Days 6 – 7

Where was I?

...oh yes, Spearfish, SD. After visiting the local brew house for a burger, fries and a much needed beer, I walked back to the hotel and began going over my route through Wyoming. There seemed to be no way around it, even if I stopped only briefly at Devil's Tower, I was still looking at a 12 hour day to get across that big-ass state! Lol

So I ditched my originally planned northern route to the tower, which would have been up 85 to 34 just before Belle Fourche, then West into Wyoming. 34 turns into 24 at the WY border and takes you through scenic little towns like Aladdin and Alva before turning south toward the tower. ...but like I said, I decided to skip this route to cut the extra hour out of my schedule. Instead, I stuck to I 90 across the border. It was wet, and cold again (so I was back in the rain suit), but before too long I was exiting onto 14 and making my way toward the Tower. Before long I was cresting small, rolling hills and getting my first glimpse of something I'd only ever seen in pictures, starting with Close Encounters as a young kid.

It was still wet, but the drizzle had stopped and the clouds were moving swiftly east. I was hopeful that the day would turn blue like the day before had. To maintain some reasonable schedule, I tried not to stop too often, but it's pretty hard when you have this looming at you around every turn!

I liked this one so much, it's now my wallpaper at work.

There was a turnout a few miles before the park entrance with an information board, so I snapped a picture.

...this was a theme on my trip, I'd see an information board, or historical marker, and due to my time restrictions, I'd either pass it altogether, or stop only long enough to snap a photo, so I could read it later! Lol

You might be sick of the tower already, but I just think it's cool!

Like I said, I *usually* don't stop long enough to read, but the kiosk at the park dew my attention long enough for a proper read through.

It really is an impressive place in person. Much more so in my opinion, than Rushmore or Crazy Horse, mainly because it's nature just showing off.

Finally, after hiking around a bit, and killing nearly an hour, I decided I had best be on my way. I'd barely crossed the border into WY and it is a HUGE state! lol On the way out, I noticed the "Please don't feed the prairie dogs" sign before I actually noticed the prairie dogs! Here's one little guy who wasn't too shy.

Back on 24 south, back the way I'd come, I instead hung a right onto 14 for a little more back country before rejoining I 90 west at Moorcroft. Cresting a hill on I 90 gave me my first view of the Bighorn Mts., so of course, I had to stop and take a couple pics.

I didn't stop again until, at Buffalo, WY, when I grabbed a late breakfast, and rechecked the road closures over/through the Bighorn Mountains. I'd really wanted to head north to take 14 over, but it was closed due to snow. Instead I was relegated to 16 up and over Powder River Pass. It's still a beautiful ride, but not as scenic as 14 (and not nearly as closed).

There were some beautiful views to be had during the climb up 16.

...and the higher I climbed, the colder it got. I was glad I'd left my rain suit on at this point. By the time I reached the summit, it was a cool 32 degrees.

But these travelers were undaunted, and were on their way to climb to the peak for a better photo op.

...of course, they had a nice warm truck to climb into when they were done!

On the way down the mountain, the temperatures rose to a balmy 45 and continued to a downright tropical 55. All the while, the road was straightening, and the hills were rolling. I was left with mile after mile of rolling hills on a road that was straight as an arrow out in the middle of nowhere.

So I decided to make a new friend!

Having unburdened me of $79 (for 78 / 65) the nice officer let me go after suggesting that I could come back for court in June, and "enjoy the parks while they're open!" ...he was a very funny guy!!!

I carried on through Ten Sleep, Worland, and didn't even stop in Thermopolis to take pictures of the amazing geothermal mineral deposits the hot springs continue to make in the area. My neck was acting up again after only a 4-5 hours in the saddle, and I really wanted to make some time.

I made my way into Wind River Canyon and had to stop for a pic or two.

I made my way down the canon, past the Boysen Reservoir, to Hwy 26 to Riverton. In Riverton I continued straight onto 789 past Arapaho (nice to get close to some of my ancestry, being part Arapaho and part Cherokee). 789 took me into Lander and onto Dickinson Ave., which I took south to Red Canyon.

...the camera is absolutely level in these photos!

I continued on through South Pass and the Continental Divide.

...this goes on for a loooooong time!!! And the wind on these high plains was taking an even greater toll on my neck. To add to the fun, despite adjusting the chain the day before (when the new tire was mounted) it was already stretched and making a terrible racket pulling away from stops. I was reminded of this when I hit Farson (all I could think was "The Good Man" from the Dark Tower by Stephen King), here I crossed 191 and continued on 28 S. Coming to the end of 28 at La Barge Rd / 372., I turned left toward I 80 and my relief at Green River!

Unfortunately, turning into Green River, and looking at the Days Inn, I saw that all the hotels back into 15 tracks of rail switches, and I knew I wouldn't get any rest here. My neck was killing me, and I was beginning to feel carpal tunnel in my right hand and wrist (should have bought a throttle rocker, lol). Checking the GPS showed that the nearest town across the border in Utah was Vernal, and they had several hotels to choose from. It was 70 miles of freeway into Vernal, but that skirted around Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area ...and I wanted to go through it.

I'm a sucker for punishment (and my neck still hurts as I sit here typing this), so I took the road less traveled and headed into the park; it would be 110 miles more before I could rest.

At first I was disappointed in the park, it was very uninspiring, and with far away bluffs and brief glimpses of water just out of sight down some steep slope. The light was quickly fading and so was I; I needed something to keep me focused!

I was rewarded almost instantly after crossing the border into Utah. Not only did I achieve my original goal of covering Wyoming in a day (would have been impossible if Yellowstone and/or the Tetons parks had been open), but the scenery suddenly came alive, with steep red cliff walls, and rock formations jutting out of thick forests. ...this would help keep my mind off the pain!!!

Since there was no way I would make it very far before dark, I decided to stop and rest a bit and watch the sun set. ...it didn't take too long! These photos were all taken in the same minute!

Feeling as rested as I was likely to get standing on the side of the road in 45 degree temps, I got back on the bike one last time for the day, and headed south once more. The deer through this area began to remind me of cockroaches; everywhere you shined a light, there they were, and then they would scatter! It made the last hour or so even more exhausting scanning the dark constantly for any dark shape that might be moving near the side of the road. You can call me paranoid, but I stopped counting deer at 100 and that was barely more than 20 minutes into that final hour! Almost as disconcerting where all the pickups, perhaps loaded with deer hunters, heading the other way. ...let's just say lane discipline isn't real high up on their priority list!

I staggered into Vernal around 9:30pm and had been on 9and off) the bike since about 8am ...that's a long day, I don't care who you are! Lol

All the restaurants were closed, so I was relegated to delivery from Pizza Hut, which didn't exactly hit he spot, but I was too tired to care. If you ever find yourself in Vernal, UT, the Best Western is very, very nice!!! $80 for the night, but the rooms were very newly remodeled and the bed and pillows kicked ass!!! By far the best night's sleep I had since leaving my parent's house in Illinois (and possibly better than that). :biggrin:

On the downside, when I woke up, I found my neck and wrist were still not feeling much better. My plan had been to bomb across Utah, past Salt Lake and into Nevada. Following the Humboldt Range south, then across to Lake Tahoe. The final day of riding was to take me down the east side of the Sierras on highway 395 and then home to LA. ...That would have been 2 very long days ...or at least one very long day followed by a reasonably long day, and frankly, I just didn't feel up to it. Still, I was in the NE corner of Utah, another big state, with a lot of ground to cover before I could consider myself anywhere near home. I decided to head west and figure things out as I went. :cool:

Leaving Vernal, I kept to highway 40 past Duchesne and on past the Strawberry Reservoir until I hit Heber, UT, and 189 into Provo. I totally missed Alpine Loop Rd., and looking at it on Google Earth makes me want to cry that I did! ...I must go back!!!

The views on 189 are fantastic though, and not to be missed if you're in the area. ...actually, from what little I saw of Utah, I'd guess you'd have a difficult time finding any corner of that state that isn't majestic and beautiful!!!

Once in Provo, I stopped for lunch, and to assess my situation. My neck was killing me, my wrist and forearm felt like they were on fire, it was already noon and I was still a good hour or so from the Salt Flats and the NV border if I chose that route, my chain was shot (I had adjusted it again that morning, and it there was just nothing left to do for it except replace it), and what weighed most on my decision, was that I was only a day away from this place if I wanted to come back and do some exploring (which I most certainly do).

With all this in mind, and knowing my girlfriend wasn't expecting me until Sunday, I thought "what the hell" and hopped on the 15 S toward Las Vegas and, eventually, home.

Here's what I didn't expect. ...15 through Utah is actually not too bad! There's just so much beautiful scenery in Utah, that you can't go wrong, even on a slab! So for the next several hours I just bombed away down the 15, occasionally stopping for gas and water, but making progress all the same. I was shocked when I crossed the border into Arizona, because for the first 2/3 of the time you're in that state you're just dropping down a deep, breathtaking canyon. Then it was across the border into NV and on towards Vegas.

...Vegas sucked a little bit. I knew I could stop there for the night, but that meant leaving Vegas on a Sunday morning ...which is always a bad idea. To make things more fun though, the temps had climbed to 104 and there was construction which meant stop and go for an hour, cooking in the Vegas sun while watching the temp gauge on the VFR climb past 230! :angry: Once clear though, it was on to Primm for gas and (much needed) water, then home.

I should mention that by Baker the temperature had risen to a soothing 108 and stayed there until well past Barstow, not cooling off until almost Victorville, as the sun was setting.

All told, I made it home to Newbury Park, CA at 10pm on the nose. I had left Vernal, UT at 8:30am (7:30am Pacific time) for a day total of 14.5 hours and who knows how many miles!

The bike ran like a champ, I only ate up one rear tire (and a chain), I avoided the worst of the weather for the entire width of the country, and got to see some out of the way places that I've always wanted to visit. I got to surprise my girlfriend by getting home a day earlier than planned, and had all day Sunday to relax and clean up the VFR.

Here's the old girl after a few hours and some elbow grease! :happy:

Of course, now that she's home, I'll have to start tearing into her to find out what 10 years, and right-coast life, has done to the old girl. :ohmy:

D