Alpine Loop

Oh ye mountains high,
where the clear blue sky
Arches over the vales of the free,
Where the pure breezes blow
and the clear streamlets flow,
how I've longed to your bosom to flee.

This is one of my favorite songs in the LDS hymnal, and it was on my mind as I rode this evening.

I ditched work a little early and left my house at about 4:45 for a trip over the Alpine Loop. I've mentioned this before, but where else but Utah can you work in a high-tech business all day and then take a ride like this from the house? (OK, there are a few places, but not many).

First over Suncrest with the view of Lone Peak and the big cirque below it, the Wasatch stretching in both directions, with Utah lake below and Mount Nebo off in the distance.

Then up the Provo River trail, along the Provo River and past Bridal Veil Falls.

Then up the back side of Timp, climbing the canyon past Sundance and the giant wall of Timpanogos. As you crest the pass you are surrounded by a 360 view that words cannot express and photos cannot capture. Timp peak rising another 3700' immediately to the west, Provo Peak and the Cascades to the South, and half a dozen peaks to the North, all snow-capped with crystal blue sky behind. Tonight the sun was dropping in horizontal rays across the mountains, it was spectacular.

Then the descent -- 3500 continuous vertical feet along the river, down AF Canyon, past Timpanogos cave, then out into the valley and around point of the mountain through some of the few remaining farm fields in the valley, Oquirrh mountains to the west, with the unnatural, bizarre, but strangely beautiful (at certain times of the day) Kennecott Copper hole.

Then back up to the house to watch the sun go down and the lights come on across the city.

Brigham Young said it -- "This is the right place".