The Rocky Mountain Tour departs Salt Lake City, staying on the high plain and heading south around Utah Lake. Next, we tackle the Wasatch Mountains. We�ll climb up and over Soldier Summit, rolldown through Helper and over to Price. The desert sections of Utah are extremely desolate and beautiful. We will pass the �BookCliffs� and cycle just north of Arches National Park and Moab. The terrain will become mountainous again as we near Colorado. You�ll see the Grand Mesa as we close in on Grand Junction. Named for the place where the Colorado and the Gunnison River join. Grand Junction is our gateway to the Rockies. Prepare to be overwhelmed at the natural beauty of the mountains. The climbing can get intense at times, but as you conquer the ascents, you will be rewarded with fantastic beauty, outstanding views and terrific down hill runs. A highlight of the Rocky Mountains is Monarch Pass. At 11,312�, it is not only the highest peak we will transverse, but it�s also the Continental Divide. From there, it�s a nice down hill ride to Salida. The wild ride continues from Salida as we pick up and ride along the Arkansas River. The descent can be a fast and visually beautiful one. We�ll follow the Arkansas River out of the Rockies onto the high rolling plains and over to our finish at Pueblo.