Denver to Delta

We had a quick cup of coffee this morning with Lou and his family before saying our goodbyes and promising a return when we could spend more time. Leaving the neighborhood we were treated to a gorgeous view of the mountains above Boulder around Estes Park. What a treat to see leaving for work in the morning.

We had one last appointment before departing Denver -- visit Pat McCrann, my best friend from high school whom I had lost touch with for the past twentysome-odd years. We only had a couple of hours to reconnect and catch up on what had filled our lives all this time. Pat's become an avid mountaineer, and has ascended the tallest peaks on five of the seven continents. But the story that caught my ear as vintage Pat was of a trip back to Rock Springs with his brother to pick up the gun collection his father left when he passed away. With mischievous leprechaun twinkle in his eye, he told us of the drive back to Colorado, flying like a bat out of hell just waiting for a trooper to pull him over so he could say, "Nope ... haven't been drinking, but about all these guns in the back seat..." Anyway, our meeting was long overdue and I'll look forward to future opportunities to really breathe life back into a great friendship.


We managed to get out of Denver by 11 AM, which wouldn't have been so back if the weather this spring had been anything like normal. However, the entire intermountain region has been above average rainfall. At first it seemed that we would luck out and just get to enjoy scenery without weather intruding. We saw snowy peaks, jagged mountains, and picturesque canyons.

But then we got caught in a blustery little squall near Parachute, CO. The rain wasn't too bad, but the wind was gusty from every direction, and as it is wont to do in a desert landscape it picked up dust and coated us with road grime. When we pulled into the next service station it looked like the bike had gone without a bath all winter in an area that salts the roads. That station was in Grand Junction, and a second thunderstorm almost caught us there, but we took only a glancing blow, and I managed to stop long enough to take a camera shot back.


I was sure that two would be it, but we managed to hit a third storm about 40 miles into Utah, in a region that almost never sees rain. Not only was it some of the coldest rain I've felt in a long while, but the storm strung itself out over the road for several miles, pretty much ignoring the open desert to either side of us. We did get a nice apology rainbow afterwards however.


We finally reached Salina, UT where we got off I-70 and picked up US50, which is going to be our route for the next couple of days. We've bunked for the night in Delta, UT and will head into Nevada in the morning. I think we'll be shooting for an early start as the forecast is calling for late afternoon thundershowers in western Nevada late in the day tomorrow. We'll play it by ear as to whether we'll stop in Fallon as planned, or try to shoot on ahead to Carson City.