Sun May 20th
After spending a week tuning the packing on the ‘busa, plus putting everything in plastic. The ‘busa is ready for the trip.
Sunday morning at 6:30am, I’m off.
Rt 14 is closed due to the fire so I take Stove Prarie Road which connects above the closure. Stove Prarie is an excellent twisty road and runs through some heavy woods before connecting with 14.
The ride up to Cameron Pass is spirited but uneventful. There is snow on the side of the road on the way up and snow around the parking area but my gerbing gloves (unheated), heated grips, sweatshirt (under the stitch) and raincoat (over the stitch) do their job.
Coming down the other side is awesome with the snow covered peaks so close you can touch them (even though the trees are 1″ tall). Walden is open and a rider and his wife are at the station. He tries to start a conversation but I guess he doesn’t wear ear plugs as I can’t hear him well. He bailed before I was done so I couldn’t chat back. Especially since he and his wife rode from Virginia on the Goldwing.
Coming down Rabbit Ears pass into Steamboat springs gives you a high view of the lakes. The town itself is what you might expect from a ski town trying to be relevant off season 🙂
Not much else to add until Utah. I continued on 40 until I got to 191. The ride to 191 in Utah was filled with 50 mph roads, strip malls, strip garages, and physical labor companies (construction for example).
191 south was awesome. Long sweapers, light traffic, and tightening up as you got to the end, just like 191 in Arizona (which I’m hitting on my way east). It started out a little barren, sparse with stunted trees widely spaced. As you head south, it gets more and more wooded to the point that there are large trees lining the road. Then to come upon a coal processing center, very tall and stark. It’s breathtaking.
The ride to Mt Pleasant was through some excellent roads. Not real twisty but just pretty and fun. The smells, pine, sage, aspen, just reminded me why I love to tour.
I was taking my time, getting up to 50mpg (averaging 48). Sure it was slow, but still awesome.
Coming into Nephi I was starting to look for my stopping place. It was 6:30pm and I’m still 30 minutes from Feamington. Unfortunately, no campground, or even motel popped up until Delta. And I wasn’t willing to hit the hotels yet. After chatting with Rita, I decided to continue on towards Ely Nevada on the lookout for a campsite.
It was to be a two hour ride (120 miles to Ely) but a sign said next services in 89 miles.
As the sun set, the dry lakebed to my left looked to be full of water even though earlier it was white, salt maybe. An interesting effect. I kept an eye out for animals but any I got close to headed for the hills well before I got there.
At the border between Utah and Nevada is Border. A gas station, motel, and RV park. After filling up, I asked if he had a campsite. Sure enough, $5 got me a dry camp. By 10pm, the tent was up and I was in my sleeping bag.