Green River, UT, to Delta, CO, via Arches National Park

Day Four - 223 miles

NOTE: Pictures to follow. Using low bandwidth internet on cell phone. Internet out at motel.

Today, Tuesday, July 27th, was dominated by my unsettled thoughts over the tragic and untimely death of my friend Brian. I was up very late on Monday night. I was wandering around the street of the town of Green River at four in the morning trying to make sense of it all. Maybe I should have been there for him more? Maybe we all should have. Sometimes people in a deeply depressed situation do not realize how much they are loved by others. As a friend of Linda's wrote on my Facebook comments, they sometimes think they are doing everyone else a favor, when in fact all we want more than anything in the world would be to have them back, and let us help them.

Brian loved America. He always wanted to come here to live. He also loved the idea of America and the values it was founded on. We don't always live up to those values, but Brian always thought that dignity, individual rights, and personal freedoms were things we should cherish. I'm so sad that he lost sight of the "light" in his own life, and that he didn't have the fight left in himself anymore.

I drove slightly "off course" today, and dropped down to Arches National Park. All the thoughts above, and many more, were swirling in my head. I thought of Brian a lot. He loved these places too, and visited many of them over the years. We were just talking - gosh, the day I left - about how he hiked into Bodie (State Park, in California) in the winter. He drove as far as the road would allow, as I did last winter. But rather than turn around because the road was snowed in, he hiked in the rest of the way with his friends. I was thinking of turning back now on this trip, to be with my friends, and attend whatever service or memorial that we are having. However, I think it might be a better tribute to Brian if I keep going. I think he would want that.

As I've said to a couple of people today, I don't want Brian's life to be defined by how it ended. I'd like to remember him for all the good stuff. He had a good sense of humor. He was a character. And he would always help someone in need, if he could. I think that's the lesson we all have to learn from this - and really learn it...you have to be there for people. Otherwise, what are we?

As I was leaving Arches, the skies opened up, and the biggest thunderstorm I have ever experienced in my life ensued. I took shelter under a picnic table and canopy in a gas station in nearby Moab. Once the storm passed, I headed back up onto US-50, and continued on for Colorado.

A massive storm was looming in the mountains to the east...or was it the remnants of the previous one? I didn't know. I "suited up" into the rain gear, and pointed the bike towards the storm and pushed on into the Rockies....