Day 1: Orem, Utah to Aspen Campground (Near Hanna, Utah)

June 26, 2010

I was up and ready fairly early. After saying goodbye to Joy, I made my way through back streets in Orem to the Provo River Parkway, a paved multi-use path that meanders through Provo Canyon. The Parkway is an easy, pleasant ride along the Provo River, and this morning was especially nice, since it was too early for the "longboard" riders to be out doing their often-annoying thing.

At the end of the path in Vivian Park, I was disappointed to find that the root beer stand was not yet open. I settled for photographing it for my collection of businesses whose buildings are shaped like the products they sell.

Then it was onto busy US-189 (the only road through the canyon) for a few miles. The shoulder is wide on this section, however, so it's not horrible. When I was planning this trip, I assumed I would be forced to ride on this busy road all the way to Midway, which would not have been fun, since the road eventually narrows and loses the shoulder. (The road is currently under construction, so this might eventually be ameliorated). Fortunately, Joy had found an alternate route, which even Google Maps does not know about (yet): Deer Creek Trail, a 7.5 mile dirt path on the western hillside above Deer Creek Reservoir.

The trail starts off flat as it parallels a railroad track, but soon it moves away from the reservoir and becomes quite hilly. I met a couple of girls walking their mountain bikes up one hill, and soon found myself doing the same thing. Despite the hills and the slow dirt surface, I would recommend this as an alternate to busy US-189.

After about an hour on the path I arrived in Midway, a small town known for its "Swiss Days." After a long wait for an expensive, lousy milkshake at a café, I found my way out of town on back streets and got onto UT-32, and the first long climb of the day. As I neared Francis (pop. 689), I encountered a triathlon in progress, and felt the usual sense of childish satisfaction when I was able to pass three riders up the last little hill into town. Spent from that, I stopped at Joe's Country Store, where I filled up on snacks and the nice English lady working there gave me free ice water. While I was sitting there, a couple of customers warned me about the climb up to Wolf Creek Pass. In the past, when I was fit from riding thousands of miles a year, I would have scoffed at their warnings, but now that I'm fat and out of shape from sitting in a cubicle all day, I did not.

So I started the long, service-less climb up Wolf Creek Pass on UT-35. Not long after the road began to get steep, I was briefly diverted when two women asked me to help them capture their dog, a yellow lab named "Copper" who had escaped when the women ill-advisedly let him out of their car. After about twenty minutes of the women, me, and multiple motorists running around trying to corral the dog (punctuated with multiple shouted updates from one of the women - "He's pooping now!!", etc.), Copper was finally retrieved, and I continued on my slow, sweaty way.

After multiple stops to catch my breath and curse my lack of fitness, I finally reached the summit at 9485 feet, where my reward was a melted Snickers bar. It was beautiful and clean-smelling at the summit under a bright, bright blue sky. There was still snow on the ground. I briefly considered camping at the top, but decided it would probably be too cold for wimpy me, so I started the long, fast descent.

I saw a sign for a campground after several miles, so I turned on to a rough, potholed road where I was immediately chased by a dog (a first for me in Utah). I was disappointed to find that the campground had no showers or potable water, much less a snack shop or pop machine. I set up my tent, then walked around looking forlorn until a nice lady gave me an ice cold can of sweet tea from her cooler. After that, I filtered water from a stream (a first for me), then cooked one of the freezer bag meals Joy had prepared for me (also a first - I had never used a stove on my previous tours). After that it was off to bed, where I lay awake for a while, imagining I was hearing bears, mountain lions, squirrels, or some other wild animals outside my tent.

Provo, Utah: Recently voted the "least fun" city in the United States.(Paradoxically, nearby Orem, Utah, where I live, is actually less fun than Provo)

Obligatory shot of the oft-photographed Bridal Veil Falls. Ho hum.

Near the beginning of the Deer Creek Trail - a nice way to avoid the super-busy US 189 between Orem and Midway.

Evidence of the heavy Swiss influence in Midway, Utah. Pretty much everything, including the gas stations, looks like this.

I took a break from climbing to check out this historical marker about Japanese aviator Masashi Goto, who crashed in the High Uintas in 1929.

Today's ride: 82 miles (132 km)
Total: 82 miles (132 km)

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