Vanishing point on I-80
Note: This is a log of our trip to Park City in the Fall of 2007.
It rained and snowed in Park City on Friday night and Saturday. Bill and I delayed our planned Monday departure to Tuesday to give things a chance to dry out and/or melt. Under clear skies and with light traffic, we hit the road at 7:15 am. I-80 flashed by with autumn, high desert colors in full force.
We averaged over 65 mph from Belmont to Park City, including all breaks. That compares favorably to the 50 mph I usually get with the trailer in tow and accounting for multiple breaks along the way for Nick to reestablish his Western Territories. The pace was curiously fast on this trip, even without the trailer and Nick, as we never exceeded the speed limit. Well, at least we didn’t exceed the speed limit on many portions of the German Autobahn, an observation that may be of marginal relevance here.
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The town of Park City from the bottom of Sweeney
Our breakfast at Squatter’s was interrupted by a phone call from Alex, the condo’s handyman, who was eager to get started on our punch list. The breakfast service was fast and we arrived in time to meet Alex at (more…)
Come along for the ride....
Today the plan was to ride Mid Mountain Trail from end to end. Mid Mountain extends from Deer Valley to a bit past Canyons staying near 8,000 feet elevation for a total distance of around 23 miles.
We departed the house and headed to the Park City bus station dropping a long flight of steps on the way. With the absence of tourists and focused bustle of the workers struggling to complete the multitude of outdoor construction projects before the looming snow comes, nobody was around to complain about a little urban free riding wrought by a couple of middle-aged would be ruffians.
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Becky, climbing on Sweeny's Switchbacks
The Crew: Bill, Becky, and Dave
Leaving the house was complicated by last minute clothing adjustments. The air temperature was cool to cold, in the mid to high (more…)
Aspens in the morning light
First thing in the morning, I dropped Becky at the Salt Lake City Airport so she could head back to the Bay Area, rescue the dog, and continue to be gainfully employed. I don’t think she was happy to go.
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7:15 am, Park City
Departure from Park City was at 7:00 am. We missed the Salt Lake City rush and made good time across the desert. William the Navigator forwent the electronic navigational aids he used on the way out, showing the transcendence of his skill.
At Winnemucca we stopped for lunch at the Flying Pig BBQ on the main drag. The pulled pork BBQ was (more…)
Note: This trip occured in 2007 and is posted in reverse chronological order
Bill, Becky, and myself had a great time on this trip. If you haven’t had a chance to ride in the aspens in autumn you should do it at least once in your life.
We are already thinking about an autumn trip next year. Aside from the colors, there are many advantages of riding this time of year including cooler temperatures, great tread conditions, and fewer people. In exchange, there is an increased risk of losing riding days due to bad weather. A return to Park City is definitely a possibility but a number of higher altitude locations in the West are also possible. This year, schedules dictated a trip later in the year than we would have preferred. Next year, we’d like to go 1 to 3 weeks earlier, depending on the destination.
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