This time a year ago, I was in the Mooseknuckler-mobile driving South with the speed and fury that only early morning, five hour commutes can have. The Fake Labor Day (Real Labor Day is May 1st) weekend was at a close. The Alliance had just completed the some times annual running of Slotoja. Meaning that we had ridden across three states to get a drink in Jackson, Wyoming and then drive back.
This put me hobo-style outside of Double D’s apartment Tuesday morning. And at about 3 AM, I rolled over and pulled my sleeping bag off, rubbed my eyes and turned the car on to head home. This driving across the state is the main reason that Slotoja will not be happening this year. Two days of driving for three days of riding, is hard to schedule and harder to swallow.
I only bring this up because Lotoja’s Annual Running will be happening this weekend. There are plenty of people who are heading north in a few days to suffer through that race. As with every year in the past, the excitement and anxiety for this race makes me wish that I was not riding it, which I never am. But it reminds me of the reasons we started Slotoja so many years ago and makes me think of the open road.
So good luck to those of you who are driving 5 1/2 hours to ride for 10 and then drive back. We all wish you the best of luck in your endeavors and will enjoy not riding that race this weekend.
With that said, there has been a lot of talk about buses as of late. I dare say that this chatter is motivated by that same yearning that started Slotoja, the need for the open road.
So here’s some more bus stoke,
I don’t think it gets any better than tripping across the world in a restored school bus running on fast food refuse. Now who wants to help me get that bus from down by the river?
Even though I haven’t figured out how to get a bus, yet, the Alliance will be hosting a new event. Sometime in October, KB and I will be doing a Southern version of Slotoja. Depending on available time, we will be doing some version of the Utah Cliffs Loop. This seems like a great idea, we get to ride our bikes around our own backyard for a few days. And it’s in our own backyard so no driving across the world to ride our bikes for a beer. Doorstep to doorstep. Sounds perfect, eh?
Need some motivation, read the Slotoja Diaries to know the hobo life and light that yearning for the open road…
Yup, those were good times. Seeing that Southern Utah has a lot to offer, October should be pretty awesome…
P. L. and R.
Head Knuckler’s Note: Contest time, be the first to tell me what the title of this post alludes to by putting it in the comments and I’ll give you an hour of my time wrenching on your bike.
The annual running, I mean bicycling from Logan to Jackson? or did I miss the point?
Lotoja, the annual race from Logan to Jackson is not affected. Slotoja, the three day tour to find the best greasy spoons along the way, is cancelled. One letter difference.