Anybody home????

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

I went for a 20 minute ride this weekend. It was freezing!!! but so worth it! I'm very envious of all you that live where you can ride all year long.

I have decided to ride down to Death Valley toward the end of February. Has anyone been there before? Is it a decent trip? Any recommendations?

Death Valley didn't get its name by accident. You should be fine in February. I've never been there, but have read many stories about riding there.

[Jared]

I checked out the weather report and the average high in Feb is in the low 80s. Should be perfect!

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

I checked out the weather report and the average high in Feb is in the low 80s. Should be perfect!

Yeah it will be a nice change from Utah County for you that time of year. Seen the sun lately?

[Jared]

Not really. The smog and inversion has been horrible this year.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

Not really. The smog and inversion has been horrible this year.

That's what I was getting at. I read the SL Tribune online every day and it seems the inversion has been especially bad this winter.

I used to work in a field service position when I lived in UT. Park City, Heber, Coalville, Evanston, etc were part of my territory. I'd leave the valley and by the time I hit Parleys Summit on I-80, it was sunny and warmer at 7,000 feet than it was in the valley at 4200 feet.

[dantama]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

That's what I was getting at. I read the SL Tribune online every day and it seems the inversion has been especially bad this winter.

I used to work in a field service position when I lived in UT. Park City, Heber, Coalville, Evanston, etc were part of my territory. I'd leave the valley and by the time I hit Parleys Summit on I-80, it was sunny and warmer at 7,000 feet than it was in the valley at 4200 feet.

I lived in Sugar House on the east end. As soon as the roads were clear enough to get out after a storm, I'd head out to Park City on my bike just to get into the sun. There was only one corner where I'd have to watch for ice in the shade, the rest was usually clear not too many days after a storm due to the amount of salt used.

The shady corner would get snow melt rolling back out into the road, and eventually the salt would wash away allowing it to refreeze.

Coming back down was always kind of gross. When you were stuck in it, you could convince your self that it was all up above you high up. Driving back down out of the sun into the thick stew of pollution, thick enough to seem like cloud cover, was kind of gross.

I don't miss that at all in Denver.

[dantama]

Utah, if you got a clear shot of weather getting from Orem to St. George, you've got it made.

Don't get caught in a snowstorm coming back through and get stuck somewhere :)

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

I lived in Sugar House on the east end. As soon as the roads were clear enough to get out after a storm, I'd head out to Park City on my bike just to get into the sun. There was only one corner where I'd have to watch for ice in the shade, the rest was usually clear not too many days after a storm due to the amount of salt used.

The shady corner would get snow melt rolling back out into the road, and eventually the salt would wash away allowing it to refreeze.

Coming back down was always kind of gross. When you were stuck in it, you could convince your self that it was all up above you high up. Driving back down out of the sun into the thick stew of pollution, thick enough to seem like cloud cover, was kind of gross.

I don't miss that at all in Denver.

During these inversions, the Wasatch Front has some of the worst air in the nation. It looks like Birmingham England during the industrial revolution.

I don't miss that crap at all. Phoenix has different air quality issues, mostly due to the dust in the air from the desert.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

Utah, if you got a clear shot of weather getting from Orem to St. George, you've got it made.

Don't get caught in a snowstorm coming back through and get stuck somewhere :)

Yeah that is my thought as well. If the weather is clear enough to to St. George, I should be able to have a nice weekend of riding.

I'm sure I will freeze my butt off until I get down south though. Hopefully the weather will be nice, maybe in the low 40s, during the last weekend of Feb.

[toophun]

Utah, I just mentioned Death Valley to CJ today on our ride. I've been thinking about riding up and checking it out while it's cool. Keep me posted I might head up and meet ya.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by toophun

Utah, I just mentioned Death Valley to CJ today on our ride. I've been thinking about riding up and checking it out while it's cool. Keep me posted I might head up and meet ya.

Will let you know. Right now, the tentative plans are to go up the 26 and return the 29th of February.

[Jared]

I finally ordered some heated gloves. I got the Gerbing G3 model. I hope they help spring come sooner.