Ah, the Wind in my Hair

This weekend I rode with the Utah British Bike Club (the UBBC) to Torrey, Utah. 650 miles through some of the most spectacular country in the world. Just for the record, the title "Wind in My Hair" is a euphemism, I had my protective gear, including my helmet, on at all times.

We went up through Kamas to Duschesne over Wolf Creek Pass (although I caught up to them at Scofield because in my haste to pack I forgot my wallet and had to go back for it). Then over the Skyline Drive, down Huntington Canyon, south along highway 10 (the worst part of the trip), under I-70 and then over the mountain to Loa.

The first picture is my KLR at camp just outside Torrey, Utah. We stayed at the Thousand Lakes Campground. Not bad as far as private camp grounds go, lots of seniors and Germans.

The next day we got up and rode to Escalante via the Hell's Backbone road. It is a very narrow road that goes over a ridge with very little shoulder with steep cliffs on both sides. It would be harrowing in an RV but it was fun on a motorcycle.

The next picture is us parked at the overlook just before the descent into Escalante and the last picture is from the same place looking east at the road we came up. That big blob on the left is my finger.

Yesterday we rode home through Salina, Gunnison, Nephi and along the west side of Utah lake into the Salt Lake Valley along Redwood Road.

Although I am sore, there is something fundamentally enjoyable about motoring along Utah back roads on a motorcycle. I often thought back to what it might have been like to be the first person to lay eyes on these areas. What sorts of lives people had lived in this country before the machine made these areas accessable to everyone.

I had a feeling of the vastness and beauty of the country, something we don't experience enough in today's over stimulated world. I got a lot of "helmet time" where I could think about what I wanted to think about without the TV or my cell diverting my attention. It was good for my soul.

It helped that the weather was beautiful the whole weekend and that I didn't have any major scares or mechanical breakdowns.

Thanks to my wife and brothers for letting me do this instead of the familial duties I had committed to prior to this opportunity coming up. I wish I could tell you how much I appreciated this.