Sunday, September 7, 2014

Southern Utah rain.

We've invited Kenny and Jan, and Brent and Julie to join us on a weekend ride to southern  Utah.

Friday, we will ride to Torrey, and stay at the Broken Spur where we have reservations for two nights. On Saturday we will ride a loop from Torrey to Bryce Canyon, Escalante, do a side trip on the Burr Trail, and back to Torrey. Sunday we'll ride home.

Getting ready to leave Friday morning.
 We stop for a snack at Nephi and just in time too! Minutes after we park the skies open up. We wait out the rain then resume our ride.
 After leaving Nephi, we had very little traffic for the rest of our trip. We mostly stayed to the back roads. 

State road 72
 From the parking lot of our hotel.
 We make it to Torrey around 4 pm.
For dinner we go to this place. I've been here several times and its always good. Also it is fun to walk around the store and read the funny signs they have posted.
In the men's room..

Saturday morning we're getting ready for our loop ride.
 Bryce NP the end of the road; Rainbow Point. 
 Leaving Bryce
 We've been riding in the rain for several miles before we can find a good place to stop and don our rain gear.
Finally we stop at the Escalante visitor center.

 On the "Hogsback" on highway 12. This picture doesn't do the road justice, the Hogsback is a narrow two lane strip with drop off of 1000 feet or more on both sides. 
Here is a video someone took while driving there vintage Datsun over the Hogsback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJvWnjQlKvA

Then we ride the "Burr Trail". 
Many times when I see someone post a list of "Top Ten Motorcycle Roads in America", I'll check it out and usually I've ridden most of those roads.
Highway 12 is often on those lists, and it is a great motorcycle road, but the Burr Trail is better, but sadly, much shorter. The Burr Trail is only paved for about 18 miles...being on cruisers we only rode to the end of the pavement then retraced back to highway 12.

Following are several pix of the Burr Trail.





 Then back to Torrey we go here for dinner. I've eaten there before and wanted to return. Very good food, excellent atmosphere!
The next morning (Sunday) we head for the barn. Kenny is excited to get home, and we kept telling him to slow down.......I can only imagine what Jan is thinking as she watches. It's a good thing we could scrap up enough money for bail.

And it was a SUPER weekend of riding. About 800 miles of idyllic, lonely, and scenic roads. Can't beat that!
Our lodging, the Broken Spur was very nice.
Thanks to Kenny and Jan, Brent and Julie, and Beverly for a great time.


3 comments:

Trobairitz said...

An awesome weekend with friends despite the rain.

Having said that can you send some rain Oregon's way please.

Ken said...

Trobairitz...Gladly! I have a hard time imagining Oregon dry.

Ken said...
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