Utah 1000+ Mile Weekend

[KTMrad 512]

From 1999 or 2000.........

Saturday, July 24

Got on the road at 4:30am and headed out of Vegas on I-15 for a triple digit

cruise until I got into Utah. Then turned off on route 9 east. 153 miles

later I arrived in Hurricane, Utah at 6:15am for breakfast at Darby's

Restaurant. This place has good food, friendly service (waitress was

obnoxious but fun) and reasonable prices, stop there if you're ever passing

through.

On the way to Zion Nat'l Park, I took a left turn up out of the town of

Virgin and headed up a road which leads to the high country of Zion and to

the Kolob Reservoir. The neat little twisty road wound its way through some

canyons, meadows and up in elevation until I could see glimpses of Zion in

the distance. I saw familiar landmarks of Zion, which I had only seen on

previous road trips from the valley below. As I was having fun thru the

twisties, I came around a turn and had to clamp on the binders as I

approached a herd of cattle wandering on up the road. There was a farm truck

behind them with his flashers on, warning approaching vehicles. He waved me

by and I slowly made my way thru the herd in first gear, using the clutch

and revving the motor slightly to alert the cows I was coming thru. I got a

lot of strange, dumb looks from the cows as I passed them, and I wondered if

one might get pissed and knock me off the bike, but I think they were too

dumb for that.

Continued up thru narrow canyons and stands of birch trees, then got to

Kolob Reservoir, where the road turned to dirt. Took a picture and was now

time to turn around and head back. Went thru the same herd of cattle again,

got the same dumb looks, and now had to dodge slick, green cow patties all

over the road on the way down.

Headed east on 9 towards Zion. As I was approaching the entrance to the

park, I saw another bike and waved as the other rider waved back. I got a

quick look at the bike and saw it was an old twin, but didn't see what type.

As I waited in line at the entrance to Zion, the rider pulled up next to me

on the Yamaha

XS-650 twin and I realized it was Jennifer from San Diego, who was just on

the last leg of her 3000 mile road trip to Colorado. What a damn

coincidence, she said she wouldn't have recognized me had I been wearing my

helmet. We talked a few minutes, then wished her well on the remainder of

her ride back to San Diego.

Rode thru Zion, stopped for a few minute break and admire the scenery, then

continued out of the park and to 89 north on my way to Bryce Canyon Nat'l

Park. At Bryce, I rode to the end of the scenic drive to Rainbow Point,

elevation 9115. Here the views of the valley below and the canyon walls are

very spectacular. I stopped for a short break, then hopped back on

the bike and headed back out, with a couple more stops at overlooks. I had

been to Bryce before and had lots of pictures, so I just made it a quick

ride thru the park.

Still heading east on route 12, I saw a turnoff for Kodachrome Basin. It was

only 9 miles off the main road, so I hauled down this bitchin' twisty road

to the State Park in the Basin. It was a quick loop thru the park and took a

few pictures. Then back on 12 and on past the Escalante Grand Staircase and

into the Escalante Canyons which were very impressive as the road went over

the top, then down into the canyons, and back over the top of a ridge in

between the canyons. Stopped for gas in the tiny town of Boulder and the

friendly, elderly gentleman at the cash register asked me how my ride was

going. I said great and he asked where I was coming from. When I told him

Vegas, he laughed and said he used to live there and was now retired in this

small town. Funny the people you meet when out on the road.

From here, I headed up into the mountains as the road wound its way over

Boulder Mountain. This road was a real fast twisty as I scorched the edges

of the tires on the FJ. From the top of the mountain I could see for

hundreds of miles into the valley below, where I would soon be headed.

From the town of Torrey, I rode east on route 24 and eagerly anticipated

what lay ahead in Capitol Reef National Park. The sheer red cliffs and

towering pillars of rock rose up hundreds of feet from along the road. Once

in the park, I visited the Goosenecks Overlook, which overlooks a deep

canyon carved by the Fremont River. Then I turned off the main road and onto

the scenic drive which goes back about 15 miles into the heart of the park.

The scenery just amazed me as I continued to the end, where the road turned

into dirt. Capitol Gorge lie ahead, and I decided, "what the heck" and rode

my trusty steed down into the gorge. The dirt road was fairly well

maintained so I continued on for at least a mile. This was truly awesome, as

sheer sandstone cliffs of red, yellow, orange and brown towered above me on

both sides. I decided the FJ had enough of off-roading, took a few pictures

and headed back out of the Gorge.

I saw quite a bit of the park from in the saddle and it was getting late, so

I got back on 24 west and arrived in Torrey. Got a room at the Wonderland

Inn for the night. It was now time for a well deserved beer after 536 miles

and 14 hours on the road.

Sunday, July 25

After admiring the view of the valley and mountains out the front of the

motel, I loaded up the FJ and got on the road at 7:30am. Headed west on 24

thru some quaint little towns, then turned north on 72 out of Loa. Passed

thru Fremont and took the turnoff to Fish Lake. The road started out thru

farm fields and then followed the Fremont River thru a canyon going up

towards Fish Lake. The narrow river meandered its way thru the canyon, and I

was treated to this road as it followed along and twisted its way up the

sides of the canyon. This was the most memorable twisty road so far on the

trip, and I made good use of the FJ's power as we quickly climbed in

elevation. From one of the bridges, I took a picture of the river as it

zig-zagged across a beautiful, green alpine meadow. Rode around Fish Lake,

which is a natural, high altitude lake in the Parker Range. The road south

from here was so gorgeous as it passed thru alpine meadows, pine forests and

stands of Aspen trees. This is a place I definately want to come back to for

camping and riding !!

Back down at route 24 west towards Richfield, then 89 south. In Marysvale, I

took the old state highway towards Thompsonville, which was supposed to be

paved according to the map, but about half way thru I came upon the dreaded

"Pavement Ends" sign. I figured it couldn't be real far back to pavement, so

I continued on about 8 miles on graded dirt road thru farmland with the

mountains in the background. The FJ was getting its share of dual sporting

on this trip !!

Back onto 89 south to Panguitch, then 143 west towards Cedar Breaks Nat'l

Monument. This road was another great road which I'll never forget. It

passed thru more alpine meadows, thick forests as it wound its way thru

Dixie National Forest. Got to Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument, stopped at

Chessmen Ridge Overlook, elevation 10,460 feet. I believe this was the

highest point on my trip. The view was similar to Bryce Canyon, though not

as grand. Wanted to relax for a few, so I rode down a dirt road, thru a gate

into the national forest and continued a short ways into the shade under

some pines amongst an alpine meadow. Enjoyed the solitude, mountain breezes

and smell of blooming wildflowers in the air.

Got back on the road to route 14 west to Cedar City for lunch. Then

continued on 56 west to Beryl Junction, 18 south and stopped at the site of

the Mountain Meadows Massacre. This is the site of a famous, controversial

massacre in history. A company of over 120 emigrants from Arkansas was

massacred by Mormons, with the help of some Indians, in 1857 while en route

to California. Some children were spared and sent back to Arkansas. I had

never heard of this massacre before today, it still stirs controversy to

date.

At Veyo, turned down a secondary road towards Gunlock. After a few miles,

there was fresh gravel on the road, so I had to slow down to about 20mph for

10 miles, not so fun, then finally back to clean pavement. This road

followed a canyon for quite a ways and again I took advantage of it because

this would be my last twisty of the day.

I dropped out of the mountains and saw the dreaded I-15 off in the distance.

I got on the highway and for the last 100 miles I encountered the desert

"blast furnace" effect as I headed home for Las Vegas. The traffic around me

was mostly running at 90+, so I made good time thru the heat and arrived

home at 6:10pm. 467 miles and 11 hours on the road today.

Another awesome road trip, especially with covering 1003 miles in two days,

5 National Parks / Monuments / State Parks, and many sites that I will not

forget. Isn't motorcycle riding JUST GREAT !!!