I have a question for people familiar with Utah....

It appears that the route from Scottsdale Arizona (Phoenix) to The CCR in Wyoming according to the Nav unit is mostly freeway. So, what attractions or side line adventures do any of you suggest for the trip there. It appears that from my location "Provo" Utah is in the center of the trip. It would be nice to get half way there and rest for the night,but Salt Lake City is just up the road aways. I have a couple days to spare.

What would you do....?

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Stew,
Since you have the time, A few side trips through some of Utah's
parks would be worth it. Bryce is a bit out of the way but one of my favorities. If you are e a hiker, You'll love it. Zion is also great , One thing to consider, All the parks will be busy with all the cages.. I would warn you about the summer heat, But I have a feeling you know about that!

This is duck sooop for someone lucky enough to have a reason to make this trip. Its 1165 miles...one or two or three days, take your pick.

After Flagstaff this has only about 10 miles of slab.

Route is Flagstaff, Page, Kanab, Bryce - Fabulous and an overview can take less than two hours, from there to Torrey is scenic overload on Hwy 12, and to Blanding isn't bad either, then to I70 and up 141 to Vernal, the highway north of Vernal is so heavily travelled by sportbikes that they clamped down on the buck + runners on this stretch through the west side of Flaming Gorge to Rock Springs, and then look for wild horses along the roadside up to Jackson. Your new LT will love you for it.

Congrats on the new bike!...Glad you didn't buy a Hardley!

If you have Streets and Trips 2005, I can send you the file.

Stew,

Get yourself up to Cortez, Colorado. Then take HWY 145 to Placerville then HWY 62 to Ridgway. This part of the route is very pretty.

At Ridgway, take US 550 to Delta and US 50 to Grand Junction. That part is just okay.

From Grand Junction, go west on I-70 11 miles to Loma and catch 139 north up to Rangely. Nice mountain roads. Then HWY 64 to Dinosaur. Check out the museum if you have the time.

Then it on to Vernal, Utah and up US 191 to Rock Springs. This takes you through Flaming Gorge. This is what the whole trip was about, you won�t forget it!!!!!

From Rock Springs it up 191 to Jackson, WY. Just a reminder, outside of Rock Springs, keep the speeds low, 10 over, that�s all. They show no mercy.

Scottsdale to Grand Junction is a long day. You can do Grand Junction to Jackson in a day even with an hour stop at the Dinosaur Museum, but you need to start early to get to the reunion by nightfall, or skip the museum.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your input. I AM a hiker! Sounds like a good suggetion. I'll check it out.

Thanks for your reply...

Holy Guacamole Pete!

And a Picture Too!! Thanks for ALL the information AND the map! I have the Nav 2 Garmin/BMW system. Since your posted attachment map has the towns and locations I should be able to duplicate it on the Garmin.

Thanks again for the terific insight! ....

Thanks Roger for your guidance....

On the speed thing, are radar detectors legal in Utah?? I am a patient man anyway so I will likely be at touring speeds while I'm looking around, but I love the Radar unit because it keeps me from getting a ticket when I feel that I am traveling at a reasonable speed, only to see that I am 15mph over the sped limit!

Anyway, thanks for the directions and instruction. I'll check out your info and place it in my trip accordingly.

Much Appreciated....

Hummmm... Guess you can't add an attachment to to an edited message. Well, now I know that and here is a site for the Bryce NP...they could have made everything east of I-70 a national park. Hard to beat.
http://www.brycecanyoncountry.com/scenicdrives.html

Speed is not a major issue south of I-70 unless you are the unlucky one in a speed trap, which is the why of the RD. The roads are either continuous blind corners, or vast vistas with 100+ visibility.

The alternative suggested to go to four corners area, which really sucks as a ride in all directions, would be better modified to go East on I-40 to Gallup then up through Farmington to Durango, Ouray, Montrose, GJ, 139 west of Fruita, and up to Rangely and over to Vernal. Be sure when you go to Flaming Gorge, do the 44 and 530 route to Green River. More Scenic. (currently the program directs one on 191 due to construction underway as we speak.

All of the above are world class routes. You're a lucky man!

Holy smokes!!

Thanks again for the information! And once again the attachment!

WOW....

You ARE going to the CCR, arent you?

Last summer, on my trip to attend an HDDC dinner, my return route included UT14 from Cedar City to Long Valley Junction, a short ride up US89 to UT12. UT12 was spactacular.


UT14 between Cedar City and Long Valley Junction


UT12 north of the Bryce Canyon Area

Also, when you get to Vernal, UT, I suggest heading north on US191 to UT44 to UT43 and take the western route around the Flaming Gorge to Green River. When you go back to Scottsdale, I recommend taking US191 south from Rock Springs back to Vernal.

This was taken at the rest area on UT44

Yes, those are bighorn sheep 10 feet in front of my bike.

Signman, I wouldn't get on US550 at Ridgway. I would keep going up CO145 to Naturita and then take CO141 up through Delores Canyon and Gateway. You come out at Whitewater and US550 about 10 miles south of Grand Junction. I wish I had pictures of this area, as it is very beautiful ride.

If you go this route, you can also take CO139 from Loma (exit I-70 at the Loma exit) and ride up to Rangely. Then you can take CO64 to Dinosaur and tour the Dinosaur National Monument.

This route still gets you to Vernal, UT so you won't miss that part of the ride.

Damn! All this talk about these routes has me wishing CCR was next week!

Man, that's just plain beautiful Boss....

Jeff, thanks for the tip of "145 to 141" I'll have to give it a try sometime, maybe when in Paonia this July (TOR)

Stew, as for the radar detectors in Wy. I don't know if they are legal or not, but we did have one on, but it didn't help as the on coming LEO poped up over the rise and hit us with instant on. We didn't have time to slow down, we were going 20 over so we were dead meat. $100 fine, no traffic school, and reported to your state.

Also, Pete's route up Utah's 12 to Torrey is also a terrific road. From Torrey you have two ways to go. You can either go east through Capitol Reef and up to I-70 -or- turn west at Torrey to Loa, then go north up 72. A wonderfull road of sweepers, goes to I-70 then turn east towards Grand Junction.

No matter how you go, it will be unforgettable. What a country we live in..

Rodger,

I am pretty sure I will be at ToTR again this year. Let's hook up for a ride and I can show you all those great roads.

Yep, I got a ticket on WY 530 (What UT 43 turns into) just before Green River. No court, no deferred adjudication, no traffic school, and it did show up on my driving record in Texas (big bummer). I had just passed 20 or so motorcycles and was coming over a rise. He got me dead to rights.

BTW, Radar Detectors are only illegal in Virginia and the District of Columbia. And the new federal law prohibits radar detectors in commercial vehicles.