100 Days 48 States - The Journey

"Great beautiful clouds floated overhead,
valley clouds that made you feel the vastness of…
America from mouth to mouth and from tip to tip."
- Jack Kerouac, On The Road

TODAY’S ROUTE:
Steamboat Springs, CO to Park City, UT: US-40 West through Craig to Dinosaur through Vernal to Duchesne to Heber City, North to SR-248, West to Park City. (MAP)

THE DETAILS:
With the morning sun I can see why Carole and Burton have decided to spend the rest of their lives in Steamboat. This place is absolutely gorgeous and their house looks right over the mountain. Out my bedroom window, a hot air balloon drifting over the valley greets me.

The Cohens give us a quick tour of the town and mountain. There’s a lot to do here, regardless of the season. In the warmer months, hiking, biking, kayaking, and rafting are all popular. And of course, the place really shines in the winter, with great skiing and virtually every winter sport, including a World Cup Ski Jump site. This small town of 7,000 people has produced more Olympic athletes than any other place in the USA. We visit the Olympic hall, which has a flag for every athlete’s Olympic competition. The most famous skier in town is Billy Kid who won a silver medal in the 1964 Winter Olympics. Billy is the town’s ambassador. He’s on the mountain three or four days a week and you can ski with him if you want. During the summer months he travels to places like New Zealand to spread the good word of Steamboat.

But the town wants to stay small and keep the good feeling it has. Although real estate prices have risen, the place still has an unspoiled atmosphere. It’s not commercialized and attracts families, not the ritzy crowds of places like Aspen. I really like Steamboat and I’ll definitely come back here again. Besides, I’ve got an open invitation.

On the way out of town, we stop at the offices of the Steamboat Pilot, the local newspaper. Carole has arranged an interview for me with hopes that the paper will run a story on my trip and mention the Neurological Institute at Cedars-Sinai. Perhaps we can get some additional donations.

Finally, Chuck and I hit the road, but we’re late again, thanks to me. After we get through Craig the road empties out, turning straight and fast. It’s almost like a desert in this part of Colorado. The open scene reminds me of some views from the movie "Easy Rider." But Chuck and I, with our colorful gortex jackets, full-face helmets, and BMW motorcycles don’t look anything like Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. But the feeling is the same. We’re touring the open road, out among America.

We stop at the Dinosaur National Monument. Where is this you ask? In Dinosaur, Colorado, of course. They have a Dinosaur Quarry here, near Jensen, Utah, but we don’t have time to dilly-dally. We have to keep moving to beat the sunset. Racing into rays of light we skirt the Strawberry Reservoir and cross Daniel’s Pass at almost 8,000 feet.

In Heber City, we split up, Chuck heading down to Sundance to stay with a TWA pilot buddy named Don and his wife Paula. I head up the road to Park City, where we’ll meet tomorrow for the AHMRA Motorcycle Week activities. As soon as I turn north, motorcycles surround me. They’re everywhere, headed to and from. A chick on a brand new BMW R1100S (the sport version of my bike) zips past me up the highway. I brave the traffic to keep up with her. This girl is fast.

It’s dark when I arrive at the Yarrow Hotel in Park City. But I’m amazed when I pull into the parking lot. There are all kinds of motorcycles, all over the place. I did this one right. Unlike Denver, I made a reservation months ago. And my hotel is motorcycle central: headquarters for everything and the start/finish line for the road races. Tomorrow is going to be a blast.

THE DAILY TAKE:
Miles Today: 309.4
Total Miles: 10,102
Time on Motorcycle: 4 Hours 34 Minutes
Average Speed: 67.8 MPH
States Visited today: 2 (CO, UT)
Total States Visited: 25
National Park Service Passport Stamps: 1
NPS Stamp totals: 73 Stamps, 21 States
Weather: Quite lovely, actually.
Number of different types of dinosaur species found at Dinosaur National Monument: 8

RANDOM PASSINGS:
When I stopped at Fort Laramie in Wyoming a few days ago, they had four extra National Park Service cancellation stamps. These were for National Trail Systems: The Oregon, The California, The Morman Pioneer, and The Pony Express National Historic Trails.

I stamped my passport with them but I wasn’t sure they counted towards the Iron Butt National Park Master Traveler Award. So, I e-mailed Mike Kneebone, the Iron Butt President, and asked him. I also asked him about park sites, like the Boston National Historic Park, which have multiple sites and different stamps for each. I wasn’t sure any of these stamps would count because they are not listed in the NPS Passport, but they are on the NPS web site and Fodor’s "Complete Guide to America’s National Parks."

Mike responded to my question within hours (Don’t you just love e-mail.) And the news is good. THEY COUNT!