Fwd: Picto Diary - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 May 2021 - John Galt Riders

Above: Ballou, Granny, and Freddie. Dressage competition. Ogden, UT. 23 May 2021.
Granny attends dressage competition in Ogden simultaneous to Bishop joining John Galt Riders for a ride to Ivins, UT.

Above: Mynduveroan and Ballou. Dressage competition. Ogden, UT. 23 May 2021.
1st place. 12 competitors.

Above: John Galt Riders belt buckle. Park City, UT.. 23 May 2021.
John Galt Riders; Out and About on the LT.
These exclusive belt buckles have been issued to only four. One rider, charter member Ted, is deceased. Three living riders are John Galt, Earp, and Bishop.
John Galt Riders have motorcycled in Australia, Patagonia, Alaska, Africa, Eurasia, Japan, Asia and Europe in a never ending quest to locate Galt's Gulch.
John Galt Riders believe charity begins at home... not via government confiscation.

Above: Home Plate Diner. Fairview, Utah. 23 May 2021.
John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.
Galt and Bishop rode south, in blustery weather, on US 89, swinging west, via I-70 to meet I-15.
Between Sterling and Gunnison, riding at 70 mph, I came upon four or five seagulls noshing on road kill. One of the seagulls got greedy and began his liftoff too late. The bird hit my left mirror assembly and tore it right off. I had only my right mirror for the rest of the ride. I adapted... but, I had to exercise significant care when shifting left. Now, what to do. The LT is a fifteen year old bike, running well, but, of little value in the marketplace. It will likely be difficult to find a replacement mirror... and if I do find one, it will, doubtless, be pricy. Its odd in a way. The price of the new mirror could be up to half of the value of the bike itself.

Above: Red Mountain. Ivins, UT. 23 May 2021.
John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.
Tired. Time for a cocktail and some rustled up snacks in the cupboard. Then bed.

Above John Galt (1993 BMW Paris Dakar motorcycle) at Bishop's for breakfast. St. George, UT. 24 May 2021.
John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.
Two geezers on two geezer motorcycles.
In search of Galt's Gulch. Needed now more than ever.

Above: Bishop and John Galt. Grand Canyon, North Rim, AZ. 24 May 2021.
John Galt Riders; Out and About on the LT.
Bishop and John Galt reunited for another motorcycle ride. First ride together (including Great Pyrenees, [Mrs. John Galt]) was in Patagonia, 2012.
Today's itinerary: 320 miles.
Ivins
Hurricane
Fredonia
Jacob Lake
North Rim Grand Canyon
Jacob Lake
Kanab
Mt. Carmel Junction
Zion National Park
Hurricane
Ivins

Above: Red Mountain from living room. . Ivins, UT. 24 May 2021.

John Galt Riders Out and About on the LT.

Before arriving home in Ivins, continued search of Galt's Gulch, and found a facsimile at nearby Harmon's supermarket: dinner steaks to debut Bishop's new grill. Cocktails on arrival well deserved. Ribeyes accompanied by a Malbec and frozen peas, were excellent. It is good living at the apex, at the precipice, before the fall... though still holding out for finding Galt's Gulch.

Above: Flat Iron Restaurant. Milford, UT. 25 May 2021.

John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.

We rode back to Park City through the little traveled west desert, via UT SR 257 and US 6. The ranchers living in Utah's sparsely populated West Desert... roughly one fourth of the state's land mass, are living in their own version of Galt's Gulch. They have to be fairly self reliant to survive... and they suffer fewer from (though not none) overbearing dirigiste dictats. Milford was established in the 1860's. Although there were ranchers in the area as far back as the 1870's, Milford was incorporated as a whistle stop on the new railroad connecting Salt Lake City with Las Vegas. Milford's population is 1300 souls. Milford is about as far off the beaten path as you can be in Utah... in other words... a nice place to be in crazy times.

Above: John Galt and Bishop. Flat Iron Restaurant. Milford, UT. 25 May 2021.

John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.

BLT's. Pretty good.

Above: Provo Peak. Utah County, UT. 25 May 2021.

John Galt Riders. Out and About on the LT.

For Provo dwellers, on the opposite (east) side of Utah Lake, pictured here, Y Mountain blocks the site of looming, 11.1 thousand foot elevation, Provo Peak. Provo Peak is one of thirty peaks in the Wasatch range over eleven thousand feet. No peak in the Wasatch reaches twelve thousand feet. However, Nebo, twenty five miles south of Provo Peak, at 11,928 feet of elevation comes close. While I was growing up in Provo, because you couldn't see it, Provo Peak could have been in the Himalayas. Utah Valley, bordered by the mountains, circumscribed my young life. Predominantly LDS, law abiding, and Caucasian... Utah Valley afforded a wonderful, albeit cloistered, upbringing. After my first year of college, at American University in Cairo (Egypt), and later, my two and one half year long LDS mission in France, I was triggered to seek an international career. After receiving a graduate business degree, I worked fifteen years outside of the United States. Between university, mission, and work, I spent twenty years abroad. Since returning to the US in 1986 TIMDT and Mwah (sic) continued to travel internationally. We've been to one hundred thirty countries since leaving Boston for Beirut in late 1971. Now, here we are, nestled once again at the foot of Provo Peak (well, at least close to it). The more things change, the more things stay the same.

Addendum:

Congrats!🍾🎊 on your anniversary.

A second home? Looks very nice. Are you keeping your Park City house? Will you go back and forth between the two places?

Best to you and Margaret

Cyd,
Ashland, OR

Dear Steve and Margaret

Once again our best wishes for your 52nd wedding anniversary.

The new house project sounds very interesting. Please do share pictures. Is it in SLC or are you moving away to the countryside. I hope you all are staying well and are fully vaccinated.

I am sure you are reading and watching all about what’s happening in India. The situation is still very grim though number of cases is gradually coming down. But deaths are still in the 4 K per day mark.

The virus is moving South and East now and rural areas are beginning to get affected.

Hope we are able to control this spread soon.

Best Regards

Mohan,
Gurgaon, India