Provo, to Price, Utah
74.9 miles
3,586' climbing
5 hours 31 minutes
Not a long ride but it had it's moments.
Some were swell. Like a nice climb over a 40 mile road with gentle gradient. It did get the heart racing but the views were great, commensurate with the effort.
Some moments were terrifying. Like after Soldiers Summit, there was an 8 mile descent at 3 to 5% gradient along Route 6. It's the main highway south from Provo with two way traffic. The shoulders were filled with debris, as wide as dental tape, and had a rumble strip down the middle. Traffic consisted of RVs, tractor trailers, assorted SUVs, and motorcycle packs. I haven't been that tense since a trip down Mt. Mingus.
To make matters worse, there were a couple sections a few miles long that had been freshly re-graveled so you couldn't distinguish the shoulder from the travel lanes. Too far left and you have a semi on your butt or an RV whispering in your ear. RVs: very unpredictable. Vacation rentals and very scary. One hit a strip of shredded tire in the road and it flew up just missing my head.
If you travelled too far right, you'd hit the camouflaged rumble strip filled in with gravel and that's not anything you want to do rolling at 25 mph down a highway. It hurts and is a shock to the system. I had to bring my bike to the mechanic this evening to adjust my chain tension as the vibrations just threw my tensioner way off.
But successful day, glad to be back in one piece. Look forward to tomorrow which promises rain in the morning. But if we get into the hotel early after a relatively short 60 mile ride, we can catch a tour of Arches National Park. I haven't been so I'm planning to go but also need my recovery time. We'll see how the rain and headwinds affect me tomorrow before I get on the van to the park...
Boston Matt on left, Maryland Matt on right
Thin shoulder on Rt 6. Busy traffic
Clouds rolling in before weather got very hot. Caught another lucky beak
Roadside rocks
Interesting gap
Looking back for riders...a ways back
Horizon shot
Top of climb prior to hair-raising descent
Shot of Balancing Rock in Helper, Utah.
Shot taken from the Pick and Rail Market in Helpful
Tesla stations behind the DQ in Price, Utah
John ahead of me at the DQ
Rooms not ready at the Ramada just across the street.
DQ filled with tired and hungry cyclists passing time
Cheeseburger, fries, and smoothie made time fly by
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