I recently rode a bike for 2 weeks in Utah and Nevada, and being the modern gal that I am I thought I'd write a blog about it. Isn't that what one does when one likes to ramble on about something to an imagined audience?
I had a wedding to go to in Zion National Park. I was considering driving out there, but I looked at my gas log for 2008, and I had only bought 19 gallons so far for the year. I really would have blew it driving all the way to Utah. So my trusty Bridgestone and I took Amtrak to Salt Lake City, and proceeded south. I took highway 89 most of the way through Utah.
I can't really explain why I came with no rain gear and no warm clothes, but it only took one day of rain and temperatures in the 40's to buy some new ones.
I walked into a shop called Burns Saddlery in Salina Utah drenched and froze. It's like going to the grocery store when you are really hungry. The highlight of my purchases is the cowboy boot galoshes I am modeling in the photo. I cut a hole in the bottom for my clipless pedals, and they did a better job than any neoprene booties in keeping my feet warm. Not to mention how many times it made me smile to look down at my feet pedaling and see rubber cowboy boots. And the quilted cowgirl pants and pendelton sweater did well by me the next day when it snowed and hailed all day long.
Here's a rail trail that parallels hwy 89 and the Sevier River near Big Rock Candy Mountain.
Here's what I look like when it is 45 degrees. Thanks to my buddy Steve for the Gore-tex bandito. Sure, I looked like I was about to hold up a liquor store, but my face was toasty warm. Steve came down from Idaho on his motorcycle to give it to me. Not to mention be my camp cook for two nights. Thanks Steve!
Congratulations Cheyenne and Mark, I wish you all the best in Florida. Cheyenne and I have been friends for 17 years. Damn. Good luck girl, I miss you already.I am not sure who is sporting that yellow hat, but it sure is sunny.
As soon as I left Zion the side wall on my rear tire blew out and my pump gasped its last breath. All on the Sunday of Memorial day weekend in Utah. Miraculously I found a well stocked and open bike shop in Hurricane (that's pronounced hurrikin) and continued on my way.
More hail awaited me..
This is a road in Nevada called the extraterrestrial highway. It is right next to a really big air force base. Skeptics might say that observers are mistaking the jet planes for UFOs. But I know what's really going on. Al-Queda's in it with the aliens. They're building landing strips for Islamofascist Martians... (Apologies to The Dead Milkmen). Anyhow, look carefully in the center of the photo and you see a road that goes on and on. There's a whole lot of that in Nevada.
There are an awful lot of abandoned settlements in the Nevada desert. If you are thinking of making a go of ranching in the high desert, I suggest you reconsider. I slept in the abandoned building on the left on a windy night. Conveniently there were hot springs near by.
Check out this little monkey flower that I found growing along side the road at 8,000' on the pass crossing into California. Ya-hoo for the Sierras. It was the first I'd seen a tree taller than me in 2 weeks (not pictured above).
Aw shucks, what a swell guy. Look who came to pick me up when I only made it to Mono lake and it was time to get back to work. Okay, so the 105 miles a day wasn't the most realistic scheme I've ever dreamed up. Thanks Brian.
