DAY 25 HOME

Left Cedar City east on Utah 14 towards Cedar Breaks and Zion the road quickly led into Cedar Canyon and thick stands of pine with temps in the 50's. We climbed to the top of the canyon to break out in large stands of Aspens with the pink and beige cliffs so typical for southern Utah jut beginning to catch the morning sun. I couldn't have asked for a better start to our last day on the road.

Headed south on 89A in good old Arizona to Jacob Lake then across the reservation before Flagstaff and lunch. Looking up at the imposing plateaus surrounded by high cliffs with incredible colors it is easy to understand why they are thought to be the residence of gods.

Eventually made our way to the heat of the valley and home, another ride over physically but my wife says it will be weeks before I'm home mentally. The fact that we have now done seven of these incredible rides around the US is really living a dream. We all have dreams that as we get older we know we will never realize but we hang onto them anyway, I'm so fortunate to be able to realize this dream with such good friends.

 A songwriter that I admire named John Stewart that passed away several years ago wrote about his dreams as his life was winding down and I find his words fitting for myself and so many friends, some still here some no longer with us.

As if I had all the time in the world,
And I had all the world in my time,
There are dreams that I'm keeping inside,
Like verses that never would rhyme.

I still dream I'll make movies in Spain,
Photograph dancers in flight.
Watching the clock running down,
And I live in available light.

And I still dream I will walk on the moon,
If the moon isn't holding me down,
Racing the future through fields
With the moonlight igniting the ground.
 

All the young girls are light years away,
And they seem to be browsing through time.
And you know that not one can compare
With the heart of this true love of mine.


In the waters of all of my tears,
The reflections of beautiful times.
In my dreams I am holding the wings
Of angels I'm hoping to find.

And I still dream I will walk on the moon,
If the moon isn't holding me down,
Racing the future through fields
With moonlight igniting the ground.

And friends, who were here, now they're gone,
Why does it happen so soon?
And, as they are closing their eyes, 
Do they dream they will walk on the moon?
J. Stewart