June 16 2025 Day Eleven

June 16, 2025 – Salt Lake City Utah – Day 11

 

Sitting in Slackwater’ just around the corner from the hostel and I’ve already surprised myself; I ate a whole Joe Pesci Italian sandwich with chips and normally I can’t eat that much myself anymore. It was a good sandwich, and I must’ve been hungry cuz it went down easy. Today was a short ride, about 3 ½ hours, but a fun one running through the mountains and valleys and there is still snow in some of them their mountains. Another hot day from start to finish and there for a while I saw signs for passes and the temp did drop to almost 80, that I was thinking I might have to make a stop to put on my leather jacket. Not the case cuz from a little chill, if you consider 80 a chill back into the 100’s I need to find some cool temps. 

 

I did get an ok start this morning and did get up before 9:00 to check out the free breakfast, but I sure didn’t miss anything. The lady who entered the lobby before me asked where the breakfast was and the lady at the front desk pointed out the hardboiled eggs and yogurt that was in the corner. Ok, I did grab myself and orange I found and a yogurt, but nothing that impressive. It is still a cool motel; the Apache and they do take full advantage of the western theme. My bike was straight out my room, since they had me in Room 1 right next to the lobby and it must’ve been my last-minute request for the lower level so I didn’t have to carry my heaving pack up a flight of stairs. I packed the bike in no time and once I get use to the routine, that’s all it is. Takes me probably less than 15 minutes to get everything situated that all I must do is take my shower for the day and pack my toiletry bag into the bike. 

 

The road from where I was coming to where I was going was only partial freeway, but a pretty good fast highway at that. Every once in a while, you get slowed down by traffic and see the sign that the next passing lane is anywhere from 1, 3 to 5 miles ahead that you can just taste it; the acceleration around the slow traffic in front of you. I was following an SUV which was hitting the passing lanes at 90, that I didn’t have any need to pass him and could tell if there was sharper turn, I might have to deal with, but on the bike, not a problem, just lean a little more and I can get around that corner without braking. Oh, and there was a white Audi following me that occasionally it was us 3 lined up until the next passing lane. 

 

I eventually lost the SUV somewhere around Provo where he turned off and was far enough in front of the Audi that I lost them too. It was back on the freeway, I-15 heading north to Salt Lake City and I got to use the HOV lane, it did say busses and motorcycles were Ok, so I got to cruise. I was surprised when I did pass where the Mormon temple was and I still had about 35 miles to the hostel, so I was definitely going to be downtown Salt Lake City today. 

 

Now to reflect, 19 years ago when into Salt Lake City, I came in from the West on I-80 after hitting the Bonneville salt flats and stayed in the area of the temple where I had to join a bar as a member to be able to drink. A couple of years ago, while thru Salt Lake City on my way out to Portland I was able to stay with my friend Nicholas who lives in the Cottonwood Heights area about 20 minutes South of downtown and at his place, I didn’t need a membership to drink. Today, right downtown and so far, no one has asked me to join the bar to be able to drink, but they do scan you id in every bar you walk into before you can drink, must be something like joining as a member. 

 

I made it to the hostel early with a little misdirection cuz my bike told me I had reached my destination on the left next to a building under construction and I never did look right so didn’t see where I wanted to be. With a U turn here and there to get around the construction I did end up in front of the hostel and ready to check-in, unpack and shower for the night. Well, I still have about 30 minutes before check-in that I just chilled, best I could and gave Shelley a call earlier than usual on this trip to make sure she’ll be in Portland when I get there. I did eventually get checked-in and just as I was unpacking the bike which I parked on the street in front of the hostel a parking spot opened for the bike to spend the night. That’s another story I’ll have to get to. 

 

Anyway, bike unpacked and into my room where I met two of my roommates for the night, Dalton and Robert, both from the east, but they didn’t know that cuz apparently they haven’t talked and after getting checked in and situated I had already had a full conversation with Dalton and why he’s out here from Baltimore to look for housing cuz him and his wife are moving out here, to Robert being here from Washington DC looking to take the summer off from medical school to find a job for the summer. Well, after talking to each separate I told them they needed to talk cuz Dalton’s wife is a physician moving here after her residence to be a doctor and Robert is considering whether he still wants to pursue the medical field or not. Ok, I made the connection for both of them so hopefully they’ll talk a little and get something figured out. 

 

Now to the story of parking the bike for the 2 nights that I’m here, I did ask the guys in the construction next to the hostel if I could park my bike in front of the Security SUV that has been sitting on the lot during construction, but they said I’d have to talk to security who are never around. Well, while I was out by my bike, the police dropped off someone for the hostel and I asked them if I could get a pass to park the bike on the sidewalk in front of the security SUV, but they suggested I talk to the construction security which isn’t around at all. Anyway, after talking with both the construction workers and the police, the hostel security guy was wondering what I was talking to the cops about, and I mentioned being able to park my bike next to the construction. Well, he assured me they patrol the area on a regular basis that my bike will be ok and he’ll make sure the night security checks in on it every once in a while. Good to go. 

 

Ok, made contact with Nicholas and we have plans for dinner tomorrow so hopefully I can make a quick trip to the Bonneville flats which are about an hour away and see what kind of top speed I can reach 19 years later. With that much more horsepower than what I have on my 2006 Street Glide to the 2019, there should be a big difference. Lets hope someone is there to tape it for me like I did back in 2006. 

 

This SlackWater’ has a menu with 12 pages of different beers that I’m good for the night and get to try a lot of sour beers while I’m here. Oh and I did forget to mention something I said to Shelley watching the kids and parents in and out of the sports shops around the hostel is there are a lot of blondes around, Yep, blonde and blue eyed Mormon