Travelogue -- Dr Bob's US Northwest Motorcycle Ride
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19 June 2013, 10:30 PM PT, Carson City, NV

Today was a good day. I rode lots of miles. I saw georgous scenery. I listened to good music.

Let me take it one piece at a time. I left Salt Lake City early, knowing I had a long day ahead of me. I wanted to reach Carson City, NV, 555 miles away, because I have an appointment to have the bike serviced tomorrow by Carson City Harley-Davidson. I stopped to take a picture of the view, which was a lot of salt.

Then I realized I was close to the Bonneville Salt Flats. This sign helped me realize that.

Here's part of the text on the sign, "Utah's famed measured mile is located approximately seven miles beyond this marker, well in front of the mountains you see on the horizon... The first world land-speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats was set on September 3, 1935, by Sir Malcolm Campbell. His speed was 301.13 miles per hour. Craig Breedlove holds the honor of being the first man to go faster than 400, 500, and 600 miles per hour. His record of 600.601 miles per hour, set on November 15, 1965, was finally broken on October 23, 1970 by Gary Gabelich. Gabelich's new record is 622.407 miles per hour..."

I couldn't resist the temptation to take a side trip. This is as far as I could go on a paved road. After this, you ride on the salt. I decided to not ride on the salt. Those "mountains you see on the horizon" in the previous picture are the mountains you see close up in this picture. The measured mile is somewhere ahead of this point, along the salt road.

I knew I had to buckle down and ride. It would be a long day. But then I saw these mountains, so I had to stop and get a picture. These are the Ruby Mountains, the northern end. They run 80 miles to the south.

Yesterday, I was told about a canyon south of Elko, NV, the Lamoille Canyon. I knew it was only 20 miles off my route (which was I-80) and that the canyon is about 12 miles long. Elko is almost half the way from Salt Lake City to Carson City. I was in Elko before Noon. Again, I couldn't resist the temptation. Another side trip. Lamoille Canyon is in the Ruby Mountains, the same mountains you saw in the previous picture, about halfway down the range. Here I am approaching the canyon, looking up at the mountains.

This is partway up the canyon.

Same location, other side of the road.

Here's the first good view of the glaciers.

Looking the opposite direction from the glaciers.

Views further up the canyon.

I have gone as far up the canyon as the road goes, here's some glaciers straight ahead. I did not hike up to them. I am not into hiking.

Now I am on my way back down the canyon.

What is this, a frozen waterfall?

After this side trip, I did buckle down and ride. My total today was 643 miles. And one chocolate shake.

I needed extra warmth today. The temperature at the top of the canyon was in the 30s. The elevation was 9,000 feet. The temperature along I-80 was generally in the 50s. It got into the 60s later in the day. I was wearing the lining to my summer jacket, my summer jacket over that, and my rain jacket over that.

I love the desert, and today's ride was mostly in the desert. I like to look around all the time. I decided to listen to music while riding in the desert. I tuned in a country music AM station. I heard Charlie Rich singing "Behind Closed Doors", Marty Robbins singing "El Paso", Jimmy Buffet singing "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" and "Margaritaville", John Denver singing "Sunshine On My Shoulder" and "Leaving On A Jetplane", and many others. I was tapping my foot on the floorboard keeping time with the music while looking all around me, and ocassionally looking at the road.

A very pleasant day.