of hell, another thing that made Salt Lake City an interesting experience for me was the Mormon Church’s temple square. What is considered a sect in Europe is a big religion here in the US and particularly in this area. This was the place the missionaries I had met in Yellowstone wanted me to visit.

There were several temples and the whole square had something of a Bond villain vibe. This was also due to the fact that there were groups of young people walking around with big content smiles exuding happiness like they were on drugs.

It reminded me of Moonraker where you have this group of people who are waiting to be transported to the space station to start a new colony in space.

I’m being judgmental without knowing much about the ideology but it made me feel uncomfortable.

The buildings were nice on the inside and looking at the ceiling and the lighting and electrical equipment I remembered what the missionaries told me about this place. This was where the or a leader frequently gave a televised speeches to the followers. Again I don’t actually know what he says but these TV pastors shows seem very sketchy to me.

The missionaries would be happy I saw the place that clearly was so important to them but unfortunately it was not for me. The sun was nearing the horizon and I wanted to continue west to find a campsite since there was none close to the city. After taking a few wrong turns and ending up at a grocery store stock up my food supplies and getting gas I was back on the road heading west towards Nevada, getting closer to the salt lake that gives Salt Lake City it’s name.

After almost an hour drive I got off the highway and took a gravel road heading north towards the lake. There was nobody there and I wasn’t sure I was on the right track. On a map I had seen a spot close to the lake that seemed like it could be a campsite and I was really hoping I would be able to either camp right next to the lake or at least not have to keep driving more than a few minutes to camp after seeing the lake.

You can see my essential nutrition at the back of the bike.

I reached the lake about an hour later and the view did not disappoint.

The shore was not sand but salt. The salt was piling up with a gooey texture.

The water had an intense wine colored tint.

But just as imposing was the smell and the amount of mosquitoes and flies everywhere. I had planned to take a swim in the lake because you would float in due to the high salt concentration but the smell of death of anything that falls into the lake and the relentless mosquitoes made me change my mind quickly.

I was exhausted and just wanted to find a place to sleep but I definitely would not camp at the beach and I would also not camp close to it. The campsite I had been hoping to find turned out to be private property and the bushes next to the road were too strong to put a tent on them. So my only option was to drive back and keep heading west to Nevada.

The sun had set but I loved riding on the dirt road and my lights made the road look like it was day.

The past two days I had noticed my clutch getting rougher and rougher and back on the highway I realized I had to do something about it as soon as possible. I stopped and of course my oil level was extremely low. The engine oil doesn’t only lubricate the gears and the cylinder but also the clutch so it was an easy enough fix. Just not at midnight in the darkness.

So I pulled over, and used one of my water jugs to collect the remaining old oil …

… before poring in two bottles of fresh oil.

It made a world of a difference and the engine was once again running as smooth as can be. I took the opportunity to check the map again to see if there were any campsites in the area but there were none. In complete darkness I also could not see if there were any spots next to the highway that I could camp at.

So I kept driving. Of course a few minutes later I saw a sign notifying me that there was no gas station for the next -I believe 70 km- and I was sure I would not have more than 70km left in the thank. So I pulled over at that last gas station to gas up just as the old lady who operated the old independent shop locked the door to call it a day. I told her my situation and expressing that she didn’t want to leave me stranded she went back inside and switched on one of the pumps for me. I hurried filling up the tank and gave her a 5 dollar tip which she only reluctantly accept. But I figure maybe she’ll do it again for someone else.

I got back on the bike and continued west until I saw a road sign with a hint to something that could be a campsite at an upcoming exit. I slowed down and turned onto a dirt road. The visibility was absolutely zero, zilch, nada, nothing. Only the road in front of me. After about five minutes the road made a few turns and in the shine of my lights I saw a few dune like sand hills behind which the road eventually stopped. But there was a wide flat empty space in the dirt that was good enough for me. It was a huge relieve and I hurried with putting up the tent in the light of my bike.

There was no wind, no sound, no light and no moon and the temperature was just right to not feel the air. There was no physical input for my mind to process. Except I had an amazing view of the stars and the Milky Way. I felt like I’m floating through space. This is exactly what astronauts must feel like on spacewalks. It was like wearing virtual reality glasses. A surreal experience feeling so extremely connected to the universe and extremely disconnected from earth, like it didn’t exist behind me. Those bright dot’s seemed like they were directly in front of me. No “sky”, no atmosphere. It reminded me of a photograph of a city from the top. It was difficult to imagine that none of these dots would have life.