Day 45, on the road again

Jeff generously picked me up from the hotel in Salt Lake City, and we headed towards his place to grab my bike, stopping at a grocery store on the way.

I picked up the usual: bulk trail mix, tortillas, bananas, apples and two massive bags of M&Ms.

Back at his place, I packed up the bike.

I have a few new additions: a frame pack to store readily accessible items, fenders to block water & mud, and lastly, a waist pack.

The waist pack keeps my wallet, phone, chapstick and bike lock key on me at all times. I got the idea from Daniel, the motor cycle tourist I met in Zion & Bryce Canyon.

The frame pack stores things I need to access regularly: snacks, a knife, sunglasses, a headlamp, etc... The panniers are difficult to rummage through when the bike is fully loaded.

Ready to go.

Jeff, my incredible host, leaves for his bicycle tour on June 30th. All his gear is laid out on the floor of his garage, being vetted for usefulness and weight.

Safe travels, Jeff!

It feels good to be on the road again. Excited and invigorating, but also a bit sad. I really enjoyed spending time with family in Boston. I miss them already and their company.

I think having milestones like that vacation are important, and have two setup for the near future.

I will be meeting up with two friends motorcycling to Yellowstone in about two weeks. Shortly after, I'm hoping to join a little fourth of July camping trip with friends from Alturas and Bozeman.

Per usual, Utah is gorgeous. I'm riding north on a route that Jeff helped me develop; picturesque scenery and no traffic. It is a perfect combination.

Jeff also suggested that I go to the Shooting Star Saloon in Huntsville, Utah. I arrived about 7:30pm, walked in and was warmly greeted by the bartender, Karen.

She fixed me an incredible burger for dinner, their specialty, a star burger. It had both grilled onions and sliced polish sausage on it. So delicious.

The bar reminds me of a spot in Groveland California, the Iron Door, with dollar bills tacked all over the ceiling. Apparently the Shooting Star Saloon is the oldest continually operated bar west of the Mississippi.

While devouring the burger, I looked up places nearby to camp. Usually I just find a deserted and somewhat hidden piece of land near the road to setup my tent. This time I found a dispersed campground just two miles from the bar. They had a restroom, a flat, grassy spot for my tent and best of all, it was free. Perfect.

Tomorrow, I'm climbing 4200 feet.

Joe