Over the Rockies

We have been sticking to the strategy of starting the day early so that we will avoid the hottest part of the day. We were all packed up and headed out of Laramie at 5:45AM. The sun was just starting to peek out of the horizon and the temperature was hovering around sixty. By 8:00 local, we had full bellies and over 100 miles behind us. The next 100 miles seemed to go by just as quick, and they were covered still wearing our jackets.

The route this day has definitely been the best as far as scenery. We were basically heading out of the Rockies and were losing altitude for much of the last part of the ride. I did glimpse at the first section of the route on a AAA map that I had tucked in the saddlebag, and it was rated a green-dot route by them. It surely didn't disappoint as the long, straight asphalt of the past few days began to wind and descend through the foothills. The first 80 miles or so were unspoilt by any billboards and our early departure tended to give us a relief on the traffic, sans a few semis.

I have been out to our western states on 5 or 6 others occasions, but this was the first time I had taken I-80. This route is now my personal favorite fo getting out west quickly. I've been out I-70, but the stretch though Kansas is just unbearable. I followed the od US-66 twice, which mimics I-40/I-44. While nice, that route does not lend itself to getting out west quickly. I have only been on I-90 heading east, but it was mostly a boring ride. That could be because I as heading home if I was heading east and the was a certain amount of dis-interest in the road. I may have to take that route outbound once to have a conclusive opinion, but I sure give a thumbs up on I-80 if traveling a freeway is required.

The best part of the route today had to be I-84, from the intersection of I-80 and east (really north) through Morgan County, Utah. If you look on a map, it looks to be fairly straight through the Monte Cristo Range. It is anything but. Before we hit Ogden,Utah, we were treating to a series of rises and bends and dips for about 8 miles that I have never seen on an interstate back home. There may be fewer roads to ride in this state, but the roads that they have may be real hard to beat!.

We were supposed to end the day in Ogden but, to beat much of the traffic tomorrow, we headed north another 30 miles or so to Tremonton, Utah were I-84 and I-15 split. We pulled in at about 3:00 local time after +420 miles. I almost felt embarrased... We could have gone another couple of hundred, but then we would end up back home too soon. I just have to figure out how to make leaving earlier in the day than I am accustomed to work for us better, although the hot days should be ending soon. Maybe over the next days, we can leave a few hours laters...