Goin’ South–A female tale from the desert of the Southwest USA Pt.7


My cow buddies…and here I thought there was at least 100 animals braying all night and I discover when it was light out, that there were only 8 or so babies. Poor guys!! If you note, there is a beefalo among them. I was told that National Geographic did a story on this little guy, because they have a difficult time mixing the two breeds but this one was found in the wild with his cow mama. Hmmmm

The “RedBull”

I had coffee with my host family and then made my way to Ely following, yep you guessed it, the road less traveled!

Escalante to Ely rides the high desert. I believe that most of the ride is between 6 and 8,000 feet. The terrain is so vast that I can’t believe how far I can see in every direction and not see one building. I understand why the Europeans that visit here are in awe since to travel these distances in Europe you would cross 3-4 countries and here I didn’t even leave Utah for hours! I rode Hwy 89 through Panguich to 20, to 15N (the worst 15 miles) to Hwy 21 at Beaver which crosses the most desolate desert I have seen in a long time! Highway 50, the loneliest highway, is no longer so, but 21 could easily take its place.

Outside of Bryce NP

A construction crew held us here for about 15 minutes and they let us go without a pilot vehicle. I have never seen a more disorganized mess. They told us to stay left, but then had 16wheelers, zipping down our lane. Who’s in charge here??? And how dangerous can this be?


Hwy 21 which is really the “loneliest highway”. I couldn’t believe how little exposure I had to any vehicle. I believe in a couple hundred miles I saw maybe 5 vehicles.

Cloud shreds

Desolate but beautiful

Wow…talk about the long and distant roadway!

Looking the other direction!

I’d pass these dirt roads and wonder where they went…dual sport next time.

More shadow play

I connected to Hwy 50 right at the border of UT and NV and stopped to gas up at the Border Inn where the gas sold is in one state and the casino is in another! As I was adding gas I noticed a group of people painting the windows of the casino. I asked what a “diversity party” meant in this rural area since the final window has not yet been painted and the answer surprised me. They have a yearly celebration that brings stage cross-dressers from Salt Lake City to perform in the desert. I was told it brings out people from all the ranches around and the celebration is huge! It is much like the film “Priscella, Queen of the Desert” filmed in the outback of Australia. If I hadn’t already had reservations in Ely, I would have jumped on a room at the Border Inn, as this sounded too fun!!

I arrived in Ely, tired but early enough to lose some money playing “alien” the one slot machine I enjoy, drinking a free margarita and having a bite. I kept imagining the lively fun going on just 50 miles east and was sorry I was bored and solo.

The following morning it was a record 30 degrees and I was bound and determined to ride the near 500 miles home. I arrived at dusk after schlepping through returning groups of cruisers leaving the infamous “Street Vibrations”. I am sorry to say that there are huge numbers of riders instead of “riding” motorcycles, ride on them. I saw some seriously poor riding skills, silly group maneuvers, and just plain dumb passing. Yet another reason, I don’t group ride. I just hope they made their destination without incident.

Riding in this mess gave me plenty of time for free flowing helmet thoughts. I thought about all the fun times I had as a kid, with my dad riding horses up at Wrights Lake in Desolation Valley, CA. I thought about how he showed me how to fish and that I could use the eye of one caught fish to rebait the hook so you never needed but one worm. I thought about when we used to move cattle from Genoa, NV to High Meadows, Lake Tahoe right through State Line, and how I’d always try to make my horse rear up so I could show off my riding skills for the amazed audience and how every year I was scolded for my behavior. I thought about how he cried when he broke a toy of mine not realizing it probably had nothing to do with the broken toy. I thought about all the times he got me out of trouble and that made me think once again that I should be trying to get him out of his trouble, but this is trouble I can’t remedy. Time can be a cruel ally, but before I realized it, I entered my driveway only to rediscover, there is still no place like home and memories are forever


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