Start: Cheyenne, WY 6:24am
End: Salina, UT 6:36pm
Miles: 590
Altitude: 10,000+
Summary:
Wow, what a day. I decided last night to forego Salt Lake City due to a big winter storm system moving in to the area. Instead I planned to drop back south to Denver then cut West through the Rockies in the hopes of beating the weather. Mother Nature had other ideas. In exchange for the breathtaking scenery, the weather challenged both man and machine. First rain and storms in the mountain passes of Summit County which left me covered in mud, to the 50 mph wind I would battle across the high plains of western CO that would try for 3 hours to peel me off the road, and finally to the bone chilling cold of the Utah mountain ranges where I found myself descending from a 10,000 foot summit 50 miles away from an exit in a whiteout snowstorm. I learned the true definition of courage today and felt the triumph of overcoming challenge. The ride was beautiful and I had some amazing experiences on the bike. I figured the only way to end a day like this is with some good ‘ole Mormon fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Tomorrow…Vegas. I go to sleep tonight grateful to have arrived safely and glad to be alive. Tell me you can have that type of experience in a car…
When you first started this trip I couldn’t decide if the bike was your child or your lover. Now it’s clear: it’s your platoon buddy you survived the war with. Glad you safely tackled some real adventure on the Vision Quest. It couldn’t all be malls and skateparks after all =)
Hope you’re bringing back some of that Mormon honey butter “flavored topping”. Enjoy Vegas!
I’m glad you’re safe, Mateo.