Miles 919 to 994, 75 miles, 3,930 feet of climb, max speed: 43 mph, avg speed 15 mph
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| Looking where we came from on US 6 |
When my wife and I retire and set out from Huntsville to look at America, US Route 6 going across Utah is on the top of the list to visit. Simply magnificent. The conditions for today’s ride could not have been better, and the tail wind providence brought helped push us up over the hills. Eddie, our youngest rider and vacationing priest, was thanked again at our daily meeting for his answered petitions to heaven for such beautiful conditions. Eddie wouldn’t allow us to blame God for the road conditions. There were some stretches that were terrifying. Twice today I had to stop in a blazing downhill section to allow my heart to get back in my chest. Hitting rumble strips at over 30 mph is not a good feeling, but it is better than a physics experiment with a truck. We had about 6 miles of road shoulder less than a foot wide going down 5%-7% grades. Soldier Summit, our first pass in the Rocky Mountains, was rather anticlimactic. There were no spectacular views, but only a whistle stop for the Union Pacific and a convenience store with a sign out front in the middle of a mountain meadow above the tree line. The vistas that took our breath away were getting there and leaving there.
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| 12% Heart Hiccup with a side order of Double Rumble |
Price River Canyon. Oh my. When the bottom dropped out from underneath the road I froze up. Al, my riding buddy teased me about stopping again, and I had to confess to him my heart skipped a beat and I needed to just rest until my rhythm returned. Not only did the road go straight down, but the shoulder reincarnated as dual rows of rumble strips forcing us to share the single lane with trucks and traffic. The next eight miles were going with traffic at speeds of above 40 mph in straights and 30s around corners. We even passed a freight train going down the same canyon. At dinner tonight some of the experienced riders gave me hints on how to increase my speed flying down the canyons. I smiled and thanked them for their advice, but am really not ready to apply their giddy-up to my giddy-up any time soon. I am starting to like climbs better than descents; these speeds on mountain roads terrify me. I am not complaining, just stating what's happening. I have never been so stretched out of my comfort zone than what happened to me today. I fear I am being prepared for the back side of Monarch Pass, just a week away.
What really counts in the ‘forever remember’ category was what was waiting for me at the hotel. The three women in my life conspired and sent me a Father’s Day card. When I mentioned my name at the front desk the clerk’s eyes brightened and told me that they had a special delivery for me. I didn’t even realize that tomorrow was Father’s Day; life has been such a marathon. I am so so so so so blessed. The rest of you dads can start to envy me now. You just get a Father’s Day; I’m getting a Father’s Summer!
Bottom Line: Today's ride surpassed all the others in raw beauty. Our staff said today’s ride surpassed all the other days in risk. When we were all in, our staff called AbB leadership to report that all riders arrived in Price healthy.
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