Last Note on Utah

Leaving Torrey, UT decided to take Rt. 12 which goes through Dixie National Park. When it started getting cold, my indication of high altitude, I stopped at a rest. The attendant told me the elevation up ahead is over 10,000 ft. I didn't want to repeat what happened in the Rockies and just backtracked out of there. Although it probably would've been ok. The Utah sky is so cloudless blue. But still I followed that little voice. I took instead an equally spectacular pass of 8,300 ft.

While backtracking I stopped at road construction and briefly talked to the fellow holding up traffic with a hand held STOP sign. He was admiring my paint job and we got into a small conversation. He was originally from San Diego, CA and moved out here to make small racing cars but did not find it marketable. He told me how great it was to live out here, how cheap it was. You can get a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house on a few acres for $100,000 or so. He said it was good living if you avoid the Mormons and the idiots ( I don't know about the Mormons but avoiding the idiots reminded me of Seven Finger Larry {see previous post}).


[MC Travel Tip: The terrain west of Denver, CO changes dramatically and there is much to see and do. Utah in itself is just massive and impressive in all aspects. For a shorter but worthwhile trip one could fly out there and rent a motorcycle, or RV.]


Following are scenes from Zion National Park, the last stop before crossing into Arizona and Nevada on Rt. 89. They charge you $12 for a motorcycle just to drive through. Lots of traffic through there but is a unique place with winding 'S' curves, narrow canyons, rock formations. While talking to another biker at a stop, I learned of a 'to do' hike just before entering the mountain tunnel going east to west. It goes about half mile in either direction from the road and shows natural arches and caves.