Road Trip #2, Day 1 - Flaming Gorge - Colorado/Wyoming/Utah

July 15, 2010
Colorado, USA

Rock Springs, WY -- Road Trip #1 2010 was all about riding to see family and friends in Texas and Oklahoma. That was Memorial Day. The Ride was just over a month old at that time. We had a great visit.

Road Trip #2 2010 is all about riding roads we have not traveled to experience new places as they can only be experienced from the seat of a motorcycle. We chose to ride west (we usually do) and north.

We rolled out of the drive, trying not to wake the neighbors, just before 5 am. It was still dark and as most Colorado mornings are, a bit chilly. A cloud bank to the east delayed the sunrise for almost an hour. Tim pointed out the odometer read 6250.

Part of this first day of riding would be about getting our passports stamped at Harley-Davidson dealerships in Rock Springs, WY and Vernal, UT. So, this is the only day of our trip where the course was set. Arriving in Laramie via scenic Hwy 287N about an hour later, we pointed the ride west and rode across the southern Wyoming on I-80. Even with lots of sun, it was still a chilly ride. As usual on I-80 we were in the company of trucks, lots of trucks.

First stop was breakfast. We chose a truck stop in Rawlins and dined on the breakfast buffet at the Country Fare Restaurant. Tim loves a buffet and this was a good one. All the carbs and protein (and calories) one could possibly need... We actually had some fruit after all the other from the fruit bar. Tim arrived back at the table with his food piled high (I usually try to look like I'm not sitting with him when we go to a buffet - grin). Truthfully, my plate didn't look much better because everything was smothered in gravy. I'm a gravy girl.

Refreshed and satiated, we were ready to get on with our trip. We wanted to shed the leathers, but decided to ride to the next stop before doing that. Southern Wyoming is wide open and rugged, rolling hills dotted with rock outcroppings. All along the I-80 corridor, new snow fences are being erected. Travel along this route in winter can be quite treacherous - severe winter weather and winds that can cause a blizzard white out in a matter of minutes. Add to that careless drivers and it's a recipe for 70 car pileups. The area is sparsely populated, the towns are small, the roads long and winding and huge wind farms line the high ridges.

The next stop was Flaming Gorge Harley-Davidson in Rock Springs, WY which we found without any problem. It is large and spacious, situated in the middle of a shopping center. The day had warmed. We happily came out of the leathers as soon as we parked. The staff of this dealership was friendly. One of the women on the staff makes the leather goods they carry in one section, purses, half chaps and so on. Very nice! We got our passports stamped, had a cup of coffee and bought a bottle of bug cleaner/remover for the road. This H-D product works really well we've discovered.

After fueling up, we began the journey to the next dealership. This part of our ride would take us approximately 100 miles south on surprisingly scenic Hwy 191 (East Flaming Gorge Road). I say surprising because it was not designated as scenic and appeared on the map to be a ride through the flat lands. Nothing had prepared us for the beautiful ride we were about to enjoy.

We took our time and had the road almost to ourselves. We veered off course on a side trip down a road to Firehole Canyon (there's campground and lake at the bottom). Back on Hwy 191, we continued on through what is known as Clay Basin, stopping a couple of times to admire the view. Eventually we crossed Antelope Flat and the Utah border and rode across the Flaming Gorge Dam where we stopped at the Visitor Center to cool off, stretch and admire the lake. Here is what we learned while strolling through the exhibits. Western explorer John Wesley Powell found and named Flaming Gorge (because of the rocky red cliffs in the area) during his 1869 expedition. The dam is 502 feet high and 1180 feet long. The reservoir is 91 miles in length with 375 miles of shoreline.

Leaving the Dam area, we crossed a beautiful suspension bridge. The white arches of the bridge can be seen from several miles out. I learned later this bridge is called Cart Creek Bridge and crosses a portion of the reservoir known as Cart Creek Bay. The bridge was built in 1962, before the completion of the Flaming Gorge Dam (in 1964). It originally crossed Cart Creek before the bay was created.

The day was warming but cooled again as the road (still Hwy 191) climbed at first then descended rapidly down into Vernal in a series of 8% grades, sharp turns and switchbacks. Numerous signs line the roadsides reminding travelers how many switchbacks remain. The high mountain vista is outstanding in all directions, cliffs, mountains (Uintah), valleys, rock formations, lakes and more . We passed a phosphate mine on the way in. It was hot when we finally rode into Vernal, a busy, but pleasant town. The streets were lined with American flags and huge baskets of lovely flowers. We discovered it is home to the largest quarry of prehistoric Jurassic dinosaur bones. Dinosaur National Monument is about 20 miles east of Vernal. Vernal will warrant another trip, we decided. There looked to be several scenic loops in the area that need riding.

Arriving at Beers Harley-Davidson in Vernal, we were hot (it was about 100 degrees or so), sweaty and ready to find an ice cream. Of course, there was not ice cream at the dealership and apparently no a/c, but there was a water fountain with very cold water. While we were at the dealership, we checked at the parts counter and purchased the audible alarm for The Ride. That item was out of stock and on back order everywhere else we looked. We found ice cream at McDonald's down the street, cooled off and prepared ourselves for the next leg of our journey.

It was after 5 pm when we rolled out of Vernal. First, we would backtrack a few miles back up Hwy 191, grinning at the prospect of traveling through that same series of switchbacks we enjoyed on the way in. Soon we were riding west along Hwy 44 through Ashley National Forest. Just as the road turned north the most amazing view presented itself. The Red Canyon. Riding into and out of Vernal was fun. Riding this section of the gorge was a blast.

Soon we were cruising north along Hwy 530 (West Flaming Gorge Road), across high prairie, rugged caprock, rolling hills and flatlands with the waters of the Green River and the Flaming Gorge in sight over a good distance. We could see the other side of many of the rock formations and Firehole Canyon from earlier in the day across the valley.

Arriving in Green River, WY we cruised the town for a suitable motel, but there was no room at the inn - any inn. Undeterred, we rode twelve miles east on I-80 back to Rock Springs where a Super 8 sat just waiting for us to roll in. We parked the ride, called the Folks to let them know how the first day's ride went and washed 565 miles off. Later, we strolled across the street to an IHOP for a late supper, then walked over to a Walmart for the next day's water supply and not long after that we were tucked in and snoozin'.

Here's a slide show of Day 1 (105 photos). Enjoy!