3-Day Ride to the Great Salt Lake, Utah

[Weldangrind]

You're the one photographing sheep that have been dressed up.

[TurboT]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

You're the one photographing sheep that have been dressed up.

Yeah you might want to 'lose' those sheep photos, someone might get the wrong idea.

[AZ200cc]

Hey Everyone thought it I was just the first to say it

NOW BACK ON TOPIC PEOPLE!! SHeeeeesh

Nothing to see here

[Cal25]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

I can't even make an innocent trip to the fair! 8O What about the butter sculpture and the other photographs? :? Now we know where AZ has his mind! :roll:

Spud

Udderly amazing!

[FastDoc]

FWIW peole do that to sheep to keep their coats clean befor being shown. Some horse people dom it also. My cat hates Spandex, although she does have the figure for it.

Spud, thanks for taking the time to post the pics. You have totally inspired me to take a trip on Q.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

FWIW peole do that to sheep to keep their coats clean befor being shown. Some horse people dom it also...

Thank you for reminding me to point out this salient fact, oh wise physician!

I undoubtedly should have mentioned this fact in the original post! The annual state fair is a big event in all rural, western American states. People from across the state bring their finest livestock to be judged. Prior to judging, the livestock are groomed for their best appearance. Since the fair stalls can get soiled during the weeklong event, many, if not most owners, cover their sheep, and horses, with show blankets to keep their coats clean for judging.

I have been going to state fairs for many years, so I am familiar with this practice. However, I forgot that many members of this forum are not familiar with livestock judging, and would not be aware of this practice.

In the past, I have only seen the plain, traditional sheep blanket sold in the link below.

http://www.sullivansupply.com/Iowa/detail.aspx?ID=12565

This year was the first time I had seen the colored sheep blankets. Fellow China Riders, you never know what you might learn reading the posts in the Dual Sport Forum!

Originally Posted by FastDoc

…Spud, thanks for taking the time to post the pics. You have totally inspired me to take a trip on Q.

You are welcome, Doc. Thanks once again for reminding me to explain this common practice, which I forgot was unfamiliar to many of our forum members.

Spud

[FastDoc]

We have to 'splain stuff to the city folks, Spud.

[SpudRider]

After a good night’s rest in Ogden, I loaded my J.C. Whitney travel trunk and headed back north to Idaho.

Needless to say, I usually travel the secondary and tertiary roads with my 200cc motorcycle. Initially, I considered riding the back roads a great limitation on my travel speed. However, I now very much appreciate the relaxed pace, and the many interesting places I get to visit by avoiding the interstate highways. As I visit the many small towns, I stop frequently to take pictures, stretch my legs, and talk to the local citizens. If people comment about the small size of my motorcycle, I have a standard response; I tell everyone that it takes me twice as long to get where I am going, but I always have at least four times the fun getting there!

Riding north up the Wasatch Front, I encountered this interesting billboard just south of Brigham City, Utah.



There is no doubt; this billboard contains a true, and sobering fact for all motorcycle riders! I commend the Utah Department of Public Safety for their ingenuity.



Entering Brigham City, I decided to get a quick photograph in front of an historic Mormon building, the Box Elder Tabernacle.



Traveling north of Brigham City, I closely paralleled the beautiful Wasatch Range.



I traveled north to Fielding, Utah, where I filled my fuel tank, and my stomach. As I ate my lunch, I chatted with a friendly couple. The husband encouraged me to take a different route home than I had originally planned, and I decided to take his advice. I backtracked slightly, and headed east into Utah’s beautiful Cache Valley. As I rode north to Cache Junction, I was rewarded with beautiful views to the east of the mountains rising above the city of Logan.



Shortly thereafter, I returned to the Gem State, Idaho. The following photograph shows the mountains west of the village of Clifton.



Continuing north, I came to Red Rock Pass, just south of Downey. It was raining in the distance, but I was fortunate to remain dry during my entire journey.



Red Rock Pass delineates a boundary of the American Great Basin. North of this pass, all water flows into the Snake River drainage basin, and exits into the Pacific Ocean. South of this pass, all water flows into the Great Salt Lake, and eventually evaporates, never flowing to the sea.



Red Rock Pass is also the site where ancient Lake Bonneville overflowed an alluvial dam, about 14,500 years ago. The remnant of the receding Lake Bonneville eventually became the landlocked Great Salt Lake.



Continuing northward into very familiar territory, I quickly arrived safely home.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

You're an interesting guy Spud. Thanks for photo-documenting your amazing journey.

Yes, I'm familiar with fairs (ours is called the Agrifair), but it was fun to tease about the sheep. No foul intended. :wink:

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

You're an interesting guy Spud. Thanks for photo-documenting your amazing journey.

Yes, I'm familiar with fairs (ours is called the Agrifair), but it was fun to tease about the sheep. No foul intended. :wink:

Thank you for the kind words, WG. No problema; I was not offended.

Spud

[AZ200cc]

Hey sheep jokes have ben around as long as rednecks have populated the earth I grew up on a Farm/ranch/wreckingyard/outhouse...I understand some.

But Idaho looks like an awesome place to be, I am in awe....I thought my area was awesome but that place offers more.
And that sign is a good reminder of how it can go with one wrong move.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by AZ200cc

...Idaho looks like an awesome place to be, I am in awe....I thought my area was awesome but that place offers more.
And that sign is a good reminder of how it can go with one wrong move.

Thank you, AZ. Indeed, Idaho is a beautiful place to live and ride.

When I passed that sign, riding north, it took me several seconds to comprehend the message. Once I understood, I knew that I must immediately turn back and get a photograph! I have not seen a more witty message promoting motorcycle rider safety; I must truly compliment the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Jim

…18,000 MILES? Wow, definitely getting your money's worth…

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip into the American Great Basin. I also continue to be gratified, and completely satisfied, with the performance and reliability of my Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 motorcycle!

Despite the negative comments I sometimes read about it, my Zong’s 167FML engine has been completely reliable. I don’t do anything extraordinary to keep it running well; I just regularly change the oil, and occasionally adjust the valve clearance. This engine is an almost exact copy of the same engine used in the 1987-2009 Yamaha TW200 motorcycles; it is a wonderful, bulletproof, little powerplant.

After my Yamaha XT225 swingarm conversion, and the FMF Turbine Core 2 silencer installation, my Zong lost twenty pounds. My YamaZong is now light enough to be a very capable trail bike, but it is also heavy enough to travel well on the street, even when fighting the frequently stiff Idaho winds.

In particular, I love my Zong’s wide, comfortable saddle! I frequently ride 200-300 miles a day, and I could not make these rides without a comfortable seat.

After riding this motorcycle over 19,000 miles, I am still very pleased to own it! With the addition of a Yamaha XT225 Clarke fuel tank, my YamaZong will become a superb, small displacement adventure bike, with excellent trail capability.

I hear rumors that production of the Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 might be discontinued. If so, I am very glad I purchased my Zong while it was still available. I am confident I can run this motorcycle for twenty years, using Yamaha parts. My Zongshen 200GY-2 motorcycle is a close copy of the excellent Yamaha TW200 motorcycle. However, my Zong’s saddle is much more comfortable than the TW200 saddle, and fitting a larger fuel tank to my Zong requires fewer modifications.

Maybe I just got a good bike, manufactured on a Friday, when all the Chinese workers were happy! Whatever the circumstances, I love my Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2 motorcycle. After riding it over 19,000 miles, I enjoy it more than ever! This bike is an exceptional value, and I intend to keep it for a very long time.

Spud

[FastDoc]

19,000 on a Zong 8O . I 'only' have 21,000 on my 2007 Goldwing! I could use a Zong as a dinghy just to get to shore .

You are hard core Spud. Is the Zong your only streetbike?

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

19,000 on a Zong 8O...You are hard core Spud. Is the Zong your only streetbike?

Yes, the Zong is my only motorcycle; I don't have room to store another bike. Also, I really enjoy riding dual sport motorcycles. I love to ride in the mountains, and I also love riding on gravel roads. Some of Idaho's most beautiful scenery is viewed from its gravel roads. I enjoy the ground clearance, suspension, torque, traction, and easy maintenance of my dual sport YamaZong.

I have recently considered buying a Kawasaki KLR650, or Suzuki DR650SE. However, I really enjoy riding my YamaZong; the Yamaha XT225 adjustable shock absorber is excellent, and the Zong's wide saddle is quite comfortable! The Zong is easy to maintain, and economical to ride and repair. Since I only paid $950 for it, I ride it like I stole it! The KLR650 is a great motorcycle, and definitely more road worthy than my Zong. However, my much lighter, lower YamaZong is easier to handle on the trails than the KLR650. I have decided that I can't justify the price difference to switch to the KLR650. The YamaZong goes fast enough to allow me to safely arrive at any destination I choose, and the lighter, lower Zong, sans fairing, gives me the confidence to explore any trail I discover along the way.

I don't like tall dual sport motorcycles, and I really don't like the hard, narrow saddles found on most of them. My YamaZong has become a very nice little adventure bike! Once I add the 3.5 gallon Clarke fuel tank, I think my YamaZong will compare very favorably with many Japanese motorcycles. The Zong's low price tag is an added feature; I can do a lot of riding with the extra $3,000-$4,000 I saved buying this bike.

Here is a photograph I took several days ago from a local mountain in Idaho.



I am quite happy to own the YamaZong as my only motorcycle.

Spud