Utah Birthday Ride

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CHRISS HORSTMAN

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It is October 22 2008, my birthday. I just got out of the hospital yesterday. Today I feel depressed and lonely, I need to be cheered up. I push the big Kaw C14 out into the sunshine. She smiles at me, here we go I thought. I plan a route that will take me on a Click....big scenic loop on some of the best canyon roads. From Park City, Utah I go west until (exit #134) then north on Rt 65 Emigration Canyon road. This leads me into the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and eventually into the town of Henefer. Now 84 to I-80 east to the town of Evanston where I start my loop back on highway 150 towards Mirror lake at +10,000 feet and once again into the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

The canyon roads are great for extreme motorcycle riding. No traffic, no police just one tight turn after another. I give my care to the wind as I power out of each turn with my knee dragging while leaned over. Oh!! I hope and pray my tires well worn from this trip holds, as we bank from one turn immediately into the next. I am feeling better already. The big Kaw handles much differently riding solo. It is as if she is happy Carol is gone and we are alone together. I find a deserted stretch of straight road and give her my nod..... Silver pulls me down onto her and holds me tight. With a laugh she jumps to 120 MPH, then 130, now 150. Silver stops laughing and just smiles as we near 160 MPH. I sit up and thank her. "Enough is enough" I say, at least for today. Both of us now spent we slow back down and cruise at 120 MPH. So straight and solid she runs, even hands off at this speed, I am in love again and it feels so good.

I stop at Mirror Lake and take some pictures of my GPS showing the altitude and date. In the slide show pictures you can see snow has already begun in October at the +10,000 MSL level. The rest of the ride back down the mountain is just as much fun as it was on the way up. It's now getting dark and cold as the sun sets. I ride dressed in all black with a dark smoke helmet face shield. Because of the dark face shield it is not an easy ride. Why do I ride dressed in all black? It is because I must keep up my image, as my riding nickname is "NightRider". You understand, boys and their toys.

Soon I am out of the National Forest. I see a few cars as I ride through the town of Kamas then once again onto Rt 40 and home. We are back safe and sound, I put Silver to bed telling her she has done me well. Once again I have found something to put my trust in. It's a man thing. The ride was exhilarating. I return tired and exhausted. I have extinguish some pain and memories, touched the edge of fear and came away feeling............ well, just great!!!!!

Chriss Horstman

Double Click On Pictures To Enlarge

Highway 166 Canyon Road

Great Road For Canyon Running On A Motorcycle

Mirror Lake Overview 10,722 ft. Oct. 22, 08 With Snow

It Is Cold And High

Mirror Lake Scenic Byway: A Real Jewel

It's Getting Cold And Soon Dark For The Ride Down

Chriss Horstman

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UTAH - TANGO UNIFORM

Hi Everyone:

I am writing to you after the fact. I had a narrow escape here in Utah. While I was working on my motorhome I started to feel sick. I am one for not giving up so I continued my work. Soon I became very ill and decided to go into the RV and lie down. I never made it to the bed. I was on my way to passing out. I quickly got down on my knees before falling flat on my face. I then started throwing up. To my horror it was what seemed like gallons of blood. I knew something was drastically wrong but I was so sick on my stomach and continuously throwing up that I was unable to call for help on my cell phone. Bucket after bucket, finally I got a call through to my ex-wife. She in turn called my son in a nearby town. He and his fiancee came to my rescue. They rushed me 40 miles away to the University Hospital of Utah. I had two great nurses who took very good care of me, thank you both.






Once at the hospital it was discovered that I had a massive upper GI internal bleed. I had a rupture inside my stomach and was bleeding to death internally. I was later told I had lost over 50% of my blood. The hospital told my ex wife to gather the family. I was rushed in for an operation. It has been a long road to recovery. I've had two more stays in the hospital. Even now at Christmas time I am still weak and have a very low blood count .

Family.... My son Christon his fiancee Liz and grandson James

It's December and I am back home in NJ. My friends often ask me if I have heard anything from Carol. I am sad to tell them no I haven't, not one word. I do know she was made aware of my emergency hospital stay by mutual friends from our church and our motorcycle group. Recently retired as a nurse Carol's expert knowledge would have offered encouragement and support. I will give her credit, she did tell my friends she still had my house key if they needed it. I thought that was nice of her.

This was a sad way to end my trip. While I was in the hospital my RV and trailer was put into an impound lot. Eventually I place my RV, trailer and motorcycle in long term storage and fly back to New Jersey. I arrive just in time for Christmas and 2 1/2 feet of snow. What a change from 105*F at the start of our trip.

I never give up........ I will return to Utah and finish the trip on the route originally planned by myself and Carol. Glacier National Park and Alaska here I come.

Christmas and New Year's has come and gone. I spend it alone in New Jersey. I don't see or hear from Carol ever again. There is no one to blame for this, a good person she is, just two good people looking for different things in life. I, wanting and thinking I was in a committed long term permanent relationship while Carol looking only for a "Good Time Charlie". I am sure we both will find our way. I know the new year will prove to be a great one.

Chriss Horstman

Utah, The End Is Near

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Hi:

Well, I am now in Utah, what a great state. If you are interested in any kind of outdoor activity it's available here. I did some more mountain hiking. I found some real neat back country rural RV sites and made myself at home.

Great news!!!! With prodding from my family I swallow my male pride and call Carol. After many attempts she accepts my call. We talk for a long time and to my surprise Carol agrees to continue out trip. This is great I thought. One stipulation she say's....... I can't meet you until the28th . I said sure that is ok, what's up? I find out that her very big sister has already flown in to replace me. Together they will continue to travel our original route. Carol tells me they will end up in Phoenix, Arizona where she will put her sister on a flight back to Philadelphia. Carol agrees she would then fly to Salt Lake City, Utah to meet me and continue our trip. I ask her to consider this carefully. Once again I ask for her to be sure and to give me her word. In response Carol said to me " her word isn't good anymore" but she does not see any reason why she would change her mind. I said ok, see you on the28th.

Close to the 28th I receive an upbeat cell phone message from Carol. She says she has too much baggage to bring on the flight to Salt lake City, therefore she will need to ship a few things. Great I thought, here she comes.

The28th of September comes and goes .................. WITH NO CAROL. I went to the SLC airport and waited for all inbound flights to arrive. To my disappointment she does not show up. I try to call her but my calls are not answered. Soon her phone is turned off. I drive back to Park City very disappointed. Hey!......who is that in front of me on Route 80? It is a silver car just like Carol rented. It has Nevada plates on it like Carol's car. There is a blond woman driving it. I am happy again. Carol has driven all the way from Phoenix just to get us together again. She turns off the highway into town and parks her car. I pull up and park next to her. I get out and approach her car. I see a very surprised blond headed woman looking at me. She has a slightly fearful look on her face......... it isn't Carol?????? I am shocked and embarrassed, what a coincidence. Go ahead and laugh, I am as I write this to you.

A few days soon pass and I finally receive word from Carol. She sent me a very short "Text" message stating only "I WILL NOT CONTINUE". This is the last contact I have from Carol. I never hear from her again. What a sad way to end a relationship. There is nothing worse than loosing trust in someone who you truly believed in. I still believe in Carol, I guess she is right..... "I don't get it." As I said in the beginning of this blog I will "tell you no lies". More to come.
Chriss

Moab And Beyond

Chriss Horstman Out West Looking For Carol Ann Hoff

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Hi To All:

Well I am now heading north to the Park City area. I plan on meeting my son to do some rock climbing and hiking, after which I will head west toward the Bonneville Speedway. From there on to Wendover, Utah/Nevada. This town is known for its gambling casinos, glitter and night life.

Along the way to Salt Lake City I make a stop at the Green River State Park. The park has 42 sites and is a great RV stopover. The rest of the trip is uneventful. I do appreciate Utah's high desert country even though it is arid land with sparse vegetation, so different to me but beautiful landscape. While in the Park City, Utah area I do some "High Back Country" deep woods hiking. My knee was still hurting from the Moab bike crash but I could not pass up a mountain climb.

The rock climb with my son is exhilarating for me. I did well for a 66 year old man. I completed all my climbs except one. This is a sport I wished I had taken up when I was young, what fun. I encourage all young people to do everything they can when young....... careers are for "old" people.

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I am now on my way West to the salt flats. The weather is slightly gloomy. This is a shame because the color of the terrain does not stand out brightly without the sunshine. Lucky for me I pass the Bonneville Salt Flats when there is some racing activity going on. The Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most unique natural features in Utah. Pure white sand stretching over 30,000 acres, the Bonneville Salt Flats is a fragile resource administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It is located along I-80 near the Utah-Nevada border near the city of Wendover. It is the gambling city.

The next morning I take in The Wendover Air Show. I meet a lot of interesting people and have a good time. I return to Park City, Utah to regroup and some rest.

Chriss Horstman

Moab A Few Days Of Fun

Hi Again:
Yes Carol Ann, wherever you are, I did get up early all by myself.
This morning I didn't eat a big breakfast as I am not feeling well. I have planned to rent a Mountain Bike and go to "Slickrock Bike Trail" for some off trail riding. Everything goes well, at least in the beginning. I think the riding here is outstanding. The rocks remind me of Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas, Nevada.

First the good........ you can ride on some very steep trails over these mountains as the stone surface is like sandpaper. So much fun and the scenery is beautiful. Now the bad in two parts.............

First, I meet a really good looking female rider who chats with me before we start. I think I will stay with her at least until I learn the ropes. Wrong, I can't keep up but I don't let her know that. At a fork with a wave goodbye I turn off onto another trail, my bad as now I don't know where I am going.



Second, I am really beginning to feel poorly, maybe something I ate? I feel sick and don't pay attention while going down a new trail with a steep drop. I find myself with too much speed and eventually go "head over heels". I cut my knee quite badly. It is a deep cut and for some reason it won't stop bleeding (more on that later on). A few riders come quickly to my aid. Lucky for me one has a liquid bandage kit and takes good care of me. Soon it is time to return the mountain bike. What fun I had even with the spill.

Back at camp I meet more real outdoor family types. It is so refreshing to chat with these honest, down to earth family's. I am invited over for their campfire but decline as I still don't feel well. I get a late start next morning and do some "outback" hiking. and picture taking. Once again, my pictures don't do justice to the beautiful landscape. As I suggested before, a search on the Internet will yield professional quality work.

It is now mid afternoon the 3rd day. I receive a very short "text" message from Carol. I am afraid I must report bad news. She sent...... "I cannot go with U Please do not call It is best us to just get on with life be safe Carol" Actually I was hoping for a person to person call and discussion. No such luck. I call her back and someone turns the phone off. I am really surprised by this. During our 17 years dating each other we have had some "on/off" times, but nothing like this. I am puzzled........ this isn't like Carol.

I decide to pack up camp and head NW. I love to explore the USA. As an International Airline Captain I have flown all over this world and find nothing compares to the good old United States. We have it all, north, south, east or west all different. Soon I am on my way and remember that Carol and I use to sing.... "on the road again". Note! She was always on tune but not me. More to follow.

Chriss Horstman

Moab Here I Come!

Chriss Horstman

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Once Again Hello:

I have been here at Mesa Verde for about a week. I stayed longer then originally planned as I really thought I would bump into Carol. I had always believed we would patch things up and continue our trip...... no such luck, so far.

I finally was able to make cell phone contact with Carol. She had just arrived in Buffalo, Wyoming. She was at her brothers. This was to be one of our original stops. Carol wouldn't talk to me in the house and sat in the car parked in the driveway while we talked. I suggested we meet somewhere and finish our trip together. She said that she presently had commitments and would let me know in a few days. In the meantime she was going to spend some time sightseeing with her brother. This too was our original plan. I said "OK' and left it at that.

I had a very difficult time loading the motorcycle into the trailer by myself. The ground was soft gravel and not level, I finally rode it down to the park office and was given all the help I needed. The camp manager was so nice and cooperative. Once loaded up I was back to my campsite to clean up and hit the road once again.

Where to I thought? I might as well start heading north if I was going to hook up with Carol. Moab seemed like a good choice. Maybe we could come back down south and see the Grand Canyon; I suggested this to Carol. It was a beautiful drive to Moab. Along the way I stop at "The Hole In The Rock" attraction. The scenery was so different. This trip has really been worth all of the effort and sometimes agony.


I reach Moab without incident and decide to camp in the "outback' instead of the National Park Campground. This proved difficult as the outback roads are not easy to traverse with a motorhome. While looking for a site I am worried because it is very difficult backing up with a large motorcycle trailer. I can't see the trailer behind the RV and it might become a problem if I need to back out while exploring for a site. I meet a nice fellow on a motorcycle who volunteers to go ahead and scout out a camping spot for me. He finds one for me. I am all settled in for a few days. Tomorrow I will explore.

Chriss Horstman

Mesa Verde The Scenic Ride

Chriss Horstman

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Hi Again:
Today is the day for the scenic ride. I will start from the city of Cortez traveling north on Hwy 145 to 62 then 550 south to Ouray Hot Springs. Here I will take a lunch break and sightsee. The route back will be south on 550 to Durango and once again west to Mesa Verde. This loop is known as the (Click)...San Juan Skyway.



Well I got off to a slow start getting gas, buying a "sub" for lunch and making my way thru the city of Cortez. My first stop was the town of Delores to see the "Galloping Goose" belonging to the Rio Grande Southern Railroad Company. The entire ride was spectacular, calling it a scenic ride does not do it justice. I love riding high altitude twisty mountain roads. I will only post a few of my pictures as there is so much better information and pictures posted on the Internet. Check my "blue" hyper links. Once back I will need to change camp sites. I plan to wait awhile longer for Carol to return. If she does not, then I plan to push on northward as we originally planned.

Chriss Horstman