M/C Raven Trip Report 21 – Going for the Record Books

I took I-80 across Nevada and Utah. If there’s a more boring, desolate road I America than I-80 in Nevada, it’s I-80 in Utah. After a couple of hours your brain just shuts down and you keep droning along, and along and along. One stretch in Utah goes for more than 50-miles in a straight line without a turn or bend.

I mentioned in my last post that I’d spent the night in a campground in central Nevada. I’d camped in the area designated for tent camping but, I wasn’t sure that it was open for camping right then. Because I kept expecting a ranger to come along and shoo me away, I didn’t sleep well and was up at the crack of daylight. Did see a herd of whitetail deer amble through the campground as well as bunnies and some coyotes.

Nevada sunrise

I stopped at a rest area and put my head on the table. An hour later I woke up with a red spot on my forehead and a crick in my neck. 

Just as you’re leaving Nevada you go up a rise to a ridge that looks out over the Bonneville Salt Flats and the town of Wendover. Wendover is split between Nevada and Utah. Gambling on the Nevada side; no gambling on the Utah side. I took a picture of the flats from the ridge.

After I started back up I said to myself “Hey dummy! Here you are at the Holy Grail of Speed and you’re about to ride right past! What’s up with that?” So, when I got to the turn-off for the Flats, I turned off.

The road to the Salt Flats runs out into the desert then just disappears. You just drive off the end and, you’re on the Salt Flats. Right this minute, in my own mind, I hold the World’s Record for Top Speed for a 63-Year Old Fat Man Riding an Overloaded 10-Year Old Adventure Touring Bike. A lot to put on a trophy I agree but, fair’s fair. Please send it to my home address. What’s the Top Speed you ask? I can’t tell you: I was busy holding on and screaming like a crazy man.

A New World's Record!

It was late in the day by the time I arrived in Salt Lake City. After more than an hour of searching and rush hour traffic I finally found the road to the State Park out on the island. I got set up and settled in for the night. Beautiful sunset, great stars; then the wind picked up. By midnight it was howling down the hillside. I looked out and watched the camper downhill from me trying to move his car in front of his tent to block the wind. He also carried heavy rocks to try to weigh down the corners of his tent. By morning, he’d abandoned his tent and headed for a motel. The tent ended up, upside down and down the hill from his campsite. Wind was still blowing when he returned for his tent so I helped him round up the various parts and stuff it all into the back of his car.

Sunset over the Great Salt Lake

My good ole tent had no problems with the wind and went back into its stuff bag easily. I left the campground and headed for the causeway back to the mainland. That’s when I saw the dust starting to blow on the shore across the lake. Then I saw the dust blowing across the causeway. Then, my eyes and nose became so clogged up with allergies that I couldn’t see much of anything. First stop Walmart for allergy meds.

See that dust on the shore across the lake? That should have been my first clue.

Zyrtec here I come!