moab

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So, here we are…..and we have just entered Utah
The time is 9:00 pm
The date is Tuesday October 7th,2008
We are cruising at an altitude of, just a moment……1526 meters and 100km/h. pilot and co-pilot in control, and myself at the kitchen table.

This trip is not just about riding, it is about 6 guys, and discovery
For example, we had the opportunity to listen to Stuart’s history, coming to Canada and the difficulties it posed for himself and his new bride. They prevailed and here they have stayed…..and we are all better for it.
We also learned Dick is a little vindictive, as proven when he threw Stuart’s new tubes out with the garbage before the border with no so much as an apology.
We discovered Sean’s faith in mountain biking articles is slightly misplaced as we climbed precariously up sheer mountains to trail heads that have not existed for generations.
We continued our discovery along with dozens of other people in Safeway who found out that Gordon can produce gases that destroyed a good portion of the produce section and permanently disabled olfactory senses.
We discovered salmon has somewhat of an addictive personality…….(say no more)
Finally we discovered that McCreight has no faults as long as he does not eat bananas on a regular basis.

We did a little back tracking today after spending the night in a legion parking lot. We were up quite early, partly by choice and partly because we chose a legion parking lot next to a public works yard that sends hundreds of tractors out at three minute intervals
Starting at 5:30 am.
Tamarack hill was our destination today, and with excitement and trepidation we entered the parking lot and searched for a knowing soul to help us…….and help us they did. Maps were handed out, highlighters and a myriad of suggestions on where to ride and how to get there…..lines to take and avoid and advice on how to get through Boise without chucking molitov cocktails out side windows at city traffic.
1.5 hours of climbing and over 1700 feet of elevation gain got us to the top of the mountain and their most difficult double black diamond technical descent…….we ate it up. Donahue astounded us with his confidence and analytical skills, Gordon floated through the terrain capturing video on his helmet cam rivalling any video we have previously witnessed…..and McCreight crashed……..(he’s OK and this wont be classed as a fault). It was a great few hours for all of us and renewed our sense of destiny. Then we started driving again.
We have 1000 km to cover until out goal, and the first few hours was breathtaking, not only because we were trying to make time in a 35 mph road racing course of a valley, but because of its beauty and rugged serenity. Then boom, we pop out into rolling openness with nothing to see. It is such dull country in fact, the farmers have refused to settle and attempt any cultivation of the land due to the fact they can’t stand looking at it. It was so featureless we managed to swap drivers without stopping the motorhome and our driver even took a pee break without either of us realizing he was missing.
I shouldn’t embellish of course. We did cross the snake river, revealing to us a small gorge cut in the landscape…..at least all of us who weren’t blinking at the time.
Anyway, goal is to stop somewhere around midnight, hopefully well south of salt lake city. We were excited about going through salt lake city to see the women there. We are convinced they must be the most beautiful women in the world (outside of Williams lake), as rumour has it they unite in holy matrimony with a good many of them at one time. Alas it will be dark when we traverse the city and there will be little opportunity for viewing.
Until next time,
Two seans, two scotts a dick and a Scotsman.

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