2023 TOUR - PART 3

 

Early the next morning we parted ways with Yancey who headed north toward Moab while Sam and I headed west on Hwy 95. Along with the previous morning this whole day was the most outstanding riding and scenery of the whole trip. I never tire of riding across that section of Utah with its twisting undulating roads and other-worldly scenery. Sheer cliffs and beautiful rock formations with various colors make for genuine eye candy.

My favorite Duke Sign

Around mid morning we arrived in Hanksville with which I was familiar having stayed there a couple of times in the past. Most of the businesses in Hanksville are owned by “Duke”. It should be called Dukesville. As we pulled into the parking lot of one of Duke’s restaurants/convenience stores, an old man approached us from a vehicle along side us asking where we were from. After replying he said he had been to Lewiston in years past hauling propane. I asked where he was from and he said, “Right here, lived here my whole life”. So I asked him if he knew Duke. He said, “Yes I do. He’s my son”. I said, “Wow, so you’re Duke, Sr”. He said he had started businesses here and he had cautioned Duke that he needed to slow down and enjoy life some before he got old, too. I’ve shown pictures of some of Duke’s signs in the restaurant. The one I always remember from past visits is the one directed to his employees – Work Hard and Be Nice. Meeting Duke’s father was a real highlight for me.

Another Duke sign

We continued west on Hwy 24 through Capital Reef National Park. I believe it was my third time through here but the first time I’d seen lots of people there. We had to go slowly in many places due to all the folks camped near the road. This is more fantastic scenery but a little different from that to the southeast. Much of the road skirts high sheer cliffs similar to Red Canyon except they aren’t red. Shortly before reaching Torrey we took Hwy 12 south down through Boulder and Escalante and eventually to our day’s destination at Cedar City having covered 373 miles.

While in Cedar City I took the opportunity to visit wife Kathy’s close friend who used to live very near us in Clarkston. I am an old man yet not nearly as old as 96 year Mary Jane although she looks younger than I do. I toured her beautiful condo and we had a nice visit.

Mary Jane & me

After an early motel breakfast we were on our way up I-15 a short way before exiting to Hwy 130 west of the interstate. We went only a short distance before I realized I didn’t have the controller for my wired jacket. So we backtracked to the motel and found it on the bed. I had looked over the room before leaving but didn’t see it as it was in a clear plastic container on top of a sheet. Disaster averted, we were back on the road again. Hwy 130 changes to Hwy 257 at Milford and continues up to Hinckley. This whole stretch is not particularly exciting motorcycle wise as it is mostly flat open agricultural country. We bypassed Hinckley and got on Hwy 6 at Delta and proceeded northeast before turning south just before Santiquin. After turning south we took several different roads on down to Moroni where we turned east to Mt. Pleasant then north to Fairview and then east into the Unita National Forest on Hwy 31. Hwy 31 took us southeast down to Huntington where we turned north on Hwy 10 up to Price and a little farther to our day’s destination at Helper. Those directions may make you dizzy but that’s the way it was. This was our second shortest day at 314 miles. I will save the Helper story for the next post.  (To be continued) M/W