Day 2 Morning Entry

Morning comes too quickly after the day before but we've all agreed that we still need to make up time from the previous day.  Up at 5:30 and gone by 6:30, first stop: Moab.  We roll out of the Desert Rose and head north, the morning is absolutely gorgeous for riding.  The sun is just rising casting it's colors across the desert and the air is nice and crisp, it has that fresh taste and smell to it that you don't and can't get in the city.  The first part of the trip to Moab runs us along the river and through some twisting winding roads up out of the valley and to the desert plateau above.  We've all agreed that the first leg of the trip will be non-stop to Moab, about 100 miles, we'll run hard while we're fresh and try to push early to catch up on lost time.
 
We did the first 100 in under an hour and a half.  Good time, easy run.  The morning was going wonderfully.  We had just ridden through some of the most amazing landscape; Moab, Canyon Lands, Arches National - all of which made for simply amazing scenery - even if it was at 75 mph.  We quickly find a local cafe and grab a ton of breakfast.  I like to seek out places where I can get some really good biskets and gravy with tobasco sauce along with my personal pot of coffee. 

When we ride, we try not to eat at a chain restaurants too often, the group likes to explore a bit and enjoy the local feel of the towns we're in.  Breakfast is over and the group is feeling great about the day ahead.  We've got some really nice riding ahead of us.  Moab north to Interstate 70, we'll head west - back tracking just a bit to catch 191/6 North to Price/Helper, up through the canyons to Vernal, along side of Flaming Gorge and up into Kemmerer, Wyoming where we had planned to stop for the night. This route, not only is it beautiful to ride it was also going to take us about 400 miles in 8 hours of easy riding - a good days ride with the opportunity to push it farther depending on the time we were making and how the group felt near the end.  We were off to a good start getting the first 100 miles in and it was just 8:00 in the morning.  The day was looking promising.  

If you've read along this journey you know that I've said before, and it needs to be said again... "Man Plans - God Laughs", it will hold true throughout this trip.

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Motorcycle traveling