Fear of heights on Mtn. roads

  • July 27, 2010 12:13 AM PDT
    Never had a fear of heights, and never really understood it until a couple of years ago we were on vacation in Utah and I drove a dirt road called Hell's Backbone (between Escalante and Boulder off Rte 12 - try it) .... trust me, you'll know how it got it's name!

    That road scared me...my butt was gripping the seat! When you get to the top (10,000 ft above sea level), you get to drive across a one lane bridge too.

    That was a vacation to conquer anyone's fear of heights though ... Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Hell's Backbone and the Moki Dugway, everywhere I went I was staring into the abyss!

    Keep riding, and keep that spirit up ... you sound like you have it beat already.
  • July 27, 2010 5:22 AM PDT
    I never fool myself by telling me I've beat it. I've simply come to terms with it. I use to dive off bridges, cliffs and out of trees into the rivers, lakes and creeks when I was growing up. I never had the nerve to tell my friends that each and every time I was scared. But then again the adrenaline is also one of the reasons I use to fight martial arts, fly airplanes and now race dirt track. I like that feeling, it's hard to tell weather it's adrenaline or fear. They both pretty much feel the same. I am easily bored and find myself getting into mischeif with idle time. I need to keep intertained.
  • July 27, 2010 5:29 AM PDT
    Hell's Backbone bridge


    Is this your bridge?  Wow!
  • July 27, 2010 10:46 AM PDT
     That's the one ... this is the road to it, doesn't really give you the full idea but when all you can see beside you is the TOPS of trees ... you get the idea.


  • July 27, 2010 11:00 AM PDT
    Holly crap-o-ly! Gravel road and no guard rails? I think I'd be tossing my cookies...
  • November 13, 2010 3:42 PM PST
    i love the twisties- but when the guard rail is gone- and the drop is steep and deep- i too have a hard time relaxing- i rode from durango colorado- north to silverton- and then continued up to grand junction- i think there are 4 or 5 passes each over 11,000 feet- not a guard rail one- and the white line on the right is half missing on most of the curves- needless to say i hugged the yellow line- but the views were priceless! id ride it again! just takes repitition i guess
  • November 16, 2010 4:26 AM PST
    Well I'm happy to say that I am quite a bit more comfortable riding the mountian roads. I sometimes look out over the edge to the view at brief moments. I am amazed of how beautiful this earth is...........getting my bike was one of the most liberating and exhilerating (probably wrong spelling) purchases I have made in my life time.