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A double date on ATVs in South Willow Canyon |
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Written by Cassidy Warren
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Friday, 02 May 2008 |
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It is officially spring, which for clarification does not mean blooming flowers, a light rainfall and singing birds. In actuality, springtime in Utah is a teasing sun that fools you into thinking that wearing a cotton floral-print dress is a good idea only to disappoint you with a downpour of snow in the afternoon, a domino crash of cars on the freeway and, of course, looking ridiculously underdressed.
While four-wheeling is best to go when the sun is shining, it is still a pleasurable and invigorating activity no matter what the weather forecast, even if you end up covered in slush and mud — in fact, especially so. Choosing the location depends on what type of terrain you are looking for. Check out the Pony Express Trail for sagebrush terrain and many tempting off-shooting trails. To find Little Sahara-type sand dunes head out to Delta. See the Utah Travel Industry Web site for a list of great ATV trails throughout the state.
Our group of four made the 40-minute drive west from downtown Salt Lake City on the southwest side of Grantsville to South Willow Canyon for winding muddy trails and fantastic mountain views. South Willow Canyon is noted for its fantastic wildlife. You may wish to do a little bird watching prior to turning on your ATVs. There is still snow this time of year, so be sure to dress warm.
Breaking up the dinner-and-a-movie routine of dating, we were anxious to see how four-wheeling translated from the Xbox to real life.
“It’s just as fun as the video games,” my boyfriend said of his first experience on an ATV.
I thought that this was my moment to show off my skills, which drove me into a hollow of thick snow on the trail and left my ATV completely immobile. It seemed the more I revved the engine the farther down the wheels sunk in the snow. We pushed, shoved and lifted. Our efforts were futile until we packed the snow behind the wheels to create some solid ground for the wheels. What could have been a sheepish moment for me turned into a flirtatious adventure to work together to release the ATV from the snow. (Do your teeth hurt yet?)
“Getting stuck is half the fun!” said Valerie Warren, my sister-in-law put it.
At least we got to exercise more than the thumb and index fingers this time. If You Go:
South Willow Canyon:
1. Go west bound on I 80 toward Reno
2. Take exit 99 and merge on UT-36 toward Stansbury/Tooele
3. Turn onto UT-138
4. Turn left onto UT-112
5. Turn right on 800 East
6. Turn right onto Durfee Street
7. Turn left onto Worthington Street
8. Go South on 400 West in Grantsville
9. Turn right onto the South Willow Canyon Access Road For more off-road trails, visit www.utah.com/offroad. |
