The Veyo Loop

March 7, 2021

In our first night out here in Saint George, you might remember that we had dinner at the Cliffside Restaurant, dining outdoors on its aerie-like balcony overlooking Red Mountain. The view was astonishing, the food was great, but the service was also memorable. Our server Brook is an open, appealing young woman who also bikes a bit. On hearing that we were here for the cycling, she described the favorite local ride of her more serious cycling friends: the Veyo Loop. To make sure we didn’t forget, she wrote out a description on the back of our receipt when she brought the bill:

It’s a longer, more strenuous ride so we’ve been holding it off for just the right day. Today is perfect - sunny, warm, light winds. Warm enough that we get an early start and bike down off the hill around 9. We’re taking the route counter-clockwise, meaning that we start with a steepish 16 mile climb to Veyo followed by a more gradual 34 mile descent home.

The climb is interesting, in good ways and not so good. After pedaling north through town for a few miles we join the Snow Canyon Bike Loop, riding its eastern side north as it threads between the border of the state park and highway 18. Views here, as almost everywhere around, are stunning. Rising up the eastern rim of Snow Canyon we enjoy the by now familiar broad views of Pine Mountain and Red Mountain, and an occasional view down into the canyon itself.

That’s all good, of course. Maybe a bit less so is the contour of the climb, which is sort of a stair-stepped roller coaster: a reasonably steep slope for a ways, then it levels off; then a steeper climb; then a steep drop; then a really steep gut buster that must be pushing 20%. And so on.

Climbing out of Saint George on the Snow Canyon Loop Trail.

One of the flattish breathers on the Snow Canyon Loop Trail.

Image not found :( — If she can do it, I can do it. If she can do it, I can do it. Just keep telling yourself that, Scooter.

Past the state park, the bike path ends and we continue north on 18, the same route through the cinder cones we rode last week. We continue climbing, pushed along by a stronger than expected tailwind. Finally we summit out and enjoy a swift drop to the small serviced community of Veyo.

Veyo is such a curious name, so I was pleased to stumble by chance across a resource that explained its origin. First settled in 1911, it was originally named Glen Cove. For unexplained reasons, the town was later renamed by a group of 12-13 year old Beehive Girls (the Mormon name for their young women’s association at that time) to Veyo, as an acronym for virtue, enterprise, youth and order.

That’s good to know of course, but the finest thing about Veyo these days is Veyo Pies & Bakery. We had other plans for lunch, but the lure of a slice of raspberry rhubarb pie was irresistable. Each, I insist.

After a fifteen mile climb, we enjoy a fast 7% descent to Veyo.

The entryway walls of Veyo Pies are completely layered with customer loyalty cards. If we lived here, I’m sure our card would be up there too.

The World, as viewed by Velo Pies & Bakery. Each pin represents the home of one of their customers.

So the pie was incredible, but the real dessert for the day is the 34 mile descent back home. It begins with a gradual, beautiful cruise down quiet Gunlock Drive as it drops to and then follows the Santa Clara River south. It’s much different country than the eastern half of the loop, almost verdant, with the river bottom lined with farmhouses and pastures and the river itself bordered by willows and cottonwoods. It’s beautiful today, and I’m sure would be gorgeous in other seasons too. It’s no wonder it’s a favorite of local riders.

Rocky rolls her raspberry and rhubarb down Gunlock Drive.

The view back to the northeast gives us a different perspective on Pine Mountain.

A sharp, switchback descent drops us from the plateau to river level.

After ten or so miles of descending we’ve worn off our pie and are hot and hungry again. We sit on the bank of the river and enjoy our turkey and cheese sandwiches. Rachael taunts me by bringing out the remaining portion of her pie slice that she brought along, and slowly savors every - last - crumb. I remind her that if she’d had her druthers back in Veyo we would have been sharing a single slice until I talked her out of it. You’d think that might have coaxed even a tiny bite out of her, but you’d be wrong.

The next five miles continue to be gorgeous as we drop past Gunlock Reservoir on a road lined with sandstone cliffs. Then, we’re back on Old Highway 91 again. I try to talk Rocky into biking up Utah Hill again to work off all that pie, but she isn’t having it so we just turn eastward and continue descending toward home.

Turkeys! The one in the foreground is isolated from his clan and is running lickity split to rejoin them, bawling loudly as he goes.

Returning to Saint George. Suddenly, it’s spring!

Video sound track: Dreamland, by Madeline Peyroux

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Ride stats today: 52 miles, 3,800’; for the tour: 3,325 miles, 140,600’; for the year: 48 riding days, 2,060 miles, 83,600’, and 3 flat tires

Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 3,325 miles (5,351 km)

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