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| Day 1 - Santa Clara, CA Day 2 - Eureka, CA Day 3 - Florence, OR Day 4 - Poulsbo, WA Day 5 - Poulsbo, WA Day 6 - Sandpoint, ID Day 7 - Kalispel, MT Day 8 - Sulfer Springs, MT Day 9 - Jackson, WY Day 10 - Orem, UT Day 11- Estes Park, CO Day 12 - High. Ranch, CO Day 13 - High. Ranch, CO Day 14 - Richland, UT Day 15 - Lee Vining, CA EPILOGUE |
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| I had forgotten what a pleasing route Highway
70 is to travel. When I left Steve & Peg’s at 8:00 that morning,
I took C470 to Highway 70, which took me up into the mountains for
10,000 feet to Vail and Dillon. You coast downhill a bit before going
through Garfield Canyon, which was just amazing. Through Garfield
Canyon, Highway 70 is built as an elevated freeway with the westbound
lanes almost on top of the eastbound lanes, much like you might see
in the inner cities. On each side there are steep canyon walls with
glimpses of the river running below. Back and forth you snake along not knowing where to look next. You need to keep your eyes on the road, but you want to look up at the spectacular rock formations, the different colors, the different shapes, then the sun would glance off of the river below and you would want to look there, all at 65 miles per hour. I couldn’t help it. I found myself laughing into my helmet and wondering how I had forgotten this stretch of road. Linda and I have been through here before but seeing it by motorcycle made the experience much more intense. Much more enjoyable. The Garfield Canyon eventually gives way to mesas and buttes and red rock formations as you approach and enter southern Utah. The scenery is constantly changing from close-up views of red rock formations (photo 1) seemingly close enough to touch, to sweeping vista of canyon lands that resemble some areas of northern Arizona (photo 2). My butt is getting tired but the two-lane freeway that is highway 70 West allows me to make excellent time. The posted speed limit is 75, which means I’m doing 70 most of the time. There’s not that much traffic, which means that 18-wheelers pass me only once in a while. By 5:30, I’m tired and need to take on fuel. I stop in Richland, Utah, for the night having traveled 474 miles today. I have an excellent meal at a western restaurant (Aren’t they all?) and go back and read my book about two fellows traveling through South America on BMW motorcycles. Compared to their trip, mine is a piece of cake. I can’t imagine that their scenery is much better than mine, but then again, I may one day have to go see. Till then, I’ll settle for a peaceful sleep till morning.
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