UTAH - get me two!

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by exapkib

Fantastic!

Great rides from SLC no question.

If you're willing to come a little further south, I don't know that there are many rides better than the "Alpine Loop." Especially if you can hit it when the snow is gone but it's still closed to cars.

Shoot me a PM--I'd love to connect while you're out here.

I'll be in touch - would be great to finally put a face to the name (and PayPal account )

Alpine Loop? https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46216966

Contender Bikes had some good ride info too. Just working on locking down my travel itinerary today..

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by mattsbeers

You might want to check and see if there are open at the summits as it might still be ski season

I'm not sure about Snowbird, but as I recall Alta has a fixed closure date irrespective of conditions, and that date has already passed. Not sure about the Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts.

[Bostic]

Originally Posted by Mike V

Red Iguana for Mexican food. Go to Red Iguana 2 it less crowded and have a bar to sit at for one.

This place has a variety of Moles and all of them are amazing. My wife and I always make sure we find time to stop by for lunch or dinner while in the area.

[sfscott]

Snowbird is only partially open, and the melt is on. You’d be fine to ride either BCC or LCC.

If you can get to Park City, good rides there. Go-to shop is Contender in Salt Lake and Park City. Stay Park City Cycling Club would be a good resource.

Valter’s is pricey but good Italian.

[exapkib]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

I'll be in touch - would be great to finally put a face to the name (and PayPal account )

Alpine Loop? https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46216966

Contender Bikes had some good ride info too. Just working on locking down my travel itinerary today..

That's the one!

A photo from today's ride in that neck of the woods:



The snow is now gone (enough) so the whole loop is rideable. It's never exactly sure when they will raise the gates and let the cars back up there, but even after the gates go up its a five star ride.

A few photos from other seasons up the Loop:









Other excellent additions to this loop: Cascade Springs Drive to Midway, Kyhv Peak, South Fork Road, Deer Creek Reservoir trail (if you have a little more rubber underneath you), Tibble Fork Road . . .

We live in a wonderful place. Please don't tell everybody.

[buddybikes]

Copper Common - the chef Sarah Corson was our former dog walker when she just got out of culinary school. She did cooking lesson for us. Was a sous chef for number of years then got this gig. She got big award for her work. If you go pm me and I would like to have you say hi from my wife and I.

[jpritchet74]

My favorite coffee place in SLC is Kings Peak Coffee Roasters. Fantastic coffee & espresso. Nice vibe in there too. Easy place to relax and get some work done.

https://kingspeakcoffee.com/

[Heisenberg]

Former Utard here…

Easy 45 minute out and back out of downtown: City Creek Canyon.
1-1.5hrs: Emigration Canyon, continue up to Big Mountain if you have more time
~2hrs: Millcreek Canyon. Steeper than either of the above, but prettier. Not sure how much snow is still up at the top, there’s a gate across the final ~3 miles that stays closed until it melts out.
~2hrs+: Big+Little Cottonwood Canyons. Hope you like climbing! Ski traffic in May will be light, unless there’s a storm.

Wasatch Blvd connects all the canyons. There are lots of signs.

Food+drink: Central 9th for a murderously delicious focaccia breakfast sandwich. Bar Nohm and The Pearl right there are great dinner options. Get a drink at Water Witch to finish the evening. That whole block on 9th is finally blowing up. A shame it’s in SLC, but I digress.

[P K]

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

Former Utard here…

Easy 45 minute out and back out of downtown: City Creek Canyon.

They're working on the water stuff up there, canyon will be closed this summer, not sure if it's already closed, think it is, only open to bikes on alternate days when it is open

1-1.5hrs: Emigration Canyon, continue up to Big Mountain if you have more time

very popular ride, pretty sure I've ridden this at least 1000 times in the last 25 years (at least 1000)

~2hrs: Millcreek Canyon. Steeper than either of the above, but prettier. Not sure how much snow is still up at the top, there’s a gate across the final ~3 miles that stays closed until it melts out.

gate is closed and will be for a little longer, they've had road construction for a while at the mid-bottom of the canyon, right now all the road work is starting hard everywhwere, omly 2 seasons here in Utah, Winter and Construction.

~2hrs+: Big+Little Cottonwood Canyons. Hope you like climbing! Ski traffic in May will be light, unless there’s a storm.

Traffic has really blown up in the last 2 years to the point where it's sketcy in Big and Little Cottonwood, can't say don't go but there but there are lines of cars, stop and go sometimes, every weekend and most days in the summer (worse in the winter) Big recentley had a fiber line run down the entire canyon (grooved right thru the road!) that will continue this summer. That's down to one lane that takes turns for each direction, not great for bikes 'cuz it jams up.

Wasatch Blvd connects all the canyons. There are lots of signs.

Not long but super popular ride, I have an awesome mansion tour to Wasatch to Emigration ride that is a classic

Food+drink: Central 9th for a murderously delicious focaccia breakfast sandwich. Bar Nohm and The Pearl right there are great dinner options. Get a drink at Water Witch to finish the evening. That whole block on 9th is finally blowing up. A shame it’s in SLC, but I digress.

Took a while but SL finally grew up to be a real city, all the food, craft beer everywhere, coffee, don't see open air drug markets but there are some bums ha ha.

Too bad you don't mountain bike.......

[vav]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Via con dios..

Vaya con Dios...

[Heisenberg]

Originally Posted by P K

Too bad you don't mountain bike.......

Oooof. I was there last fall for a weekday wedding at the Church of Dirt and it was pretty shocking how many cars were jammed into trailhead lots in the middle of the day. That's a bummer - I grew up in SLC and the canyons were my summertime stomping ground when I was training and racing. Sadness.

[Clean39T]

I'll be there Sun-Fri, so not so much peak traffic times. Should be good. Or an adventure regardless.

[P K]

Bring some rain gear.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by P K

Bring some rain gear.

Definitely left that at home.

[Clean39T]

Made it! Had a pretty magical ride up to Big Mountain straight outta town. The gate was closed for the last climb, which was heavenly with zero cars and just a bit of snow/snowmelt and gravel/rocks up high. There was more snow gathered on the road headed past the summit - and that was enough of an excuse for me to turn around at that point.. can’t say my body was loving the altitude up there anyway. The wind was a bit much on the way down but overall it was pretty incredible, what with the scenery, weather, and all that.

I’ve got Copper Common bookmarked and the coffee spot. Red Iguana doesn’t look like me scene. Had Settebello tonight for hotel proximity - pretty solid standard wood-fired pizza w a good chew and char to the crust, quality ingredients. Any other local, modern foodie joints to target?

Looks like it’ll be a week of perfect weather. Once I get my work schedule and meetups for that figured out, I’ll reach out to folks about more rides - likely Wednesday afternoon, maybe Alpine Loop Thursday and shorter one on Friday AM. I kind of want to do Mt Nebo, for personal reasons.

vvv