The long drive: Brigham City

March 30, 2021

By the most direct route it’s a bit over a thousand miles from Torrey back to Portland. Youngsters might view this as a challenge and take it all in one bite, riding round the clock and trading off driving duties. I’ve done this myself a time or two, but those days are decades in the past now. Two days would be pretty reasonable, but chunking it into rough thirds feels right to us. Today we’re taking the first bite, with a 300 miler to Brigham City.

Last night we looked for some place along the route to break up the drive and stretch our legs, and uncovered Antelope Island. It’s not too far off route and there’s a simple six mile out and back along the shore that looks appealing, so we loaded it into our Garmins and planned to get an early start in the morning to allow time for it.

Walking down to breakfast this morning, reality smacks us across the face with a brisk, freezing headwind that makes us glad we’re masked up. It’s 26 degrees here and even colder up north; and by noon it will still just be about 40 up around Antelope island. We’ve got the time, so we decide to keep warm in the motel for another hour or two before starting out.

Nearly all of the drive home will be on interstate freeways, but for the first half of today’s ride we’re on two lane state highways that give us a chance to slow down from time to time and appreciate the scenery. We follow UT24 northwest across the high country before dropping into the Sevier Valley north of Richfield. From there we follow the river north to Nephi where we join the freeway: I-15 to Ogden, and then I-84 all the way to downtown Portland.

With 850 miles of fast moving divided highway ahead of us, we at least take our time a bit and stop a few times to appreciate this part of the state. It’s pretty empty country of course, with a quite different feel than the state-wide color riot just fifty miles south of us. The brilliant sandstone outcrops are gone for the most part, replaced by miles of rangeland - isolated structures, lines of cattle chowing down on the morning’s hay delivery, their breath steaming in the frigid air. The traffic is night, the road surface smooth and the shoulder good all the way to the Sevier Valley, making this look like a quiet but attractive option for bicycling across the state.

Koosharem Reservoir, elevation 7,000’, at the north end of Grass Valley. Not the most compelling sight around, but it was interesting to see that it’s on the northern route of the Old Spanish Trail. Plus, there’s the outhouse as another attraction.

Looking across Sigurd and the Sevier Valley. The end of UT24. Turn left and follow the Sevier downriver, and you’ll come to Bryce Canyon and Zion in an hour or two.

Near Levan, looking back south down UT28.

Near Leman, looking west across its valley.

Looking north from Levan to the southern snout of Mount Nebo, the highest peak in the Wasatch Range.

At Nephi, looking ahead to the Wasatch Front. We’ll be following this range north well into tomorrow morning.

At Nephi we finally join the freeway. It’s a fast, efficient, but sterile drive all the way from here to Oregon. Six or eight lane divided highways with an 80 mph speed limit are efficient but don’t afford you much except an occasional gasp and quick sideways glance at some compelling sight that you can briefly appreciate before concentrating on the road again.

It was still cold and windy when we stopped for a last look around at Nephi, so we scrapped the idea of a walk at Antelope Island. We ate our lunch in the car and just drove, reaching Brigham City at around four. Rachael took a short walk once we arrived, then we picked up a pizza and scarfed down dinner in our motel room.

With still almost two hours until sunset, we hopped back in the car and drove west to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, one of the most important migratory stopovers on the pacific and central flyways. There’s a 12 mile auto route through the refuge, and we’re hopeful of seeing a bird or two along it. it doesn’t look like we’re here at prime time though - maybe it’s still too early in spring yet - but there are certainly enough birds around to keep our interest - hundreds of coots and shovelers in the bay, terns, hawks, cormorants, gulls, herons, pelicans, teals - and even two skunks shuffling along by the road, raising their tails up in a beautiful but meanacing fan. It’s a beautiful way to end the day, driving slowly along its dusty, unpaved road, stopping frequently to zoom in on a pelican or admire the views.

One day down!

We don’t see another car or person the entire time we’re here. The only competing traffic is the occasional geese or coots wandering casually in the road, seemingly unconcerned by our presence.

Looking east across the refuge to the Bear River Range.

Western grebes, getting into the spirit of the season.

Ictarids 101, lesson 1: the red-winged blackbird.

Skunk! He’s almost right beside the car, about fifteen feet away. Should I roll down the window for a better shot, Rachael asks? Probably not.

I can’t remember the last time we saw a white pelican.

Ictarids 101, lesson 2: the yellow-headed blackbird.

Rachael didn’t know why I bothered taking a picture of this mundane sparrow.

A black-crowned night heron, one of about a dozen we saw springing up from the reeds and briefly soaring across the water.

Looking southeast, to what I think is the Wasatches. They and the Bear Mountain Range are essentially continuous.

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Bill ShaneyfeltGreat wildlife photos today!
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3 years ago

Gregory GarceauOn the way to the town named after Brigham Young,
The polygamist whose praises have oft' been sung,
You see a skunk and so many birds,
It's so awesome I don't have the words,
I thank you for the pleasures your journal has brung.
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3 years ago

Suzanne GibsonCan't compete with Greg, but here my humble attempt at rhyming.

The gypsies of Southwest America,
Off their bikes and in a car to Siberica,
So cold they could die,
Ate instead pizza pie,
Hoping for better weather or a miracle.
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3 years ago

Rachael AndersonTo Suzanne GibsonI love it!
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3 years ago

Bruce LellmanI especially loved the photo of the sparrow. Sparrows don't ever get enough credit for all the wonderful things they do.
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3 years ago