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JUNE 18 PEDALING TO PROVOLast evening, John (MA), Doug (AZ) and I took a cab downtown to see the sights of Salt Lake City. We were favorably impressed in many ways: the wide boulevards surrounding Temple Square, the clean public areas blooming with flowers, the crowds of Mormon families dressed "for church" (temple) and of course the majestic Mormon Temple as the main attraction. We had dinner in a nice atrium restaurant on the top floor of what was once the Utah Hotel ("the grandest hotel in the West"). I asked if they served beer--WRONG!--as we were in what is NOW the Joseph Smith Building where Mormons trace their ancestry. The lemonade was good. The Mormon Tabernacle, a dome shaped building with world class accoustics and organ, sits beside the Temple. We were lucky to be there on a Thursday evening, as that is when they open to the public the rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (with full orchestra). They also record for the longest running radio show in America (75 years), a scripture and choir hour. They practiced singing "The Lord's Prayer". AWESOME!
Today's Events: We all knew they had it in them, and that it had to happen sooner or later. So right from the get-go this morning "the scenic group" of young bucks made their move to the head of the pack, and stayed there all day. Maybe it was the break day that fueled them, but whatever it was it made for a great day. We rode fast and together right up to lunch. First, we rode in a single file of some 20 bikes through the industrial parks and suburban neighborhoods of SLC, bunching up into a peloton when we could. Somewhere near the back of the group, I couldn't help but feel that we finally loked like a cycling TEAM, and not a bunch of bike riders. Everyone was together and on pace. The weather was clear, warm--perfect! At the SAG stop, Joe (TX), who rides a recumbent, was wearing a bike shirt with the Lone Star State flag on the front. Since he rode at or near the front for hours, I asked him what was up. He said, "When your wear the jersey, you are representing." I loved it! Sandi, one of last year's riders, met us at the SAG with buckets of cookies and brownies. She posed with for a picture with "Big Dawg," a friend and strong rider who works on a tug boat in Valdez, Alaska ushering oil tankers in and out of port. He works 2 months on-2 months off. The working months he remains on the boat 24/7.
We passed several mink farms, numerous small farms with a few horses and a hay field, a military installation, and the town of Orem as we headed for our destination--Provo, Utah. In Provo we rode through the Brigham Young University campus. What a setting! It sits right at the foot of the Wasatch Mts. We rode looking at those mountains the full 64 miles of today's trip.
We were all happy to be off I-80 and onto country roads with people and houses and farms instead of TRUCKS. When we hit Provo at noon and spotted a Macaroni Grill, we pulled in for an "upscale" lunch of pasta on the patio. We were also being chased by a pit bull dog at the time. The dog helped us make a quicker decision of where to eat. All in all it was a great ride day. - Bill
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Contact Bill now at bill@bikingwithbill.org |
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