Abbey was right about the desert

Utah's icon — albeit a temporary one; in another million years or so it will be gone — sits 13 miles from the park entrance and five miles beyond Balanced Rock. The closest you can get to the arch without hiking the 1.5-mile Delicate Arch trail is a viewpoint at the end of the paved road — three-quarters of a mile from the crown jewel. From there the arch, which covers an expanse that is 33 feet wide and 45 feet off the ground, looks about the same size as it does on a license plate when you're at a red light behind some car whose owner chose the Delicate Arch design over "The Greatest Snow on Earth."

Having paid my homage, however distant, I turned and pedaled back to the main gate, by this point keenly aware that 7-Elevens are not allowed in national parks.

By the time I returned past Balanced Rock, Courthouse Towers and Park Avenue I was drinking from my water bottle the last drops of liquid that had reached a temperature exceeding that of the air.

The ride was worth it, though, because, for one, the last stretch is all downhill and, two, the inside of the visitors center is — and I only mention this out loud because Edward Abbey is no longer with us — very air conditioned.

At the gift shop I ran into Jani Deal, a typical Moab transplant who came here a long time ago, saw what Abbey saw and stayed.

When she first came to the Moab area in 1966, she recalled, somebody thrust a copy of "Desert Solitaire" at her and said, "if you want to see the desert, read this first."

"Loved that book," she said.

I asked her if the gift shop carried the book, which was like asking the people at Graceland if they have any copies of "Heartbreak Hotel."

She walked me over to the book section where "Desert Solitaire" has its own display.

"Do you want the one for $14 or $9?" she asked.

"I already have a copy, but I wanted to know if you carried them," I said.

"Absolutely," she said, "just about every day we sell one. It's a classic, you know."

To think. Fifty years in print and still selling like hotcakes to people in cars driving on paved roads.

Edward Abbey would have to be proud. Mortified, but also proud.

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.