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Utah Utah in March 2019, non-ski activities

SCWVA

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Jim,
Thanks for the uplifting TR. No pics of Vince, just his toys? Does he know you're Home Alone?
 
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Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney

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Jim,
Thanks for the uplifting TR. No pics of Vince, just his toys? Does he know you're Home Alone?
LOL.
For the most part he's only got one set of each toy so we have to trade off, but he does have two sets of skinning equipment and we did that together a few times. Hope you and your large family are doing well!
1593192278159.png
 
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Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney

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27 June 20 bike ride along the Jordan River Trail.
This is the Native American Heritage Monument in Draper, UT. I like this section of the trail because it's fairly low traffic, good for social distancing.
native american heritage monument draper.jpg
White Pelican, they fly in from the Pacific Ocean to breed in the Great Salt Lake area.
white pelican .jpg
I've passed this cute goat farm near Bluffdale before. That little guy is multi-purposing a skateboard ramp.
goat farm.jpg
I would like to own one of these 1970s El Caminos. I started and ended my ride at Mulligan's S. Jordan golf center in background. It was mobbed this Saturday morning despite the fact that Utah keeps breaking the daily record for new confirmed Covid cases. Something's gotta give?
70s el camino.jpg
This is from 26 June, I guess you'd call it Sunset over Wasatch Blvd.
sunset over wasatch blvd.jpg
 
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Jim Kenney

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I drove over Guardsman Pass (elev 9717') today with my wife. It was really nice. First time I've been all the way up and over. This is a nondescript road that is closed in winter and easily overlooked. But it's a popular route in summer. The Guardsman Pass Road is at the top of the Big Cottonwood Canyon Access Road. You take a left just before arriving at Brighton Ski Area. You get a view of the upper canyon similar to the higher lifts at Brighton.

A good chunk of Solitude's ski terrain is in the photo.
2 july solitude .jpg
The Brighton Millicent Chair goes up the center of this photo. Summer reveals a whole lotta rock up there!
2 july brighton.jpg
Guardsman Pass picnic, 9717'.
2 july guardsman picnic.jpg
East view from Guardsman Pass, pano shot, click to enlarge.
2 july east view guardsman pass.jpg
Descending from Guardsman Pass. Several of the green mountains in background are part of Deer Valley ski area and have chair lift terminals on their tops. Traveling this route really shows you how close all these ski areas are to each other. It would be so easy to connect them!:decisions:
2 july descending guardsman.jpg
This is the view looking west from nearby Empire Pass. Empire Express from Deer Valley is visible. I think the farthest lift in background is McConkey's at Park City. This is a pano shot.
2 july empire pass pano.jpg
A pair of trikes went by. They look fun!
2 july trikes.jpg
This is the Montage Hotel near base of Ruby Chair, Deer Valley. Awesome structure. We drove by the front entrance just for fun and three bellhops came out with masks on.
2 july montague.jpg
Along Main Street in Park City even the statues are wearing masks. We completed a nice loop by returning to the Salt Lake Valley via I80.
2 july main st park city.jpg
 
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Phelmut

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Looks like a beautiful ride Jim. The trike up above is a Slingshot made by Polaris. I got an invite and a $50 gift card to test ride one a couple of years back. The guy at the shop let me go out alone for an hour or so which surprised me. You need a motorcycle license even though it is more like a car than a motorcycle. There is a steering wheel and it is like driving a manual car, clutch pedal and stick in the middle and all.

The ride was all rattly, kind of like driving an old MG through town. When it was time to bring it back I decided to go out on the highway and get on it. No traffic coming as I pulled onto the highway so I hammered it and got a chirp from 3rd to 4th at 85 mph. That was fun so i rinsed and repeated from a standing stop in between gaps of traffic.

The problem was it really wasn't much fun unless you were getting on it and it would not last long like that. I think the Can Ams look like the better choice if you're in the market for that type of "bike".
 
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Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney

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Looks like a beautiful ride Jim. The trike up above is a Slingshot made by Polaris. I got an invite and a $50 gift card to test ride one a couple of years back. The guy at the shop let me go out alone for an hour or so which surprised me. You need a motorcycle license even though it is more like a car than a motorcycle. There is a steering wheel and it is like driving a manual car, clutch pedal and stick in the middle and all.

The ride was all rattly, kind of like driving an old MG through town. When it was time to bring it back I decided to go out on the highway and get on it. No traffic coming as I pulled onto the highway so I hammered it and got a chirp from 3rd to 4th at 85 mph. That was fun so i rinsed and repeated from a standing stop in between gaps of traffic.

The problem was it really wasn't much fun unless you were getting on it and it would not last long like that. I think the Can Ams look like the better choice if you're in the market for that type of "bike".
Not really in the market, but very interested to hear how they drive vs. a regular car. I owned an MG from 1978-88. I was wondering if the back end would be squirrelly on a mountain road?
 

Phelmut

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I was on straight highway. so not sure how it would handle on twisties. I will say that the tail did slide a bit from side to side when hammered and shifting from the lower gears.
 
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Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney

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Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney

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UPDATE: 2 May 2022, after doing some chores and shopping downtown, my wife and I took a few minutes to climb up Ensign Peak (elevation 5,417) on the outskirts of Salt Lake City. It's just a short distance north of the State Capitol Building. The hike is easy and the weather was a beautiful 70 degrees today, although it was quite breezy at the summit.

The climbers, the dome of the State Capitol Building is right between us:
kathy and jim 2 may ensign peak.jpg

Taking a break part way up:
kathy valley view 2 may.jpg

That fence kind of makes it look like Switzerland?
valley ensign peak 2 may.jpg

Getting closer to the summit, Antelope Island is to the northwest in the left background:
downhill trail 2 may.jpg

This is the view towards the southeast from the summit tower of Ensign Peak on 2 May 2022. The Salt Lake City central business district is about 1000 vertical feet below to the right. Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are in the snowy mountains in the center background:
ensign peak tower 2 may.jpg

Plaque provides some background on why and when this spot was named Ensign Peak:
ensign plaque 2 may.jpg

Looking west from the summit towards the Great Salt Lake:
great salt lake 2 may from ensign peak.jpg

Heading back down the trail:
purple valley 2 may.jpg

Nearing the finish line:
kathy ensign 2 may.jpg

Beautiful day!
 
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