A Tiny Little Ride

Saturday

Miles traveled 18: cycle time 2:00
As planned, I made no effort to extend myself and rode the bike trail from Silverthorne to Breckenridge. This area is obviously as vacation center of increasing importance, the mountain sides are replete with ski trails, there is a beautiful lake, a rejuvinated river for fishing, and a maze of cycle trails.

Today as I sauntered up the trail I was greeted, literally, by hundreds of cyclists flying down. Turns out today is the day of the Triple-Bypass Ride where cyclists each cross three different passes. Almost got run over a couple of times. I have access to a computer and tried to move my pictures to my storage device but it wouldn't take.

I hope to get a good nights sleep because tomorrow its over the top - a ten mile 2,000 foot climb followed by forty miles of downhill. I will give it my very best and, if I can't make it, will hitch a ride with no lost honor. Getting down to tolerable altitude and more humid conditions will help me with the cold.

Reflections

With only fifteen miles of riding scheduled for today ( a good thing as I had little sleep last night) its a good time for reflection. One of my reasons for the trip was to visit the North West and that has been accomplished. I believe I enjoyed the Montana valleys the best, particularly the Big Hole Valley. I also have found memories for the ever changing terrain and vegetation of Eastern Oregon. The small towns - friendly, good cafes, accommodating to cyclists- will long be remembered. Everything has been green, a real change, I have been told, from previous years. As I moved to the East and South the mountain ranges to my front increased in size until I finally reached the Rockies. I am informed that I will soon be in 100-degree weather and flat terrain, the exact opposite of what I have been used to. I have a sense that the second half of this trip will be quite different. I'm sure it will have its own sense of balance and beauty. For now I think I'll finish my ride, check into bed, and get some more rest.

Taken Hostage by a Common Cold

This missive is from Silverthorne, Colorado.

Wednesday
Mileage 62: moving time 5.29

Had a terrible time sleeping given a terrible headcold. Not only that, the sprinkler system was on in the city park, routinely spraying my tent for a number of hours. The ride to Kremmling was a long uphill in the sun and into the wind. The headcold sapped my strength and I barely made it in. Too bad I felt so bad as the ride was actually nice. By the time I arrived in Kremmling I was exhausted: I was too sick to eat - drank as much as I could, took Nyquil, and went do bed. I did take time to order new clips for my bike shoes. I had worn out the originals, primarily, I believe, by pushing off on them too often during frequents stops and starts on the uphill climbs.

Thursday
Slept in most of the day, taking time only to collect my clips and to do the wash. I managed some food but was not interested in eating.

Friday
Mileage 38: 3:57 travel time.
With my endurance under seige by this cold, I decided to take it easy the next two days and rode only to Silverthorne today. Tomorrow I will only ride twenty miles or so to Breckenridge, the last stop before the pass. The Rockies were in my face all day, a constant reminder of Sunday's climb over Hoosier Pass. I felt a bit better but am still weak.

On Line At Last

It's been several days since my last posting, but not for the lack of looking for opportunities. Frankly, being within Yellowstone was somewhat constraining with respect to camping and eating alternatives.

Tuesday
Mileage 18 miles: moving time 1 hour.

I rode to the Madison Campground just inside the park and hitchhiked back to West Yellowstone to join an animal sightseeing tour in the Northern Section of the park. I wasn't sure if the hitching would work as there were three of us, but it only took ten minutes before we were picked up. Two elk with their calfs watched the whole seen from some twenty yards away. Saw plenty of wildlife including a large Bison right in the midst of the Madison Campground where I had pitched my tent.

Wednesday
Mileage 38.8 : moving time 3.31 hours.

Stayed in the park, while crossing the Continental Divide twice. It was an easy ride despite the climbing. Saw Old Faithful-sort of- and watched a Bison hold up traffic exiting from the area. Camped at a Park Campground, which had two showers for over 150 camp sites. What a way to kill time.

Thursday

Mileage 58.5: 4:55 moving time.

Left the park and transited Grand Teton National Park. The views were spectular, at some points it felt like I was atop the world. It was a great ride, particularly when the sun broke out. Stayed at a National Forest Service campground in Moran Junction but I was able to walk back to the Hatchet Cafe and Motor Lodge for dinner and a shower. I'm glad we're getting out of bear country.

Friday

Mileage 49.2: 4:48 moving time.

Traveled from Moran Junction to Dubois by way of 9,658 Togwotee Pass, a climb of 3,000 feet. It was my best climb: I felt stronger and the the road did not contain major sections of steep grades. The views of the Grand Tetons riding up to the pass were eclipsed by views of Pinnacle Bute as I crested the pass and started dropping down.

Our group of East-Bound cyclists is growing. Byron is cycling on a tandem, alone, in memory of a high school friend who died of cystic fibrosis. He is raising pledges along the way. I met a West bound cyclist with a new Trek 520 just like mine. He also had to replace his rear wheel on the trip because of stress factures. Hum!

Saturday
Mileage 77.5 miles : 5:37 moving time.

I traveled from Dubois to Lander within the Wind River valley. The winds can be terrible with sustained gusts of 50 mph. When it goes against you -which it did- it is like climbing a steep grade. The ride was very hard work to say the least. We camped in a RV park on a bluff overlooking the city: what a beautiful sunset. I broke my helmet coming into town - not in a accident,fortunagely - and was not happy about the prospect of riding for two days without one. With this in mind, and facing the prospect of a hard two days into the wind in the middle of nowhere, I arranged a ride along with the Kiwis to Rawlins on Sunday. I came down with a terrible cold - maybe the cycling gods are taking retribution for my cutting corners on the ride.

Monday
Rode to Saratoga: 44.3 miles with 3:30 moving time.

I could have gone further but agreed to wait for Byron who had traveled the entire 120 miles from Lander to Rawlins the previous day. We hooked up that evening and camped out by the lake. Unfortunately, the RV park where I agreed to meet Byron was closed. I Took a hot bath in the hot spring - the city was previously known as Hot Springs, Wyoming - but no shower as it was broken. I did cool down in the river that ajoined the hot bath, however. The cold continues to gain strength.

After the 'swim' I returned to center city to find Byron's bike but not Byron. I waited an hour by the bike while Byron (it turned out) was eating. We camped by the town lake - a nice site actually - two miles out of town.

Tuesday

The easy day yesterday led to a 70.0 mile ride to Walden, Colorado: moving time of 6:35.

The wind was either at my back or to the side. This ride was in the middle of nowhere - large farms where the cattle and antelope intermingle: no place to stop for fifty miles. The cold makes it somewhat difficult but I'm here. Tomorrow Heather and Jackson veer off towards Boulder. They have been fine company, but I probably will travel with Byron through the balance of the trip should he catch up.

We camped in the city park, showering at a local laundromat for $5. I picked a soft grassy area, taking care to avoid a recessed sprinkler. Unfortunately, we returned from dinner to find the lights on at the softball field ajoining the park.