Day 8 - Utah
Kickstand up at 7am, temp was brisk mid-40's, and sun was shining. Starting elevation was 7000 feet, headed south and quickly went up to 7500 feet. Brisk! Wearing all my leather today.
These roads were desolate, just me and the white pick-ups. If you look closely at the picture you can see wind mills on the top of the mountains, I saw a hundred of them this morning.
I crossed into Utah about 9am, the temp had warmed to 60 degrees, I took the chaps off.
These mountains seemed different in that they were greenish, otherwise they reminded me of the Badlands in South Dakota.
I rode through the Flaming Gorge, very beautiful, typically Utah, and lots of twisties to deal with.
Another view from within the Flaming Gorge.
The pine trees returned, the landscape just keeps changing.
Saw this blue, mountain lake, then made it to Vernal, UT by noon and ate a quick lunch. Got back in the saddle as quickly as I could, trying to beat the forecasted afternoon storms.
Spent the afternoon riding through the desert, first in Utah, then in Colorado. Signs would warn you "no gas for 57 miles." Saw no houses, towns, or life in the desert. Glad I had my cooler with ice water on the bike. All day long, the roads were littered with dead rabbits and prairie dogs. There were white birds with black wings eating them. A little gross.
Made it to my motel by 2:30, I did get a little shower. The pines near my parking space just seem typical Colorado to me. The town of Steamboat Springs, where I'm staying, is just a little too congested for my liking. I'll have to find a good place to go for a day trip tomorrow.
Ended the day with a mileage total of 359 miles.
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