Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Day 1: Delta Ut. to Delta Co.

Initially we weren't going to leave town until Wednesday morning.  However over the years we've found that getting out of town a bit earlier, and getting those initial miles out of the way, can make a huge difference.  These first 300 miles we had already traveled on previous rides and just wanted to be ahead of the game for Wednesday, when our vacation was really to begin.

We left Delta, Ut. around 2:30pm.  Thankfully it wasn't nearly as hot this year for an afternoon ride.  Not that it would have mattered, we'd have left anyway.  After planning this ride for months we were ready to go regardless of the weather.  The first little stretch into Salina, Ut. is pretty mundane for us.  We've been there done that A BUNCH.  I-70 in to Green River Ut is where it starts getting fun.  The canyon just outside of Salina is beautiful.  We did hit some rain for a few miles but nothing too serious.  It's amazing how fast the scenery can change out there.  From beautiful mountain canyons into rocky desert cliffs, it's gorgeous. 

There is an exit on this stretch of 1-70, closer to Green River than Salina, labeled "Mussentuchit".  Cracks me up every time I see it.  Mustn't touch what???  Well I finally remembered to look it up.

"What about Mussentuchit, though? Originally, cowboys called it "Must Not Touch It" because the water was poisonous. That became "Musn't Touch it." And finally, Mussentuchit, with a new pronunciation: "moose-un-TOO-shet"."  

That quote is from an article on KSL. There's a lot more Utah history included if you'd like to check it out.

Just outside of Green River we started chasing a storm.  It was amazing to see the thunderstorms coming together over the mountains to the north of us.  At first the clouds looked like blue cotton candy. When they started transitioning into black haze I figured we were really going to get nailed.  Somehow we managed to get around it and by the time we hit Fruita, Co.  we were pretty safe from the north.  Fruita is rich with agriculture so everything is green and smells so so good.  I believe it's part of the Colorado River that runs through there and you can feel the moisture as you ride through. 

From Grand Junction, Co. we headed south on 50 into Delta Co.  Once again, we were chasing a storm, this time to south of us.  The storm was far enough ahead all we caught were wet roads and this amazing rainbow.
The BWG (Big White Guy) had left his phone is his pocket so I was able to snatch it and get a pic.  This is what makes being on a motorcycle so amazing.  EVERYTHING looks and feel different than in a car.  You are actually part of the environment.  You can easily take in the magnitude of what's really going on around you.  Being in a car is more like watching a movie, on a bike you are IN the movie.

We made Delta, Co. dry.  Which I was grateful for.  Riding in the rain isn't necessarily bad, but it does get a bit uncomfortable depending on how bad it is. 
We opted to try a different motel this time. The Westways Court Motel was pretty decent.  I don't remember exactly what we paid, but it was affordable.  The room was tiny, which was fine for us, but the shower was even smaller.  I thought the BWG was exaggerating when he said he was going to have to shower one half at time, until I got in the next morning.  There wasn't enough room to even shave my legs and the shower itself was so short it was hard for me to even wash my hair.  Which, given the fact that I'm only 5' 3" should tell you something.  But in a pinch, and if you are not looking for luxury, I would stay here again.  I loved the outside of the building.  It was quiet and quaint.  I'm also a big fan of what the BWG calls "motor inns".  I don't remember them being called that but he has a few years on me.  I love the places you can just pull up and walk in your room.  They are my favorite.

We hit Hoolies for dinner and beers. This is our second visit there and we were not as impressed with it this time.  The food is great and the beer is cold.  The bartender/waitress may have needed a little work.  Our first visit there we absolutely loved it, but this time it was a bit different atmosphere.  It is a cool place to check out.  From looking at the inside it looks like it used to be a Mexican restaurant and they've done a good job revamping it into a bar.  It's totally biker friendly if you are ever in the area.  And like I said, the food is great if you don't mind less than perfect service.

There is a really cool old building across the street from Hoolies.  It's called the Delta House.  Turns out it's now an assisted living facility.  I couldn't find any history info on it with a quick Google search.  But it's definitely worth looking at if you ride by.

Main Street is full of old buildings that are still operating businesses. We love that!  It feels "hometown" and you can tell these people honor their city and their history.

One of our favorite finds in Delta Co is Orval's Used Cars.  This pic speaks for itself.  If you are in the area and love old cars, this is a must to visit.  Seriously!  So so cool!  I couldn't find my pics of the place so I borrowed this from their website.  Really, check it out.
Delta, Co. is so rich in history and agriculture.  I expect in the future we will spend a little more time there exploring.  It's become a "gateway" for us on our travels and with so much to discover I'm sure we'll go back.  Tomorrow I'll be sharing about day two which will include our favorite little breakfast spot in Delta, Co. along with our ride in to Colorado Springs.

No comments:

Post a Comment