southern UT spring centuries

[yellow]

sulis, I'm a woose too (DH is threatening to make me go mt biking tomorrow....noooo! I haven't ridden outside since my last near-hypothermia episode). I too will prolly wait to sign up. Heck, we can prolly sign up the day of! I'm not too worried about them running out of space since it sounds like the ride is out there where there's a bunch of....space.

[Lifesgreat]

I will probably wait too because that is the last day of spring break and I don't know what our plans are for the week. If I do it, it will be the 50 miler, that I do know.

[CyclaSutra]

Ladies,

I'm your Huckleberry. I rode Ghost Town's 65-mile route last April. Best I can remember, it went something like this:

Horribly cold and rainy weather (40 degrees?) to start from the Recreation Complex or something, just east of the Tooele Army Depot North. Ride headed due east into town, then turned south along what I believe is Hwy 36. Light traffic on a Saturday morning, great road surface, slight downhill. Just after the first rest stop (15 miles?), the route turned left onto a spur road and started gradually going up hill through sagebrushy sort of flats. Turned again on a teeny road and started winding its way through a beautiful canyon with a rushing creek. Road got smaller, still great surface, and steeper. The final grunt to rest stop #2 passed by cool old mining equipment and chutes sticking out from the hill. In lowest granny gear and chanting "I will not walk my bike" as me and my 50-rpm cadence ground it past a couple of bike-hikers. Slammed cups of Gatorade and water, then turned it around and FLEW back down the hill. Passed a cop as I was doing 41 mph, but he didn't bother with me, rightly assuming I was only endangering myself. Back out to the highway again, south again and then west on a smaller road. Lunch stop at the lower left corner of the route rectangle, and then north again slightly uphill back to Tooele.

Food was a bit crummy: 25-cent granola bars, boiled potatoes with no salt (blech!) etc. I think they did have banana halves and I was ready for the Little Debbie brownie by the lunch break.

But if the weather had been decent, all in all a great ride. I would do it again. But I'd BYO PB&J.

[Lifesgreat]

Thanks for the report. I will need to get my map out, but maybe you went to Ophir? Ophir is a former mining town located in a small, beautiful canyon. There are a few residents there, I believe.

If I do it, I will dress warmly and bring cold pizza.

[yellow]

I'm your Huckleberry. I rode Ghost Town's 65-mile route last April.

Thanks for the report. Horribly cold and rainy does not sound good right now! Hopefully this year won't be a repeat of last year.

Weather forecast for Zion Country next weekend (2/25) is partly cloudy with a high of 64 F in St George, light to no wind (yay!) and mostly cloudy with a high of 62 F in Springdale, 7 mph winds. I would LOVE IT if it just got to 60!!! Now I'll just have to survive the 40s in the morning at the start. Good thing they SAG your clothes for you!

[AuntieK]

Thanks for the forecast, Yellow!
I was going to go down and ride Sand Hollow this weekend, but decided against it because of the nasty weather outlook. Glad I didn't after all the snow we just got...hear it wasn't too pleasant down south either.
I was hoping the weather would warm up for the 25th though. I'm glad you're keeping track! Should be beautiful.