US-50 Coast-to-Coast: Day 9

I was on the road in Grand Junction by 7:00 am. The temperature was already in the low 70s. The 50 merges with interstate 70 at Grand Junction and for the next 3.5 hours I was running at about 75 and 80 MPH, the speed limits in Colorado and Utah. 

The sights in Utah were incredible. I went past the Arches National Park turnoff, which is one place I really want to go to someday. Red and white rocks, while the road went up and down through the canyons. 

Then the 50 exits the 70 at Salina.  The road is then a two lane road through some great back country. You go north and then you hit Interstate 15 at 80 MPH and go South for a few miles until the 50 once again exits and goes to a two lane back country road.  At this point the landscape becomes desolate. It was also when the temperature started to rise until it got to 96 at one point. 

I passed a salt flats area that looked really interesting, but there appeared to be no way to get to it.  

The road keeps going into Nevada and immediately passes by the Great Basin National Park, which I motorcycle camped at last year about this time. A very cold and rainy place at the top, as compared to a hot dry climate at the bottom. I left Great Basin last year early because I could not stand another day of rain and cold.  You need to go there to believe it. 

This is the point where I have previously ridden on the 50 and things start to get good with chaparral vegetation at 7.5k feet altitude.   All along the winds had been picking up to about 30 MPH.  I was glad that I had carried and filled my spare tank of gas, since the winds significantly decreased the gas mileage. I rolled into Ely, NV with hardly any gas at all in my main tank. When I filled the tank it took 5.4 gallons and holds 5.8 gallons.  I was just working on the bike and had my tool kit on the seat, when the wind blew the tool kit off the bike. The tool kit probably weighs 10 pounds. 

I arrived at Ely, NV at 2:30 PM Pacific Time, which was 3:30 PM Mountain. Today I rode 432 miles which took 8.5 hours, and a moving time of 6.5 hours. You can see how going 75 and 80 MPH gets you there faster.

US-50 Coast-to-Coast: Day 8

I was on the road in Pueblo, Colorado by 7:00 AM.  The temperature started at 60 degrees and quickly got to 65 degrees. The road quickly turned into a canyon that followed Texas Creek. The road twisted along for several hours where I drove between 55 and 65 MPH. I stopped at Royal Gorge early in the day, but it was not open and all I could do was look from the parking lot. Not much to look at from the parking lot. 

After the break I started up to Monarch point, which is at 11,312 feet.  All along the road from Pueblo to Montrose there were many road construction projects and significant delays. The pavement was excellent along the whole stretch. 

The highlights of the road was Monarch point and the Gunnison River (lake).  The Monarch point road was great alpine riding at 10k altitude. The bike had no problem at all and I quickly passed many slower motorists.  

The Gunnison River area was incredible in that it was miles and miles of swishing roads that varied between 7k and 8.5k altitude. The road reminded me of the highway 166 near Santa Maria, CA.  The difference was that US 50 runs for about 6 hours and is at high altitude. 

I suspect that the road between Pueblo and Montrose for 225 miles will be the highlight of the trip. The swishing and twisties at the high altitude with the cool temperatures is hard to beat. 

After Montrose I turned North on the 50 and the road once again turned into the divided highway running straight up to Grand Junction, CO.  There was not much to look at on the North bound road other than the grasses and hills.  The temperature turned north also and got up to 91 degrees.  

I arrived at my room in the hotel in Grand Junction at 4:00 PM.  Total elapsed time was 9 hours, with a moving time of 6 hours. The total mileage was 299 miles. All in all, the road today gets a 10 out of 10.

US-50 Coast-to-Coast: Day 7

I woke to the sound of thunder and rain. I stayed in bed for a bit and then was able to hit the road just before 8:00 AM after the rain ended. The road were still wet and kept the air cool at 70 degrees. The highway West was straight like Illinois, but without the bumps every 20 feet. There were miscellaneous crops along the road, along with grass. 

Funny churches in Kansas. One church had a sign that said “It isn’t hot as Hell!”.  Another church had a sign that said “Religion is just like the weather. The lord reigns. “  

Entering Colorado the gas prices jumped 20 cents to $2.75 .  Up until now, the prices have been between $2.45 and $2.55. 

I planned to stay in Pueblo Colorado which was about a 5 hours ride.  I got to Lamar Colorado and I realized that with the time change, I was going to be in Pueblo about 12:00 PM, which was way too early.  So, I decided to head South to Comanche National Grasslands, which was about 70 miles due South near the Texas and New Mexico border. The ride was just an uneventful straight line. I took a right at highway 160 and rode for about another hour into the grassland. Never saw a government building or anything other than a park sign. There were not many cars at all. I could stop in the middle of the road and take pictures without any problem.  I passed through a town called Prichett. I have seen many towns that were dead, but this one might take the award. Many nice old buildings all shut down. At one point there was a utility company making a repair on a high electrical line. I think the entire town was standing in the shade watching the repair. 

There were many insects in the grasslands. There were many inserts that kept hitting my boots that felt like someone throwing rocks.   I guess the grasslands are good to the bugs. At one point a dragonfly landed on my backpack.

While in the grasslands, a rain cloud dumped on a nearby area to the South. I started heading North on a really great twisty road and the cloud kept following me, all the while spitting rain drops as I escaped to the sun areas. The rain clouds kept expanding and followed me all the way to Pueblo.  So far, I had not really been in the rain, other than some light rain in Ohio. 

The humidity is back to the land of the dry since I left Missouri. This feels much better and a welcome relief. The temperature never really got over 90 though the day.  I checked into the hotel about 4:00 PM, which would have been 5:00 PM Central time.

The total duration was 9 hours with 6.5 hours drive time. the total distance was 373 miles. This was the easiest day so far.