UT-21 between Baker NV and Beaver UT?

[Justin]

Just wanted some feedback on this road, as it's a possibility for a BBG1500 I'll be doing in a few weeks. It looks pretty good on the maps, and should be able to maintain speed. But, I've never ridden it, so any first hand info would be appreciated. The rest of my route is mostly interstate, except the section between Wells NV and Beaver UT. I'll be taking the great basin hwy (US 93), down past Ely NV, then pick up US 50 East, turnoff on NV 487 that turns into UT 21. Any issues/comments/thoughts on this section of road?


Attached the route as well.

Edit: Also, what is the traffic speed through SLC metro area on a Saturday?

[blakebird]

Justin,

It's been years since I was on 21, but it was a bit rough in places. Maybe it's been resurfaced.
Last time thru SLC the traffic flowed nicely, but like the front range - depends on the time of day.

Remember too, the 40mph section thru all of Glenwood Canyon, as they're resurfacing the EB lane and all traffic is using the upper WB deck.
Only a few miles, but I've been thru a couple of times recently and it's like jogging in deep sand.... slow.
A BBG is not very forgiving of having your average speed lowered much.

[Justin]

Justin,

It's been years since I was on 21, but it was a bit rough in places. Maybe it's been resurfaced.
Last time thru SLC the traffic flowed nicely, but like the front range - depends on the time of day.

Remember too, the 40mph section thru all of Glenwood Canyon, as they're resurfacing the EB lane and all traffic is using the upper WB deck.
Only a few miles, but I've been thru a couple of times recently and it's like jogging in deep sand.... slow.
A BBG is not very forgiving of having your average speed lowered much.

Blake, thanks for the input. Have you been through that section of Glenwood canyon at night with the construction? I may have to make a "scout" run out there so see how it is. And for RT 21, hopefully some of the locals will chime in. If it's bad, and Glenwood canyon is bad, I will have to go with one of my other routes

I may wind up doing the route you did, there and back to Flagstaff   I just really wanted to make a loop, so I could at least not ride the exact same road twice.

[blakebird]

Both times thru the construction at Glenwood Cyn was daylight hours.

The Flagstaff route is efficient, but it can be a windy bugger.

[blakebird]

Justin...

Some I-80 feedback for you.

I just rode the CBX back from Portland, and coming back across I-80 in southern Wyoming there were a number of sections of construction I thought you'd like to know about.

Between Rawlins and Laramie, they have closed sections of WB I-80 and shunt that traffic to the EB lanes, then later to the east, they have EB shutdown and traffic shunted to the WB lanes.

In both instances, you're sharing coned two-lane with oncoming traffic. The speed limit is posted 65 mph thru there, but I-80 is heavy on truck traffic and other rigs towing well below the speed limit - and it only takes one to slow the pace.

Don't know the total number of miles affected, but it's significant..... early in your loop, and will not help your average early on.
 
gratuitous picture opportunity  

[Justin]

Justin...

Some I-80 feedback for you.

First off ...   - Love the CBX. Is that a new acquisition?


Re: I-80, what kind of speeds were you riding through those sections? Do you have a rough idea how many miles were detoured like that?  I suspect any route I choose I will run into some setbacks? Did you take I-80 most of the way back? And did you run into any other issues along the way?

Here's my latest route, maybe you hit some other sections as well.

[Nevada]

I ran the portion from the Utah border to Ely about 6 weeks ago, it's pretty good.  Not much traffic, some sweepers.  Make sure that you are fueled up.  The fuel will be much cheaper in Ely than it will be at Border.  I came down US-6 from Delta, so I can't give you any info on the run to beaver.

[blakebird]

First off ...   - Love the CBX. Is that a new acquisition?
Re: I-80, what kind of speeds were you riding through those sections? Do you have a rough idea how many miles were detoured like that?  I suspect any route I choose I will run into some setbacks? Did you take I-80 most of the way back? And did you run into any other issues along the way?

Here's my latest route, maybe you hit some other sections as well.

Yes, CBX is a new acquisition. Flew to Portland and rode it back.
I crossed the gorge at The Dalles - and came back I-84 until it tees into I-80....so from Twin Falls, ID to Laramie I was on your route exactly the whole way, headed east.

The "front range" along the Wasatch from Brigham City south on I-15 is as much a traffic clusterf##k as the I-25 one we know and love. Traffic sails along pretty good, but it's still a potential for trouble if you're trying to make time cleanly.

There was a LOT of LEO presence in the eastern Utah hilly section of I-80 headed for Evanston. A LOT. They had people pulled over in clumps of three or four, both directions.

[Justin]

Congrats on the CBX, that bike is a classic, and looks like you got a fine one. Hopefully I'll get to ogle it in person one of these days. How was the trip back on that compared to your more modern bikes? That was a pretty progressive machine for it's time, so I suspect it did quite well on the trip.

Thanks for the tips on the LEO presence. In my experience I have never seen a lot of LEO activity in Utah, so I tend to ride on the faster side through that state in general. I will make a note to stay close to the limit in that area.

As to I-15, it shouldn't be "too bad" on the weekends from what I gathered, although I expect a slow down there. I adjusted my urban speed settings a bit slower in Delorme street atlas to factor that in. My route even at sedate settings is 19-20 hours riding time, so I am pretty confident I shouldn't have any issues. I guess now, it's just time to do it. Worst case scenario BB1500, and an excuse to attempt the BBG again