ID/WA Photo Run – Day Four

Up early again this morning, 6:30. Took my time breaking camp and had a short conversation with my Floridian neighbor then hit the road. Got to see a little bit of Moab when I went to dinner last night. Not much to see around camp but once you get into town there’s actually a good bit there. Has a very touristy feel to it, several people walking the sidewalks.

After leaving Moab we got one more red rock canyon run. Absolutely gorgeous start to the day. I wanted to hit up Arches National Park but after looking at the map it looks like a good couple of hours out of my way. Slow going mountain roads with a few hairpin turns. I’d be hard pressed to make the Idaho state line today, especially with the routing fiasco that came later.

Two lane road for the first 40 miles or so then we jumped on I-40. Stopped in Green River for a quick pit stop, chatted up another rider from a group I’d passed a few miles back. Off of the interstate in a few miles and back on two lane. Before long we were into dirt, nothing but dull, grey dirt. Very little vegetation. Reminded me a little of the salt flats. The smoky haze was still hanging about and hiding the distant mountains. Spent a good part of the morning running through the nothingness but ended up in another beautiful run. We got into a mountain valley and the road followed a stream for several miles. The road twisted and turned through Price Canyon, nothing terribly slow, just nice easy curves.

The canyon run wound it’s way into Spanish Fork and we were on 8-10 lanes of road by the time we hit Provo. Bunch of traffic but very fast moving. I was trying to make it to Salt Lake City before stopping for lunch but it was almost 1:00pm already. Decided to jump of the highway to find a place to eat lunch. Ended up pulling right up to a neat looking place called Wallaby’s Smokehouse. Wasn’t what I expected though. Food was good but was more of a fast food BBQ joint.

From here we headed into Salt Lake City but didn’t feel like I was on the right road. When I passed through back in ’18 I was on 10 lane interstate. This was only six and didn’t even know I was in Salt Lake until a police car passed me. But I’m following the GPS, it’ll get me to Idaho either way. We eventually made our way into Ogden, and by into I mean INTO. We were rolling by driveways and schools, hitting stoplight after stoplight. There’s no way I’m supposed to be on these city streets, I should be on the interstate running right through town. I’d pulled into a gas station to check and found the GPS was still on scenic mode. Oops.

Got the GPS switched back where it needed to be and was back on the interstate headed to the state line. After Ogden the desert and mountains were behind us and farmland began to appear. A few at first and looked like mostly hay fields. Reached the Idaho border and was finally able to obtain the first of these two elusive photo stops. Washington tomorrow!

Once in Idaho the crop fields became almost constant. Some corn and probably potato. Several dust clouds crossed the highway, kicked up by tractors and combines. Got a little windy as the land has opened up but nothing to serious, little pushes here and there. Smoke is much heavier now. Distant mountains barely visible. Only the highest peaks can be seen and those are just hazy outlines.

Made it into Twin Falls a couple of hours before dark. It’s time for a room, I need a solid night’s sleep. Checked in and ended up meeting another biker. A Bandido from Washington. He tells me of trips he’s spent 900+ miles on the bike in a single day. Some with his wife on the back. She doesn’t like it much.

Dinner tonight was a short drive to place called Elevation 486. The restaurant is in a multiple business building but sits above the Snake River. I wanted an outdoor table to enjoy the view but wait times were astronomical. Opted to sit at the bar, view was still pretty good. Was able to get a photo from the patio.

Back to the room. I’m going to watch a little TV, enjoy a couple more cold ones, set the AC to zero and bundle up in the bed. Tomorrow I’ll check the radar before heading to Washington. Once I get the photo I need I’ll determine where Libby and I are headed, hopefully up to Spokane. We’ll see.