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Day 51, 52, 53 & 54
| August 26th to the 29th, 2007 |
From Tucker to Manti, Utah.
After a few days spent working on the computer and burning maps (...), we're back in
saddle. Right from the start, we begin climbing. Within half an hour, we went from 6200ft
to more than 9300ft.
This section of trail is called "Skyline Drive". It's part of the "Great
Western Trail".
It always feel a little strange to end-up in the middle of a plain...
...At over 9000ft elevation !
No! No! We did'nt trade in our Popos for an airplane (Polaris does'nt make
planes...yet...). The views from the trail are spectacular !!
Marc: "I just can't believe it! After all those years seeing it and studying it on
maps...We actually are on the Great Western Trail !!"
As you probably know, the idea of riding from Canada to Mexico sparked in our
minds when we saw a sign with a map of the GWT back in 2000 while we were on a trip to
Utah.
Over 7 years later, we're there! Unbelievable!
...And now, the Ladies section...
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One of the joys of travelling is: Smelling all sorts of
flowers,
seeing all the colors,
without having to work in the garden!
You'd really think that someone hired a landscaping company to decorate this section.
But, since we're at 10,000ft elev., in the middle of nowhere, I doub it... |
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The monsoons season normally lasts approximately from the end of July to the end of
September so, we're right smack in the middle of it...
...Morning...
...Afternoon...
An actual wall of water...This one is heading straight towards us! And we're on a peak
at exactly 11,000ft !!! That does'nt make it a long way to go for a lightning strike, does
it?
France: "Hummm...I don't about you, but I'm getting out of here!"
Marc: "Honeyyyyyy...Wait for meeeeeeeee"
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11, 000 feet! The highest point we've been yet!
Hurry up! Hope we can set-up everything before the rain... |
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We take out the pop-up tent just in time! We'll wait until the rain slows down a bit
before se put up the Overcamp.
Tonight, we'll sleep on the bank of Snow Lake, along Skyline Drive (GWT) in a
depression similar to the mouth of a volcano...A depression at 10,500ft elev...
 
Yeah ! The "Great Western
Trail", at last!
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It'a dream coming true! Now, we really realise it's true !!! |
| Bof... |
Bof...Bof...Bof... |
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Someone noticed anything bad worth talking about ??? |
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August 27th, 2007.
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This is definitely the grayest and coldest morning yet! We have a light
sprinkle of rain and we are only comfortable with a T-shirt and a long sleeve T-shirt plus
a lite jacket under our rain suit...Note Frances' fake smile...Cheeeeeese! |
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From Snow Lake to Manti, we'll follow trail No3. Here's a couple pics of it.
No ATVs traces here, only cow tracks and cow pies...
50 inches max! No Jeeps or pick-ups!
The local authorities take that opportunity to post messages on the boards for ATVers.
Brillant!
Very rocky and steep!
Now the brakes are put to the test !
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Later this morning, it's back to sunshine!
WOW! Let's stop to take a picture!
You know why we don't cover much distance in a day? We take time to really enjoy all
those incredibly beautiful places.
Heading for Manti.
Travelling at such drasticly different elevations on such short periods of time brings
huge changes in temperature.
After studying the maps (not all of them went to fire...), and after
having decided on our route, we leave Snow Lake (10,500ft, 42deg F, not quite snow...yet)
around noon, dressed in our 2 T-shirts, jacket and rain gear...
...And arrive in Manti (5600ft, 90deg F) at 4:00pm. It was so hot that we could hardly
stand the last little T-shirt we wore...
The last section of trail No 3 before Manti is a very steep down grade. We really put
the Active Descent Control to work and are very happy with the extra control it gives us
on the machines. Even loaded as they are, and especially with a trailer, a few good
presses on the brake handle and...
Polaris
Industries - Canada
Polaris Industries - USA
...Here we are in Manti ! Of which the main center of interest is the Mormon Temple.
Just as impressive, daytime...
...or night time...
...and from all sides !
Completed in 1888 at the cost of $1,000,000.00, members of the church donated their
time working on it's construction. That means $1,000,000.00 is the cost of part of the
building material only (the building stones were taken off the hill where the Temple
sits). And that was in 1888...One can only imagine how beautiful the inside must be...
| A couple of days at the Temple Hill RV Park & Campground, in the shade
beneath the tall trees. We'll let you guess what we did during those couple of days...I'll
just tell you that we had Wi-Fi internet available at our pic-nic table... |
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The pop-up tent:
It's a more or less free standing tent built on circular ultra-flexible plastic poles.
It's main advantage over a regular tent is it's incredibly quick set up time: maybe one
minute!
When folded, it's also very compact, a 24 inch circle in a pouch.
When it rains, it becomes an essential dry place to eat, change clothes, or update the
web site... |
The pop-up tent. 
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| to see all the
tricks and infos
click here |
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Very easy from Tucker to Skyline drive incl.
Trail No 3 from Snow Lake to Manti will try us a little more...
 
Total 4 jours
4 day total
| 118 |
Miles |
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| 2198 |
Miles: à date/to date |
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| $45 |
Resto |
| $115 |
Épicerie/Food |
| $36 |
Essence/fuel |
| $84 |
Camping |
| $0 |
Divers/Misc. |
| $280 |
Total |
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|
 Déjeuner/Breakfast:
-grilled cheese sandwich
-hash brown & bacon & oinons
-eggs & toasts & coffee
-cottage cheese + toasts
Dîner/Lunch:
-macaroni salad & tomatoes & pastrami
-salmon tortillas & hard boiled eggs
-ceasar salad
-shrimps and potaoes
Souper/Dinner:
-''finger food'' : jerky + smoked salmon + nuts
-resto
-leftover shrimps with noodles
-pizza |
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L'ITEM LE PLUS APPRÉCIÉ:
THE MOST APPRECIATED ITEM: |
| The Active Descent Control feature of our X2s. |
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Nous sommes fiers de vous présenter nos partenaires.
Ils nous ont fourni un soutien important afin de nous aider à réaliser cette aventure.
MERCI À TOUS
|
 We are proud to introduce you to our partners.
Their precious collaboration helped us live this fabulous adventure.
THANKS TO ALL. |
Polaris Industries -
Canada
Polaris Industries - USA
Cellutron
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