Sorry folks. Apparently Blogger can't handle Photos on the Mac. Gotta figure out the upload situation.
It was in the low 60s and sunny when I headed out from Salt Lake City on my Harley Street Glide touring bike I picked up from Eagle Rider. Blue skies and pillowy white clouds. I could see dense black rainclouds clearly dumping in the distance. After about an hour, just as I turned off the highway for lunch, I was hit by a downpour complete with small hail pellets. After a half hour at Subway, blue skies returned and I was back on the road.
Dusty olive green landscape charged up mountains on both sides as I steered down the highway 15 valley, then from Nephi to Highway 28 through Selina, to Highway 24 towards Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park. Amazing snow capped mountains in the distance kept me company as the bike charged down the highway feeling like a Cadillac but sounding like a steam-powered locomotive.
The rain came down hard in Gunnison, challenging my vision as it soaked the road. At the 24 turnoff the rain abated and the landscape suddenly transformed into sandy brown rolling hills dotted with brush. Despite multiple signs warning of elk and deer keeping me on the lookout, the only thing I came perilously close to was a cow munching beside the road.
It rained on me for about another half hour as the temperature sank to the mid-40s over the 7,200 foot pass near Lyman. More hail. Got to the Best Western, set against red rock cliffs. Dinner at a killer Southwestern restaurant, reportedly best in the state, called Cafe Diablo. Rattlesnake cakes for an appetizer with rosemary aioli was tasty, but the tamale I was craving came bland and mushy. Boo.
After dinner the light was beautiful so I decided to drive into Capitol Reef Park, where I was not disappointed. The magic hour for photo light was perfect, so I snapped a few pics and headed to the hotel by 9 pm.
