Today’s Date: June 11, 2024

Yesterday’s Start Point: Victor, Wyoming

Yesterday’s End Point: Jackson, Wyoming

Yesterday’s Total Miles: 87 Miles (by car)

Today’s Start Point: Jackson, Wyoming

Today’s End Point: Togwotee Mountain Lodge

Today’s Total Miles: 57.34 Miles

Cumulative Miles: 1,453.66 Miles (by bike)

Yesterday was my rest day. I woke up and hired a car to take me from Victor, Idaho to Jackson, Wyoming. I think I can officially say goodbye to Idaho.

My driver was Bill, who runs the only taxi service in the Victor/Driggs area of Idaho for the last 15 years. Bill is a 65 years old native Southern Californian who relocated to the mountains about 35 years ago. He had various jobs before settling into the taxi service. It appears that most of his business is taking very rich people to and from their vacation homes in Idaho to the Jackson Airport. The money in and around the Jackson area is stunning, which of course goes along with the views.

The drive took a little over two hours and I am glad I did not try to ride my bike. Absolutely beautiful roads with gorgeous scenery, the road twisted and turned from the heights of Victor down to a large man-made lake and the city of Alpine, Wyoming and then back north to Jackson, Wyoming. But it definitely twisted and turned with steep downward gradients with no shoulder. Traffic was heavy since it was the only way to get from Idaho to Jackson.

Once in Jackson I went to my hotel and I was told the room was not ready, so I rode my bike to do laundry. When I got to the hotel, my room still wasn’t ready so I burned some time in their courtyard.

When my room was ready, I went to wheel my bike to my room. It didn’t roll well, oh-oh it was another flat, this time the front wheel. I must have run over something when I went to do laundry.

I tried to plug the hole, but if you have been reading this you have probably figured out that I have the mechanical skills of a possum (I am assuming that possums have very little mechanical skills). Well, my rest day became another mechanical day. Luckily, there are multiple bike shops in Jackson, and I found a shop that helped me out. If I was going to have an issue, Jackson was a good place to have one.

While my bike was in the shop, I wandered around the town. Leslie and I had been here 30 years ago and it is amazing to see the growth that has occurred in that time. Lots of good restaurants, galleries, t-shirt shops and homemade ice cream shops (I must have counted five of them). All in all, a very upscale tourist spot. I grabbed an early dinner and took advantage of some happy hour wine, and then picked up my bike and called it a day.

Today I woke up early again because I thought the distance was 70 miles with a six mile climb at the end. It turns out the route was only 56 miles but still with that six mile climb.

The route was going to take me north-east along a bike path for about 20 miles into the Grand Teton National Park and then on the highway for another 15 miles to the southern entrance of Yellowstone Park. I would then go east through the climb six miles to the lodge I am staying at 8,500 feet elevation.

I set out at 6:00 am and the temperature was 40 degrees but sunny, promising to get into the low 80’s by the afternoon. I hopped on the bike path in Jackson and it paralleled the main highway between Jackson and Grand Teton Park.

Those 20 miles may be the most relaxing and beautiful ride of my life (I know I have probably already said that a dozen times so far, but this time I mean it). I did not need to worry about traffic and I only saw one or two other bikes.

The path was mostly flat and off my left shoulder were the iconic Grand Teton Mountains, in all of their glory. I kept my speed low, and with the morning light hitting the peaks, it was a zen-like experience.

I believe today showed me the benefit of bike touring. I would observe people in their cars pull off at a scenic viewpoint, tumble out for a quick photo op, and then scramble back into their cars and speed off at 70 mph to the next spot. Bike touring, though hard and frustrating at times, makes you slow down and appreciate it all the more (irregardless I am sure my next vacation will be in the back of a tour bus).

I stopped multiple times for photos as I slowly wound my way through the Park. I think everyone is familiar with photos of the Teton Mountains, so I am not sure my words can add anything. All I can say it was spectacular.

Alas, the bike path finally ended, and I was back on the highway. The shoulder was broad, however, and the scenery was lovely so it was still a nice ride.

Eventually I came to Jackson Lake, created by the Jackson Lake Dam. The view was just icing on the cake as the Teton peaks were reflected off of the waters of the lake.

After a few more miles I turned east in search of my destination, Togwotee Mountain Lodge. The lodge sits about halfway up the Togwatee Pass at about 8,500 feet of elevation.

The road leading up the Pass took me out of the Buffalo Valley, and like most of the pass roads turned and wound itself up to the top (although the top will have to wait until tomorrow).

The noon heat made it difficult and I have to admit I was not actively stopping for photos. The other reason I did not want to stop were because of mosquitos, swarms and swarms of mosquitos. I have heard that if you are traveling under 14 mph, the mosquitos can get you. I was traveling at a snails pace so every mosquito for miles around saw me as a traveling buffet.

It is very hard to ride and swat mosquitos at the same time but I soon got the hang of it. When I did stop, I would look back at the Teton Mountains still looming behind me.

I got to the Lodge early and had to wait a few hours to check in. This was no problem since they had a front porch filled with Adirondack chairs for me to sit in and stare at the mountains and write my blog.