10/9/10 – The Loneliest Highway

I bugged-out from Salty this morning at about 9:30 under mostly cloudy skies and cool temps. For the first 135 miles all I saw was the Great Salt Lake, mountains, and salt flats. If you ask me, the only thing great about the salt lake is its size; IMHO, It should be called the Great-Big Salt Lake. The problem with this lake is that virtually nothing lives there; no trees, no plants, no birds, Nothing. Yes, I know Dr. Science, the lake is teaming with Sea Monkeys and single-celled creatures. Who cares? The place looks like Mars with water and it would be nice if it was 10 miles long instead of 135 miles. How about adding something green? Also, there are a number of factories with smoke-billowing stacks out near the baron lake shore. Bomb factories, perhaps?

Anyway, my 568 mile ride today was long, cold, hot, dry, windy, smelly, monotonous and wonderful. After crossing the Bonneville Salt Flats, the road winds up into the mountains and valleys of Nevada. The peaks were dusted with snow and the winds were gusty. After changing into winter gloves, I proceeded to follow a pattern of long straight rides through massive valleys of scrub brush, tumble weeds and wild flowers, followed by winding roads into the mountains - Repeat many times. It's a lot like Groundhog Day. In central Nevada it’s common to pass though 20 tiny towns and more than 100 miles with no gas stations. Nevada has some beautiful scenery, but not much is useable for agriculture. It’s understandable why the state has defaulted to gambling and prostitution for it’s livelihood. The past week in the high desert has left my sinuses parched and in need of just a tiny bit of humidity.

Barring unforeseen events, this is my last night as a vagabond. It’s truly been a fantastic journey, but I’m ready to get home to resume my Real life with my family. I’m very appreciative to my family for allowing me to live-out my dream and to you, my blog-followers, for sharing my motorcycle odyssey and providing support.

In the coming days, I’m planning to add an Epilog to my Motorcycle Odyssey Blog, in which I will share some of my learnings from 7+ weeks of rambling around North America.