59

 Saturday Aug 31        Rest Day 11

      Jackson Hole  (Wyoming )

My last Rest Day on this tour. Tomorrow we set off on a 7-day stint to Moab, the longest so far and it contains a few 140+km days.

Had a lie-in till 7 and then just wanted to get up. A bit chilly as one might expect at this altitude of almost 2000m. On the breakfast was one attractive dish but I passed up on it and just had Rancher#1 as you might expect here in The Virginian.

Once breakfast and a phone call was complete, for my relaxation I went........for a cycle, a 70km cycle!  Just north of Jackson Hole are the Grand Tetons whose western face we saw just in silhouette yesterday. This morning I took the bike path northwards out of Jackson Hole and got beautiful views of the Tetons with the morning sun sparkling on them.

Farmers Market were setting up as I passed through Jackson Hole and once outside I crossed over Flat River and the fenced-in Elk Refuge but no sign of any wildlife there.

First glimpse.

The bike path was in excellent order with fresh surfaces in places and surface-restoration in the rest. So smooth to ride on. The Tetons appeared just 5 km out of town but I wanted to get closer still.

Aaagh!

Halfway out is Jackson Airport and I thought I had captured a near-miss as I passed near it. Planes were continually coming and going.

The Tetons (granite) are a 40 mile range of the Rockies, the youngest range and have no foothills. It was French trappers here that named the 3 prominent peaks as ‘Les Trois Tetons’ meaning the three teats. A bit sexist!  Something like Dá Chích Anann, "the breasts of Anu, the two similarly shaped peaks down near Killarney commonly referred to as The Papa. These are at the centre of Grand Teton National Park, one of the ten most visited parks in the US.

There are still a few small glaciers hanging on up near the top but are shrinking year by year. The tallest Peak is Grand Teton at 4199m (13,755 ft)

It was a glorious bike path with gentle gradients much like the Greenway in Dungarvan. I had it to myself on the way out but more cyclists (serious ones) on the way back. On the way out I put the bike down just off the path to take a photo. A young lad (around 11 or so) came cycling against me with hid dad(I presume) about 100 m behind. He paused and asked sympathetically if I had a flat tyre. Nice of him.

At the end of the bike path is Jenny Lake a popular haunt for tourists and hikers. I tarried around for 30 mins down by the lakeside as trekkers we’re taking the boat over to the far side.

Spent a while in the tourist shop and bought a few fridge magnets (some people just love them!) and as usual the cashier enquired where I was from.

From a place in Ireland you’ve never heard of!

Where’s that?

Tipperary

Oh, it’s a long way isn’t it?  Oh, I just love your accent.

I’m having this conversation and reaction time and time again right along the route.

I could end up going home with an inflated vision of my presence!!!  If so, it won’t last long.

I cycled and walked around the centre of Jackson Hole on the way home thronged with holiday weekend crowds. But just missed the Farmers Market.....they were in the process of packing up shop.

In the centre of Jackson is the famous Arch of Antlers (all naturally shed) and there are 4 of them, one at each corner of the park, and then shops about are all in the Wild West style. In fact the complete centre is virtually one big shopping mall. Even the traffic pointsman fitted in.

The Virginian.

On the way back I just pedaled on against a tiny breeze reaching the Virginian at 1 pm. The legs feel strong and relaxed even after that 70 km trip. Nice way to spend a recovery day! Home at 1.

Laundry and lunch done by 2 and still a good part of the day at my disposal. On the way to the laundromat I spotted my next bike!

I cycled up to nearby Our Lady of the Mountains Church for Mass at 5:30. A large congregation and amazed at the large number of young couples with toddlers and of 20+ year olds. After Mass met Fr Lucas and a good number of parishioners all interested in this cycle. Met one young man who grew up in Tyrone and we had a good long chat.

A quick bite to eat and home to bed.

Thank God for a lovely day.

58

Friday August 30         Cycling Day 48

 

        Ashton (Idaho) to Jackson Hole ((Wyoming)

Distance:  (Km). 114

Time:  5:46

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 19.8

Ascent:  (m). 1265

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 120

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 5244

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 43,718

Punctures so far : 3

A pleasant sunset last evening and the night was quieter than I had expected. No trains and traffic was light and I had the ear plugs in just in case.

 E1000

The early kms this morning were on quiet country roads (E1000) and facing into the low morning sun. Much milder than the last two days and fingers operated as normal. By 8 I had the jacket off and into light summer gear. In time we joined Highway 32 (my auspicious number) and I just knew that things would be good for the day. 

 Idaho potatoes.

Again it was grain for the most part but potatoes did appear in fields and in warehouses.

The road rolled and rolled and we clicked up metres ascended without gaining altitude. The grain for the most part has been harvested but I relished the smell of freshly mown hay as I crested over these ripples on the road.

 The Tetons

 Oh, no.

The  distinctive Tetons (TEE-TONS) appeared off to the east but an annoying black cloud was off to the east at 10am and accompanied by thunder. Thunder on the morning is unusual in these parts. Hopefully I’d get ahead before it crossed our path. Some of those behind me got a touch of its rain.

As I approached Driggs at 57km my eye caught a most unusual church on my left. I thought I’d seen them all, but this surprised me. And surely an Irish connection in O’Reilly’s Auto Parts closer to the centre.

I pulled into Driggs to purchase a fridge magnet for Idaho and treated myself to two scoops of ice-cream, vanilla and huckleberry. Just outside Driggs the lunch van had pulled in at the start of a bike path. This path brought us all the way into the town of Victor and away from the busy Highway.

From Victor (76km) the road began to rise gradually for the next 10 km...nothing too strenuous. Two things happened then at 86 km. I crossed into a new state...Wyoming and said goodbye after my short stay in Idaho. Wyoming prides itself as being real cowboy country and also is referred to as the Equality State as it was the first state to allow women to vote or to hold public office. It’s thinly populated (1/2 million) but contains Yellowstone Park and Grand Teton Park. We’ll have a slightly longer stay in Wyoming.

At 90 km.

Also at this 86 km mark there was an increase in the gradient, up to 4% for the next 4 km to 90km, then a further increase to 10% for the next 4 km up to Teton Pass at 94 km. That last section was draining with gradient and heat but thankfully a light tailwind was like to a helping hand on the back. I stopped twice to take a breath and view the rise ahead. Even the cars and trucks were growling as they attacked the slope. A notice at the bottom said that trailers of any type were forbidden on the Pass but I saw plenty of them both going up and coming down. 

 Only 100 m to go.

 Teton Pass at 2555m.

In time the crest of Teton Pass at 2555 m ASL  appeared and thrilled I was. I think it was the toughest climb of this tour so far. And I didn’t walk any of it!

Ahead below lay Jackson Hole, so named as it’s surrounded by mountains and Davy Jackson was the first American/European to spend a winter there trapping. The land in this 50 mile valley is not good for crops but good for cattle.

The equally long descent was not on the highway but on a cycle path along the original road up. It was extremely steep in places with plenty of hairpins but I was pleased to just take my time and admire the surroundings after that tough climb. I paused at one small pleasant lake about half way down.

At the bottom waiting for me was the small town of Wilson established in 1895 by Uncle Nick Wilson.. Not much of a town really, just a few hostelries. Still another 10 km to go to destination but another bike path made the trip easier with the highway being so busy. Within 3 km of Jackson Hole at traffic lights I got the taste of busy traffic with this being a holiday weekend (Labour Day). 

 Virginian Lodge.

Just at 2pm I pulled onto the Virginian Lodge on the near end of town and thrilled to discover that our (Ed and I ) room was ready. Some other cyclists had to wait around in the courtyard till 3. The shower was so refreshing after a hot and fairly strenuous day.

This evening and tomorrow a chance to recover and regroup.

I enjoyed the day with a new state and a challenging climb.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.