I made it to Salina, UT for the night after stopping at Grand Junction, CO to exchange a defective chair
I was on fumes when I reached the station and what luck to find a Motel6 with a a couple of restaurants on each side of the parking lot so I decided to stop for the night
It wasn't a great meal but I got to relax and enjoy the air conditioning, after looking at this
road all day and also lots of sage brush
Mile after mile with nothing else in sight. The next morning I got an early start and noticed some abandoned buildings in Scipio, UT
so naturally I had to pose for a few photos and this building caught my eye as it looked like a painting so I had to do a U-turn
This is near Holden, UT. I thought that the light looked great with all the burnt grass. I was in the middle of nowhere. I remember thinking that I sure hope my bike starts. There are no services around here and no cell service
and no one around, just me, my machine and listening to my engine as it was going to take me all day to get to the end of this road and back to civilization
I tried to keep a lookout for on coming traffic
but there wasn't any, so I just kept on snapping photos
I can't remember where this was but I fueled up down the street
I have more photos which I posted before click here (excuse the duplicates)
I also manged to record some video to show you what it was like
It took me nearly a day and a half but I eventually made it to Fernley, NV for the night for an air conditioned room and a meal in a Casino across the parking lot
Enjoying your recaps Bob, truly its lonely country you rode through that day.....I like it.
ReplyDeleteDom:
DeleteI hope it's not too boring. I wanted to post the last of my video so I had to bring back some facts to explain the day, and also to post some unseen photos. At the time I thought it lonely but now that I reflect back it was scenic but in a different way. I loved all those little towns along the way, so photogenic showing the decay . . .
Bob, pictures 5 and 6 are the reason I like to ride the west! I think being in the middle of nowhere is the best part of Nevada!! You just have to remember to gas when you can because the next gas might be 160 miles away..
ReplyDeleteErik:
DeleteI keep thinking of your header photo with your bike at 90° to the road . . .
I was keeping a lookout for fuel but I never saw the last gas station until I passed the exit which was lower than the overpass, and there is no way to turn around as the next exit could be 100 miles down the road and you cannot cross the sandy no-man's land.
When I got to Salina, UT I put 22 ltrs into my 22.7 ltr tank. I must have been on fumes even though my range computer showed I could go another 50 kms. All the way I was following a pickup truck with a small race bike in the back so I thought about waving him down as I thought he may have some gas containers with fuel. He was next to me at the gas station so we got to talking. He had no gas either and he was sweating to find gas too. I already slowed down and went into gas conservation mode for the last 100 miles
I've driven that same route and can agree that it's a pretty quiet stretch. And dull. But having now lived in the UK so long, where we are so crowded together, I am better able to appreciate the incredible space of the Silver State. I'm jealous of your ride.
ReplyDeleteChris:
DeleteAt the time I was just hoping that my bike wouldn't quit and leave me stranded. These thoughts were going through my mind that if something were to happen I couldn't even call for help. You also can't judge speed. I was zipping along and it felt I wasn't making much progress and really only a handful of cars going the other way.
I knew I had to ride Hwy 50 and I didn't have to go through SLC. There was a humungous old dry lake bed on my left. Must have been an ocean a long time ago and it was there on my left for "hours"
Bob, thanks for revisiting your adventure. These lonely roads are something that we Europeans are very fascinated with, because we don't have this. When we were traveling down these roads, The Big Empty made me feel weirdly content, almost in Zen.
ReplyDeleteSonja:
Deleteactually, the roads you travel on look fairly deserted, with not much traffic but narrow. We don't have roads like that
I want to ride my motorcycle back and explore more of Utah & Colorado. I would feel better with a riding buddy in case something went wrong. I'm only revisiting this adventure so I can post the last of my video. Not much more to go
I haven't yet ridden the US50 through Nevada & Utah, but I want to. It's so barren and so straight, it seems a contradiction for a motorcycle rider. But I think for me, I feel drawn to something like it.
ReplyDeleteSteve:
Deletethere are too many roads and too little time. I also wanted to take I-80 through Wendover and see the salt flats so it'll have to wait for "next time". I too have wanted to ride US50 ever since I found out about it. You're right about it being barren and full of sage brush scenery and also long straight roads
Hwy 50 would've been a great place for one of you 360° shots…
ReplyDeleteI've spent a lot of time in NV and UT. The openness and starkness has a special beauty.
Richard:
DeleteI wasn't doing 360° sphericals then. I know better now but for years I was snapping multiple images for Panoramas. I went through some small towns which would have been perfect but I only rolled through without stopping. We have spent time in UT but not so much in NV or CO.
Perhaps I can meet you there in a year or so when I have more time
That's the same US-50 that goes right past (sort of) our WV place. Sure looks desolate.
ReplyDeleteKathy:
DeleteI had to check my PA map and sure enough I see US50. One day I hope to get there. There are not many roads that go straight to infinity but we bumped into some in Central Oregon but on a lesser scale. There are not many places to stop along the way and even in those small towns I passed had no gas stations. I was wondering where the locals get gas for their cars. Perhaps they store some in containers. These are things that go through your mind as you are riding and also how far they must travel to get a jug of milk, or groceries
A lot of flat land in those photos. Nice to see warm weather photos though.
ReplyDeleteTrobairitz:
DeleteAs I was heading East I saw a sign that said something like "this is the highest mountain East of the Mississippi". I can't remember where this was but as I was passing I thought to myself that it was merely a normal hill and not really a mountain at all. Hard to determine speed or scale when there are no identifiable landmarks or hills. It was flat and straight for the most part
It was nearly 100°F all day with the heat beating down and no where to stop (think no trees to stand under). Generally the pullouts are sand or dirt so there was no point in stopping as you can't get out of the sun anyway.
Bob, looked hot ... that dinner looked not so good, but rare to find a place to eat right beside a Motel 6.
ReplyDeleteKaren:
DeleteOh Oh, it was a Super8
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g57121-d247158-Reviews-Super_8_Salina_Scenic_Hills_Area-Salina_Utah.html
It was hot outside but I had cold air con. I would definitely stay there again. I don't like to ride anywhere when I get settled as I don't want to put on ATGATT so it was nice to have a couple of restaurant options
Bob: I'm with you on Utah and Colorado. I will be back without the pressures of time that I had in the past. My V-Strom 1000 will be the weapon of choice. In terms of Nevada, Hwy 50 is so lonely that I felt a strong urge to stop to see a small dirt path across the desert that the Pony express had used 150 years ago. The sense of seeming infinity is almost spooky and certainly spiritual.
ReplyDeleteDavid:
DeleteI shall have more time the next time I am there too. So much to see in UT and CO
Reminds me of those years I worked in the motor trade. BMW's do look nice, but its the maintenance costs that are a bit pricey! That garage has a nice building......
ReplyDeletebmw repair st george ut