For the first time in 17 days, I’m riding without adult supervision.

I’ll be on my own for the next three days, as I head home to Colorado.

My 229-mile day begins as I ride east, paralleling the shoreline of Lake Mead. I rode this road a few weeks ago, on my way to Henderson, at the beginning of my journey. This time, I’m going the opposite direction.

I continue through the Valley of Fire State Park. It’s hot here, but not nearly as toasty as it’ll be later in the day. Good thing I’m getting an early start.

North of Moapa Valley, about two hours after leaving Casa Bowman, I leave the relative calm of off-the-beaten-path travel, and join thousands of travelers on I-15 North, heading toward St. George, Utah.

I’ve gone from the road less traveled, to the road too traveled.

I’ll be on I-15 for about 115 miles. For much of the flow of traffic, that’s about an hour and a-half on the road. I’m a slow poke. It’ll take me two hours, at least.

What’s the hurry?

***

By late morning, I arrive in Cedar City, elevation 5,846 feet. Cedar City is located on the western edge of the Markagunt Plateau. The area was settled in 1851 by Mormon pioneers, sent there to build an iron works, because of the vast iron and coal resources only 10 miles from town.

Cedar City is a tourism gateway to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and of course, Cedar Breaks National Monument. The city of nearly 30,000 is home to Southern Utah University. It’s named after the abundant local trees, which are actually junipers, not cedar.

I was last in Cedar City two summers ago, with Scott and Dave, on the way home from Sturgis, South Dakota.

In Cedar City, I turn east on Utah Highway 14, which follows Cedar Canyon for nearly 40 miles on a scenic ride that crests at nearly 10,000 feet. The road takes me through Dixie National Forest and Duck Creek Village, to the junction of US Highway 89.

Here, with Bryce Canyon National Park pulling me northward, I turn left onto Highway 89. Twenty-one miles later, I head east on Utah Highway 12, a Scenic Byway that was Utah’s first All-American Road. It’s known as A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, and is considered one of the top five motorcycle roads in the US.

I’ve now ridden Highway 12 four times in each direction. Without exception, it’s exhilarating, and in a few places, on the top of a hogback, terrifying. There’s this little gremlin in my head that continually reminds me, “Dude, you really shouldn’t be here.”

I ignore those voices, and enjoy 98 percent of the ride. The other two percent is the dreaded hogback.

For 123 miles, all the way to Torrey, Utah, Highway 12 is a non-stop thrill.

A few miles after turning onto Highway 12, I enter Red Canyon, home of Red Canyon State Park and Red Canyon Scenic Drive.

All red, all the time.

You have to see it to believe it.

I keep coming back, and it feels like a new experience every time.

***

Thirty-five miles after rolling into Red Canyon, I arrive at the junction of Utah Highways 12 and 63, the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. I’ve been to Bryce, with its plateaus and hoodoos, several times. Reluctantly, I ride right past Highway 63.

Today’s destination, Tropic, is only a few miles away.

Like almost everywhere in Utah, Tropic was established in the late 1800s by Mormon settlers. It’s such a common and familiar story, you could easily copy and paste those words into the history of any Utah town: “blankety-blank was established in the late 1800s by Mormon settlers.”

The organization of Tropic began when Andrew J. Hansen, William Lewman and James Ahlstrom surveyed the townsite in the spring of 1889. It included 16 blocks of four lots per block, each lot measuring one and a quarter acres. Sixty-four lots were sold at $7.50 per lot. Mormons are very organized, and keep detailed records.

Tropic began in 1892 with 15 families. Today, it’s a ranching community with about 550 residents.

Make that 551.

I’m settling in for the night.

***

Day Twenty-One Summary: The posse shrinks, riding beautiful Highway 12, swelling Tropic’s population.

Click here to see today’s complete route from Henderson, Nevada, to Tropic, Utah.

I’m on my way home, eh?

Vroom, vroom.

***

Today’s Canada Fun Fact, eh?  There are more than 2,800 hockey rinks in Canada. However, almost twice as many kids under 14 years play soccer than hockey.