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Adam, thanks for the suggestion. I learned about the Mountain Meadows massacre while researching this trip. It's not very close to my route but I hope to visit it someday. Hopefully a future bike tour can include the loop west of Cedar City and St. George. Thanks for the suggestion.
2 years agoThis sounds like a great trip. I grew in in Salt Lake and went to school in Logan and consider myself "Mormon adjacent."
Early this winter, I spent some time in Southern Utah (Cedar City area) to do some sightseeing and skiing and visited the Mountain Meadows Massacre site. (It's on the other side of I-15 from where you are traveling.) I found it pretty impactful and interesting. It's also a great piece of Utah history that didn't get taught in my Utah History class.
I don't think you can easily get there from your route, but thought I'd mention it anyway. Enjoy the trip!
Brings to mind the Seven Wives Inn in Saint George which we stayed at in 2017. It claimed to be the first B&B in Utah but looks like it’s permanently closed now.
2 years agoScott, it's great to see that you documented your 1987 tour so well. Warren Jeff's compound was sold after he went to prison. It's now a Bed and Breakfast. Kelly Iniguez said it was quite deluxe, that their room was apparently one of the wives rooms.
2 years agoLooking forward to seeing this, especially to seeing Colorado City again. I stopped off there for provisions riding across northern AZ on a long stage from Zion to Fredonia in 1987. It was one of the strangest places I’ve ever visited. I’m surprised to hear you can stay there, but I’m sure it will be memorable.
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/utah1987/zion-to-fredonia/
Ah yes. I forgot that. Can’t wait to read the paper’s write-up of your visit.
2 years agoKatthleen, I first visited the Wayne Estes Center 3 years ago while driving home from a bike tour. The lobby has many interesting exhibits about Wayne Estes.
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/sanluisvalley/drive-home/
This time it will be more fun because I get to say "my name is Wayne Estes and I pedaled 500 miles to get here". I plan to notify the local newspaper a couple days in advance.
Wayne Estes Center in Logan?! Had to look that one up. I look forward to your treatment of it. Have a good trip.
2 years ago
Wayne, your "Beliefs" section was well-written, and I mostly agree with you.
2 years agoI lived for three years in Utah Valley (sometimes derisively/ironically referred to as "Happy Valley"), and for that reason I probably do judge the LDS Church a little more harshly than you do, because the church exerts such control over basically everything that living there is oppressive. At least it was for me.
I'm pretty sure that it's the weirdest place in the USA.
I look forward to reading your journal!