Seattle to SW-FOG 2014

[Fontanaman]

I will post my daily ride reports from Seattle to SW-FOG 2014 in this thread.

I left Seattle at 3:45am and road the freeway to Kennewick Washington taking the slab the entire way. Stop for gas and breakfast at McDonald's. Also I meet up with my riding buddy.

The destination for the day is Meridian Idaho but along the way we take a detour to Owyhee Dam so I can bag my first Unofficial Dam Tour dam of the season. It was all slab today except for the detour to the Owyhee Dam and what a nice detour it was. Along the river people are out camping, fly fishing, and big white dog standing up in the back of a pickup truck with the wind in it's face and it all unfolds in front of us as we motor down the road. Pretty country out here long the river below the dam.

Temps today varied from 43 at Snoqualmie Pass to 82 in Ohyhee Lake a fine day for riding.

First dam of the season.

Ohyhee Lake

The River below the dam.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

Looks like a fun ride is in store for you! Enjoy the ride, And we will see you soon!

 

[MCRIDER007]

Thanks for the ride report and pictures, its almost like I was there!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Sounds like a great start...you two have fun Jim!

See you in a week in SoCal!

--G

 

[dcarver]

More, you Candy Butt Ass slacker!

 

[SeattleTy]

Good job Jim - Keep us posted

 

[Fontanaman]

More, you Candy Butt Ass slacker!

Whut you want photos of I-90 and I-84?

 

[beemerdons]

Good job Jim - Keep us posted

+1, Gunny; thanks for taking us along, see you Thursday! jes' sayin' and nuff said, ese!

 

[Fontanaman]

Day 2

Today we road from Meridian Idaho to Spanish Fork Ut. The route.

The day started like this.

DCarver complained the Day 1 post was lame, Candy Butt worthy even, and it was. So to beef up the content I took a few freeway photos and detoured to Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls Idaho.

Slabbing I-84. Good pavement well at least compared it I-90 along Snoqulamie Pass in Washington.

Vast empty spaces along I-84. Nice for a city boy.

Then I got the bright idea to go to Shoshone Falls. Why not it was only five miles off the freeway and we had some time to burn.

Dig the crazy geography in what is essentially range land. This is the Snake River from the Shoshone Falls overlook.

Scenic view along I-84 near the Idaho Utah border.

An oasis otherwise know as a rest stop. The sign says this was Lake Bonneville 20,000 years ago and it was land locked. We now have moved from the Columbia River basin to the Salt Lake basin where water cannot escape.

I-84 scenery in Utah.

The Wasatch Mountains near Snow Basin off I-80.

Riding US 40 on the way to Provo just outside of Heber City.

End of Day 2

 

[escapefjrtist]

Day 2
Today we road from Meridian Idaho to Spanish Fork Ut. The route.

The day started like this.

Isn't that the way it always starts...

Good to see some snow on those mountains. Ride safe you two and keep the pics coming!

--G

 

[Fontanaman]

Day 3

Day 3 started out much the same as Day 2. We had breakfast but was a free breakfast at the hotel.

The ride starts on Hwy 6 east then to Hwy 31 and nice twisty affair going up to 9800 feet then plunging to Hwy 10 along mining towns then on to Hwy 72 another great twisty road. No freeways today! We also road Hwy 12 both directions and landed in Torrey Utah. Here is the route.

The first photos is near the summit of Hwy 31 at 9800 feet. No names to the passes here. All the signs say Summit with elevation noted.

I like how the highway plunges way with the mountains in the background.

My FJR near the summit of Hwy 31 otherwise know as the Skyline Road and it is. This is great road. Highly recommended.

Hwy 31 near the summit.

A frozen lake on the south side of the summit of Hwy 31.

.

A year ago mudslides made a mess of the south side of Hwy 31. Likely brought on by thunderstorms. Think twice before camping along this river.

Hwy 31 end joining Hwy 10 and we are in the arid flatlands and coal mining country. Odd to be in beautiful mountain country to drop in to flatlands. Oddly enough one of the mountain lake is called Electric Lake and it feeds the coal fire plants to create electricity powering this post.

We soon are on Hwy 72 heading to Torrey Ut.

Forget Subway stop at the General Store to have a sandwich like this.

It was 1:00 and our room was not ready yet so we drop some gear at the hotel and headed toward Escalante to ride one of the best roads in the country, Hwy 12! Yea Haw!

With temps in the mid 70’s is was a perfect day, even better than this photo.

Photographing a great road with harmless puffy clouds.

I decided to pull over to take this photo - a good decision!

The Hogsback on Hwy 12.

Calf Creek is at bottom of the canyon. Hiking to Calf Creek Falls is great fun but not on this trip.

And old tree.

The road falls way leaving great scenery for us to enjoy.

Twisty alert!

Look closely and you will see the road.

No road here but nice scenery and a great day!

Back to the road views.

Is this awesome or what?

The Hogsback, again.

End of Day 3

 

[MCRIDER007]

WOW........brings back memories of the last time I did that ride.....which just happened to be today )

 

[airboss]

Should there ever be a day without end.

Day 3 would be my choice!

 

[beemerdons]

Should there ever be a day without end.
Day 3 would be my choice!

+1, Gunny; very nice Jim, thank you!

 

[Panman]

That is an awesome ride Jim! Rode that to Capitol Reef National Park from Bryce Canyon. Then rode back to Boulder to ride the Burr Trail. That is some great stuff.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Excellent report and pictures Fontanaman!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[Fontanaman]

Excellent report and pictures Fontanaman!!!Thanks!!!

You are welcome. Glad you are enjoying the post.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

What wonderful sceneries!!!You have really wonderful landscapes there!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Now I'm officially jealous...

Stay safe boys and have a great rest of the trip!

--G