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Sunday Sept 1         Cycling Day 49

 

        Jackson Hole ((Wyoming) to Warren Bridge (Wyoming)

Distance:  (Km). 90

Time:  4:07

Average Speed: (Km/ hr). 21.9

Ascent:  (m). 806

Heart Rate: (beats / min). 117

Cumulative Distance:   (km). 5234

Cumulative Ascent :  (m). 44,524

Punctures so far : 3

Very mild as we arose for a late TDA breakfast in the parking lot at 7:30. All ready now for 7 continuous day’s cycling to Moab.

We were out of Jackson Hole by 3 km and naturally traffic was light for a Sunday. There was sunshine but high ground on our left kept us in the shade for ages. A light fog lingered on the low fields to our right at this early hour. 

Surprisingly, a bike path appeared on our side and lasted for 11 km. Hadn’t heard of the existence of this at all. Most took the path but some continued down along Highway 191. At 11 km the bike path ended (tarmac not laid any further yet)

By the Snake River

Up by the Hoback River

We were cycling along with the flow of the large Snake River which we crossed a couple of times. After 20 km at Hoback Junction we swung off to the left and started up against the flow of the Hoback River. The road rose ever so gently along here and we must have crossed the Hoback as many as twenty times as it got smaller and smaller. 

We are progressively getting out of trees and more into sagebrush as we keep moving south. Also yesterday I noticed there’s more and more Spanish appearing and the church in Jackson Hole had a Mass in Spanish every Sunday at 12. I expect these trends will continue over the next few days.

In a few places there was evidence of recent forest fires on hillsides.

By 10am Heat was increasing and I removed the jacket and for that extra bit of energy had a banana I brought from breakfast. And plenty of water was being consumed because of the heat, not because of any climbing.

The lunch stop appeared at 65 km by the roadside and I had me fruit and my usual sandwich containing ham, tomato, cheese, onion and mayonnaise.......and real butter. Had plenty of time to relax over this as I had only another 25 km to go.

The gradient of the road increased after lunch with a stiff 2km at 6% and still getting hotter. This leveled out at 74 km at The Rim (2409m). I was glad of the bit of climbing in order to prepare me for our cycling trip to the Alps at the end of the month.

The Rim marks another divide. The Hoback and Snake rivers  flow into the Columbia River, but after The Rim all rivers flow into the Colorado River and down through the Grand Canyon. At The Rim I treated myself to a cool ice-cream at the only shop we passed all day.

Actually going downhill.

The lady in the shop assured me it was all downhill now, no matter which direction I was going. And true for her. From 74 till camp at 90km it was speedily along a freshly tarmaced road in spite of a slight wind coming in from the side. At times the road seemed to the eye to be rising but Garmin said -1 and -2%. 

And it almost 30 deg, no shade.

I cycled into camp (Warren Bridge) at 1pm (could have been there earlier but waited to assist Kevin who had a problem with his disc brakes). No trees in this camp! No bit of that shade that we have been accustomed to. We camp among the sage and seek a bit of shade wherever we can.....I’m writing this in the shade of the drop-toilet block. Any port in a storm!

The Warren River by the campground was handy for washing and a bit of laundry. And no problem with drying either.

Not a too demanding day but would love to know how the All-Ireland is going. Will Dublin do the 5 or will Kerry do a Seamus Darby on them. I looked for indications along the route and seeing half the landscape in green sage and half in blue sky, I’m thinking things might end up level. We’ll see.

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