What? No Mormon Jokes?

Hey everyone!!

Had a awesome time hanging out in the Denver area!
Let the bad weather pass. I went down to the metro area and met up with some family.
I caught my cousin Robert as he was getting off work in Golden.
Then had dinner with my cousin Terry in Thorton.

It was so good to see her! I don't get to see too much of the family on my dad's side.
Last she saw me I was really really young.
I'm planning on seeing some more family this trip.
Spent the night at Robert's

In the morning I went to Boulder to have breakfast with cousin Bobby John.

He owns a excavation company. I got to see them tearing down a house!
Must be fun to drive big machinery through buildings!!

So, now that I'm in Boulder the easiest way out is through Rocky Mountain National Park. Oh darn, if I have to.
Definitely pointing my bike towards more mountains.
My third time going through the park, but, very different going on a motorcycle.

A little hazy like the first time, but.....oh damn it's cold!
The road thought the park is the highest continual highway in the world, with the highest point at 12,183 ft. above sea level!
Here's the rocky road. (hehe)

I was taking a lot of pictures of motorcycles riding though the summit, but....

This is just silly. A trike with a trailer..... At this point you should just get a car, remove the windshield, and put on your helmet if you want the same feeling!!
HAHA!

So, taking US40 out of Colorado and into Utah.
Stopped next to this schoolhouse in Steamboat Springs. The Mesa School, built in 1916.

I have a thing for sunsets if you haven't noticed..



Slept in the desert, and woke up outside of Dinosaur National Monument.
Rode through the park at sunrise.




You'll have to see a lot of road pictures like this, sorry, I just think that it's a cool subject.


Look at that big smile on my face!!

Stopping to get gas, I saw this:

SALOON and Spa!!
Nice to get fresh before the brawl!! HAHAHA

So, to reach Salt lake you typically go through a big valley to the east.
However, I saw on my map that there might be a way through the mountains. Like I said "I wanna go that way!"
To the east there is a state park called Wasatch. I stopped in the ranger station and talked to one. He said that you could get through the park but most of the road was unpaved.......oh, "and watch out for that family of moose near the top".


Made it up the mountain without a hitch or moose. Luckily, the downhill slope was paved.

Here's a view from halfway where you can see the dirt road, the golf course in the park (I know, oh well) and the city of Midway.

..and one from the top:



Made it into SLC and hanging with Ratchet and Dan!
Haven't seen Dan in a LONG time. They're doing great!
Haven't seen a real life Mormon yet but I'll keep you posted.

Here's my route!:

http://local.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=estes+park+&daddr=Salt+lake+city&mra=cc&dirflg=h&sll=41.08282,-108.368655&sspn=5.03476,7.613525&ie=UTF8&ll=40.672306,-111.229706&spn=0.633275,0.951691&z=10&om=1



Ok. here's the debate:
I'm torn between taking the "Lonliest Road in America" Route 50 through the Nevada Desert.
Or, going north though Idaho/Wyoming.
But it's looking like I'll head west still. That desert run is one that you HAVE to take.
http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2033/

Slow, look, press and roll!

SLC!

OK
Just a lot of photos!!
Welcome to Salt Lake!!!!!

Creepy, not everyone in Salt Lake is like that though...... Those are mannequins, people.
Leaving Salt Lake tomorrow. I was going to leave earlier, but, Rachel kept crying...HEHE, no.
Here we go....
Rachel and I cruised out to The Great Salt Lake!

Get used to that Wheel-in shirt.
As I was standing there, I noticed that the rocks were covered in spiders.

There are swarms of little flies on the rocks, so, they have plenty to eat.
That, and, REAL WILD SEA MONKEYS!!
I like the lines in the rocks



For perspective, there are little dots there..those are people.

So I was going to take off on Friday, but while I was inspecting the bike I felt the rear pulley was a little loose.
So I took it to a shop that was nearby. I'm SO glad I did. Nothing was wrong with the bike, but, Ceasar's Motorcycle Empire is the most incredible place!!! I love it!!
Part bike shop, part curio museum!
While one of his guys serviced the bike, Ceasar and I rode around in his (Very!) custom trike!




I didn't have my camera with me at the time so these pictures were taken when Rachel and I went back later that day.
In the bike yard I had the feeling (Again) like i was being watched...

There's a camel named Cairo in the middle of Salt Lake!!
Ceasar has ridden camels in over 30 countries! Cairo is about two years old.
Rachel was so happy that she got to shoose (Whatever that means) a camel. She fed him carrots and he tried to eat her shirt.



Great to hang with some great characters!!
Of course, too late in the day to get going, then in talking they mentioned that Bonneville Speed Week actually started on Saturday. Oh well, one more day won't kill me........

The next day we head out to the Bonneville Salt Flats. It is an amazing place!

The ground is completely salt!! It sticks to everything like snow that doesn't melt.


I hope that isn't the only bathroom......HAHA

Vehicle enthusiast from all around come here to just hang out or to race there creations down the track.
Cool, well HOT! day.
Lots of fun cars and bikes!

















Really! I'm hitting the road tomorrow!!!
Couple of days across the Nevada desert.

Oh, and Maree gave me a copy of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".
So all of you that have bugging me to read it........I will ok!

High Plains Drifter

How long has it been? I have no idea....
Just moving to the next spot daily, and haven't really kept track of time.
Every day provides something new.
1. A topography lesson:
"That hill is bigger than it looks."
2. A Zen lesson:
"Helmet, dig the keys out of your pocket, THEN, put on your gloves!"
3. A test of constitution:
"Not every rock is stable"

(Reenactment, like those crime shows)
Luckily, most tree roots are....
Coolest sound when it finally hits that river, like a big wood block.

Being a "flat-lander" I can't get enough of all this texture in the landscape, the only drawback is, I'm such a wimp when it come to cold water, and, all the water is cold here.

On with the pics! Lots of 'em!

So leaving SLC I decide to take "The Loneliest Road in America"! Route 50 across Nevada.
Heading south out of SLC past Utah lake, then meeting up with 50. In Elberta, I saw this old gas station there and another rider named Gary was taking a break as well. He took this pic.

He and many other bikers like to ride in Salt Lake on Sunday because the place is a ghost town!
Great riding country. In fact the whole west is great! Just so $&@#% big!
While we were talking, A bunch of guys in an RV pull up and ask where the Bonneville Salt Flats are.
They were coming from San Diego and were really lost!
Now, who comes from San Diego to SLC without bringing at least ONE MAP!!!!
Good luck guys, next time, wait till you get there to fire up the party bus!

Here it is!

I think that's pretty cool. Named by an article in Life Magazine, then stuck.
Lives up to the name though.
Stopped at a park called Little Sahara. I have never seen sand dunes. You can see those little ATV riders on that huge dune.


THE road pic!

Big valley of nothing, mountain, town, repeat!

More road pics!!

One of my favorites:

Lots of historical markers and historical towns.





Stopped to camp at the Hickson petroglyphs recreational area.

Nice to have a little sage fire.

In the morning I looked at the carvings then, headed out.


Riding along I passed a peculiar looking tree.

Took about 500 meters to register then slammed on the brakes!
(You got a problem with the metric system?!)

Those were SHOES!!


Fascinating!
I found the story here:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tips/getAttraction.php?tip_AttractionNo==932

Made it across Nevada then hit California.
In a town called Susanville the land made an abrupt change. Up a little windy road , and, BOOM! Forest. It was so nice to be in the woods again. Once again confirming that as neat as the desert is, it's not really me. I do feel more connected to woodland areas. Through Lassen and Shasta-Trinity National
Forest.

One final pic before I get into the next part:

Roughing it? HAHAHA
I had forgot some info that was in the computer so, I had to dig it out!

More stuff coming right up!