Cross Country Recumbent
Friday August 1, 2003. Jackson Hole WY to Aspen Meadows WY
Start time
|
8:28 am
|
End time
|
4:15 pm
|
Miles
|
79.3
|
Time pedaling
|
5:51
|
Average speed
|
13.5
|
| Odometer |
1447
|
Today was a good day; starting with a big breakfast in Jackson to help
me dig out of the Hole. The ride out of the Hole was actually
very pleasant, with the Tetons lit from a different direction.
Alas yesterday's headwind was gone, so there wasn't any help
there. In the end it didn't matter because the grade was
easy. I missed the turn off back along the Teton loop road,
instead going straight up to Moran Junction. This turned out to
be good, since it saved me about 10 miles of backtracking, and allowed
me to see a different road.
Soon enough I had joined back up with the main route. I had lunch
at the base of the Togwotee (pronounced Togotee) pass and was
contemplating where I would stop for the day. I had originally
planned to stop halfway up the pass at a primitive hiker/biker only
campground. However all of the Westbound riders had been raving
about a bike hostel outside Dubois. The word was: don't miss this
place! So I decided to see if I could make it up the pass and all
the way to the Hostel.
Climbing the pass turned out to be long, but not very dificult.
The altitude was again a factor, but not overwhelming. Near the
top about 9000' I ran into this alpine meadow:
Eventually I conquered the pass. As before this is the highest
I've ever been. I felt really good the whole way up, and I'm
confident that Hoosier won't be that bad. I spent a few minutes
at the summit with a motor-cyclist who had run out of gas; before
starting the fast descent towards Dubois.
As you crest the summit the Pinnacle mountains come into view.
These mountains totally took me by surprise, they just appeared as I
came around the corner.
Eventually I made my way to Aspen Meadows, about 8 miles West of
Dubois. There I met Dave and Jo-Ann Martin, who run an absolutely
wonderful bike hostel.
They fed me, washed my clothes, gave me an awesome place to sleep, even
let me monopolize their phone to update the site and check on company
stuff.
Tomorrow I'll probably try for Lander, apparently another place I
shouldn't miss.