Skyline Bike Hike...if that's what they call it...

Utah had above normal temperatures this weekend and I took the opportunity to go up to the top of the world and bike the dang thing.  I've been planning to ride the Skyline Drive all summer, even last year.  I tried to attempt it one weekend in August but it was very windy and cold when I got up there.  So I gave up for the rest of the year.  But I lucked out this weekend, in order to have a perfect ride, it has to be hot down at the valley and with no wind at all.  This weekend just had that.

It felt real nice at the skyline, since it's at 10,000 feet elevation, it was 60 degrees.  I could bear that.  So I rode from the top of Ephraim Canyon and rode south all the way to High Top which is above between Sterling and Mayfield canyons.

High Top is 14 miles south of Ephraim Canyon and it is the highest point of Skyline Drive.

Such a good view from High Top.  Well, anywhere on the whole ride had good, beautiful views.  There were a lot of atv riders too and they were all friendly and waved.  I turned around at High Top and headed north.

If I remember it right, I'm pretty sure there were about 4 or 5 climbs that lasted 10 to 15 minutes each, then the rest of the way was pretty straightforward flat.  I rode on the easiest part of Skyline Drive and I still logged in 28.5 miles and climbed 2,005 feet elevation total.  It was a good ride and very pretty.  Now my bucket list might be complete for this year!  Whooo hoo!

Just an escape on a weekend...

I had a few days off while my boss went to an ambulance conference in Vegas so I felt like going somewhere, well, anywhere.  My folks wanted to go to the state fair for some reason and I took my bike with me.  We all headed up to northern Utah.  This is the ride where I got to go which was close by the motel.  The trail is in Eagle Mountain.

This trail loop is actually a high school mountain bike race course for one of the races that are being held this fall.  The middle school kids already had one there at the first of the school year.  I thought I'd check it out while I was in the area.  I didn't feel like Corner Canyon trails and this is where I ended up.  I rode Cow Tracks trail to get to the loop from Eagle Mountain then got on Road Runner trail.  Pretty fun fast trail.

Then at the top, Jackrabbit trail...

Lots of turns but it's just out there in nowhere with no trees except a few junipers.

Then a fun downhill on Deadwood trail.  With a lot of burnt junipers.

Fast flowy trail that made the ride fun.  I did a couple laps on the loop.

Cow Tracks trail.  And the first part of it from Eagle Mountain was very steep but I still cleaned it all up with my bike with extra low gears.  It's awesome!

A picture from the state fair the day before.  These are butter sculptures made with real butter.  Fascinating!  My parents and I met my little sister there and we saw a lot of things at the state fair.  It was fun.  I haven't been to a fair since I was a teenager.