Cheese Weasels Get Dirty In Utah

[Stichill]

Riding Day 2 - Thursday Morning - Escalante to Boulder via Hell's Backbone & On to Loa for Brunch

The BMW dealer in Grand Junction, where our Lone Weasel (GS buddy) found a front tire late Wednesday afternoon, would not install it, saying "We have five 'emergencies' ahead of you." So he had to take it to another shop early Thursday morning to have it fitted. They opened at 9:00 am but he was there early and had the rim off the bike, so they took pity on him and started working on the tire at 8:30.



Meanwhile the Three Weasels left Escalante, bound for Boulder via the old summer road "Hell's Backbone". Apparently it was built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) during the Great Depression, to shorten the trip between the two towns.


It was a terrible road in terms of severe washboarding, but took us through some beautifully remote, rugged, forested country.




I had just run into position before the 10-second timer snapped this shot...I was trying not to trip and plunge over the cliff!






Hell's Backbone Bridge




Coming downhill on the east side was less scenic, but the road was in better condition in terms of washboarding. I started to really get into running it...in many sections it was like 129 Tail of the Dragon but gravel. My son-in-law later said he was having trouble keeping up with me, lol. At some point the gravel changed to paved chipseal and then it was really "game on"! I felt like an alpine skier slaloming down the mountainside.

UT 12 from Boulder north to Torrey was a fantastic road, one of the best ever. Beautiful forests to the west and expansive views to the east.







We fueled up in Torrey, then headed to [url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g57048-d4372149-Reviews-Marinia_s_Country_Cafe-Loa_Utah.html]Marinia's Country Cafe in Loa for brunch.