Hi Ho Silver!

August 29, 2021

Coalville, UT loop #2

Today I'm taking a ride on my own bike - named Silver, since Don wasn't up for riding the tandem. It was a last minute decision to squeeze my single into the trailer, but I'm really happy that I did.

By 10:30 am it had warmed up into the 60's and was sunny out. Good weather for a ride except of the ever present haze. The air quality was a bit better than yesterday, at least in the morning.

I headed back over the interstate into Coalville and turned north on the historic Union Pacific rail trail. This is Utah's first non-motorized rail trail and travels for 28 miles from north of Echo City to south of Park City. It was paved for a mile or so and kept me out the busier downtown area.

The trail was nice, but the surface had many cracks and heaves, much like some our trails in Denver. It looked like the town had paved this short section and then just left it. A few other people were out on the trail, including one road rider.

When the trail turned back to rough loose rocks, I jumped onto the nearby highway. Too bad the entire trail isn't paved. Oh well, there wasn't much traffic on the road and drivers unfailingly gave me lots of room when they passed.

A short distance past Coalville, the road rolled up and down around Echo Reservoir. The water level was very low, and I only saw a few kayaks and paddle boarders out on it. The sunflowers were lining the road, looking very festive with their nodding head.

After a few miles, I reached an underpass where my road went under I-80. It looked like there was a frontage road that followed the interstate up the canyon so I decided to follow it for a bit.

I found several informational signs along the way telling about the red rocks and other interesting history. After I had done a mile, I found a convenient concrete barrier next to the road where I could lean the bike and eat lunch/take a pee break.

From here, I turned around and continued back to the underpass where I followed the road north to Echo City. Around the corner I found more signs to read and a monument about this location being a Pony Express station.

The signs were quite interesting to read as they talked about the history of the Lincoln Highway in this area. I had seen the markers along the route, designating this as the Lincoln Highway, but didn't know about a rivalry between Coalville and Ogden.

Apparantly there was a fight over where this highway would go on its way to Salt Lake City. Coalville put up a big sign stating it was much shorter to take the Coalville route rather than go through Ogden. The Ogden people took exception to this sign and dynamited it! Then they put up their own sign directing drivers through Ogden. Eventually the Ogden route was eliminated and drivers went to Salt Lake through Coalville. So there, Ogden!

When I reached Echo City, I saw a sign for a historic church so detoured up a side road to take a look. It was a pretty little church with an old cemetery nearby, built in 1876 by the Protestants and operated as both a church on Sundays and school during the week.

Eventually they sold it to the LDS. It operates as a community center now, although there isn't much of a community here anymore. Just a few homes and maybe a cafe that might be open some days.

Back to the highway, I found another stop that was at what I think was an old school. More interesting signs to read and also a tiny post office nearby that looked like it still was operating.

By now it was starting to heat up, and high time to stop lollygagging at signs and head back to camp! I knew I had a big climb going up the reservoir dam, plus a couple of other minor hills.

I powered slowly up the road next to the dam - yeah, me! Too bad that rail trail wasn't paved as it would have avoided these hills. Oh well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!

The next couple of little climbs weren't much and in no time I was back in Coalville where I again took the rail trail for a short way.

As I didn't quite have the 20 miles I was shooting for, I kept going straight on a road running west of the interstate, rather than turn down the frontage road to the campground. We had driven this route the other day and I knew there was an osprey nest on top of a phone pole. I didn't spot an osprey on that nest but did see one on another pole.

When this little road turned and headed up steep hill, I said no thanks, I've done plenty of climbing today! So I turned around and headed back home where I found Don dozing in a chair under our awning. What a lazy bones!

It had been a good ride and really quite interesting. I took lots of pictures so I hope you enjoy them! Tomorrow we break camp and head north into Idaho.

This was quite a unique bird house located in Coalville. I think it's a martin house.

My route today paralled the historic Union Pacific rail trail. It was paved for a short way in Coalville, then became quite rough and rocky. Not for Silver!

I found the perfect lunch/pee spot by this concrete barricade. The red rocks in the background were quite prominent. This was along a road that I took for a short way near the interstate.

Cheery sunflowers lined my route today. I always think of my mom when I see these flowers as they were one of her favorite flowers.

Near the interstate I saw this sign for Monument Rock. My route today was also part of the Lincoln Highway.

This highway was also part of many historic trails - the California Trail, the Mormon Emigrant trail and the Pony Express.

I discovered this interesting sign when I stopped to read the Pony Express sign.

Along the route was this Pony Express monument, indicating that the Weber way station was located here.

I think this is Echo City's historic school but there weren't any markers indicating that it was so.

This old gas station in Echo City caught my eye. Like most other businesses in this tiny community, it was closed many years ago.

Echo City's historic church which was also operated as a school for awhile.

The water level in Echo Reservoir was very low, like many other reservoirs in the West.

Today's ride: 20 miles (32 km)
Total: 1,064 miles (1,712 km)

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