The wife had been planning this for a couple of months.    Downata hot springs with her family.   I really like my in-laws, and my Father in Law really knows good spots in this neck of the woods.   He’s a road explorer, just like me.  Maybe thats why she married me.

They headed out friday night.    I wanted to see some new roads, so I took the bike up saturday morning    Headed up through Heber to take care of a few work things.    The weather looked pretty bad.   I was pretty sure I would be rained on.

 

Chalk Creek road turned gravel somewhere around the Wyoming state line.    It was good gravel.   Graded, and it appeared to have just rained which made it not bad.    I was enjoying this road.

Got gas, and rounded Bear Lake,  into Idaho, raining a lot of the way.

I passed camp Bartlett, and for the 10 miles up the canyon I tried to remember where I’d known that place.    I remembered, and went back.

It was 1976.  I was 11 years old.    Our scout troop was invited to camp Bartlett.     I remember going nose to nose with a kid there, a few days in.       He wanted to fight, and I pussied out, and walked away.     I remember the swimming hole, and tent camping.hiking up to where a bear had clawed a tree, and having a whole lot of fun.     I also remember how I’d backed down from that fight and it haunted me.   The last day, when our parents were picking us all up, I remember shouting that kids name in the parking lot.   He looked at me, and I punched him in the face.   Then, my whole troop joined in against their troop,   In the parking lot, in front of everybody.      Boys will  be boys.  BSA troop 189 wasn’t invited back the next year.      That’s what I remember.     Memories are funny.

The canyon up to Preston was awesome.    Really a great ride.

I found my family, and enjoyed the day.   Cooked some burgers, swam with the kids and had a great time.    My family is awesome.

I headed out around noon the next day.   I saw some things on the way up that I wanted to see again.  I took this picture while I was searching for my keys for my bike.     It took me about an hour, and missus Zip  ended up finding them.

View Larger Map

I’ve been bummed out all week.    Sometimes, you’re not sure why.   Sometimes you know what you need to do, and you don’t want to do it.   I’m not one to stay down long.

I’ve always used this blog as my sounding board.     To get things out.   Just saying I’ve been down all week makes me feel better.      Time to gut this fish.

Jim Croce was the first music I ever remember hearing.  That, and the Beatles.   My older brother and I shared a room, and he was 8 years older than I was.    He turned me onto music, without even probably realizing it I’m sure.

Tomorrow, I’ll hang with friends and brothers at a BACA party for our kids.     These are good guys.    Friends.   I sincerely enjoy their company, and I’d like to think they enjoy mine too.

I really don’t want to hit “publish” on this post right now.    I’d like to say I’m up all the time, but i’m not, and I know neither are you.     If I hit that button, somehow it feels better and I can put it behind me.

Fuck it.   I’m pressing it.     I’m gutting this fish.

 

 

 

I remember listening to this song when I was a kid, to my parents records.       I think it had an impression back then, but it has a much bigger impression now.   Any man who’s a man, has had his balls kicked in and ended up staying his course.

Ol’ blue eyes was 54 when he sang this.

June Carter was better with Johnny, and Reese sings better than June.   There, I said it.

Ray Charles could see that.

Got me a hundie in at work, miles wise.    We’re opening a new landfill tomorrow and had to ride up and handle some things involved with that.    A pretty good day.

Tomorrow, we ride.   Into Wyoming and Idaho.   Found me some cool roads I wanna see.

Love this song.    Good song to start out a ride as you haul ass out of town.

Can’t wait to see some new roads this weekend.

Ok, gonna go finish unloading all our shit out of the garage.

“There’s the sense of freedom and sense of being a part of the environment around you, and it’s fun. It’s fun riding a bike … You smell the flowers, and you smell the garbage. And you try not to get killed by a Prius.”