Author Archives: scottluria

Vernal, Utah to Rangely, Colorado. Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Saying goodbye at last to US 191, I climbed onto US 40, an iconic road if ever there was one. Once spanning the country from Atlantic City to San Francisco, parts of it were known as the National Road (America’s first highway), the Lincoln Highway—it wasContinue reading “Who’s the dinosaur?”

Red Canyon Lodge to Vernal, Utah. Tuesday, July 2, 2024 Today I completed what I had hoped to do in one day yesterday, the remaining 43 miles to Vernal. Nowhere near as tough as yesterday, but still involved climbing the high walls of Flaming Gorge, summiting at 8,483 feet, followed by a very switchbacky 3,000Continue reading “Vernal in name only”

Manila to Red Canyon Lodge, Utah. Monday, July 1, 2024. I was so touched. BFF Eric, who loves to pull my chain and who has dissed this Parking Lots Tour as inane and contrived, nevertheless tried mightily to get me to go back and tag the Henry’s Fork/Kings Peak trailhead after all. Leave your heavyContinue reading “Flamed out”

Lyman, Wyoming to Manila, Utah. Sunday, June 30, 2024 Well, I gave it my best shot. I knew this one was going to be a stretch. The wind, the spacing of the accommodations, and the road conditions were just too much. Despite an early start, I had to turn around short of the goal. TheContinue reading “Not this time”

Kemmerer to Lyman, Wyoming. Saturday, June 29, 2024 Today was kind of repeat of yesterday, minus the winds. Rolling rangeland with not much to look at, although I did see a few pronghorn antelope and prairie dogs crossing the road, too quickly to get a photograph. If you zoom in, you can see my nextContinue reading “Not much more to say”

LaBarge to Kemmerer, Wyoming Friday, June 28, 2024 The problem with most blogs is the boring detail and the whining. I am no exception. And if I’m whining, it’s usually about the wind. Especially if it’s unanticipated. I knew today was going to be a battle against the wind, so at least I was preparedContinue reading “It’s your attitude”

Pinedale to Labarge, Wyoming, Wednesday-Thursday June 26-27, 2024 Many of you are familiar with the classic poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee, by Robert W. Service, about a Tennessee boy freezing to death while prospecting for gold in the Yukon. The story is both hilarious and ghoulish, the rhymes and meter so melodious that isContinue reading “On the marge of Lake LaBarge”

Pinedale, Wyoming. Tuesday, June 25, 2024 [This blog post title will only make sense to fans of the bizarro movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show] 34 feet. 34 measly feet. That’s how much higher Gannett Peak was than the Grand Teton. But it meant I had to climb it. It’s a five day hike andContinue reading “Dammit, Gannett”

Jackson to Pinedale, Wyoming. Monday, June 24, 2024 This will be a short entry for my longest day so far, in terms of distance. Pinedale, the base for my climb up the Wyoming highpoint Gannett Peak, was 78 miles south of here. Because of today yesterday’s blistering headwind, I thought it would be a bigContinue reading “Pushing through to Pinedale”

Jackson Lake Lodge to Jackson, Wyoming. Sunday, June 23, 2024 Today I thought would be easy, just slide on out the back door of Yellowstone and the Tetons, downhill most of the way into Jackson. Brought to mind a favorite blues number by Lane Tietgen, continuing the religious theme on this Sunday, with a littleContinue reading “Sliding on out the back door”