Moab UT to Salt Lake City UT (768km)
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I still had no idea where my next destination would be. The original plan was to head to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park 400km to the south-east but with the time it took to comprehend Arches and Canyonlands I didn't know if my limited time would be enough to respect what their southern cousins had to offer. Every km south would also have to be back-tracked on the return trip and I had a 2,000km ride back as it was. I spent half the day fiddling about wondering what to do when I ran into a fellow BMW rider who had just come from Bryce Canyon. "Hey man, just ride the loop!" After some pencil scratches on a map and mock-riding gesticulations I had a new course set and began a 400km detour that would having me end almost where I began the day. 200km into the ride I was getting tired of the repetitive tundra and questioning the logic of this diversion. I could have been in Bryce Canyon with the same mileage! Feeling the fool I settled down. Then at the southern apex things changed as I entered Fry Canyon and then the sublime Glen Canyon National Park. This was the image I was chasing and the country I dreamed of rolling through, except in this dream the reality beat my expectations as my jaw literally dropped with each turn and new natural monument revealed itself. I didn't even notice the temperature rising to 37°C until the dehydration set in. Hoping it never ended didn't make it so and the land returned to the ranches past Hanksville and Hwy 24 returned me to the I-70 and I had to decide how far I would try get for the day. It was now 4pm and I was essentially where I started and had scheduled to be in Salt Lake City 300km to the north. Knowing this wasn't a trip of half-attempts I buckled down and made the full run to Salt Lake City, or somewhere thereabouts to seek out a campground or motel. It was dark when I arrived and grabbed a motel in the Poplar Grove suburb by the airport. It was a good spot to start tomorrow and an early morning at the Bonneville Salt Flats Raceway.
Starting the day back in Arches at the Park Avenue stop.
Fellow traveler, with a Spanish license plate!
The most dramatic landscape image of the trip.
Last of the flat roads before...
Gateway to the best ride ever
At Natural Bridges National Park.
A great lookout. I didn't stay long as it was 37°c.
This is a good representation of what the whole Glenn Canyon ride was like.
land opens up
Rural Gas Inc. Had a great chat with a guy on a canary yellow Honda Goldwing here.
I don't know how people ride without visors. Awash with bugs; please wash.
The first of many I'll see - and great to see!
A big day's ride and a hotel for the night. Time to wash off some dirt.
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3 comments:
The third pic with the cathedral like rock formation looks simply gorgeous.
Like the contrast of your new white helmet against the blue sky by the way.
Dan:
excellent travelogue. your photo remind us of our trip a few years ago. On your Park Avenue photo, we stood on the same spot as you. Did you do the short hike to Delicate Arch ? There is another area called the Devil's "something" and they only let you in with a guide as you will never find your way out of the maze of rocks.
We also liked Canyonlands. We were at a lookout where there was a cattle trail down into the canyon. single track switchabacks down the mountain. There are 1,000 miles of roads down there only accessible by 4x4. I think the next time we are going to rent the "Pink Jeep"
I am envious of your trip and now wish to go back. In Hanksville we had a buffalo burger at that restaurant on the hill. Looks like a run down town.
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
Happy. Jealous. Drool, drool, drool. Thank you for undertaking the hardship of this horrible trip so that you could be a light to others that either haven't been, or haven't been in years. :) Doing a great job! -Lori
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