Monday, July 03, 2006
Day 15 - Jackson, Wyoming - July 3rd 2006
Weather: Sunny (some clouds) and 82Location: Jackson, Wyoming (from Idaho Falls, Idaho)
Miles per day: 88.72
Average miles per hour: 11.50
Top speed: 41.80 MPH - ripping down a 12% grade! great fun going faster than the speed limit!
Total elevation climb: 7414 Feet
Blizzards/Ice Cream to date: 12
Flat Tires to date: 1
I received an email from Japan recently that gave me a great japanese word: Gambatte meaning 'endure, fight and don't give up'..... Today, I lived by those words. It was a spectacular day. However, I would be lying if I told you that today was easy.... Not in the least! It was actually brutal. We started with a nasty Headwind (something you only notice when you are trying to pedal forward, look down and realise you are only plugging along at 8 mph). With Tailwinds, you hardly notice the benefit but can cruise along 3-4 mph faster (gets me going 17 mph) and it is very enjoyable. After 25 miles of headwind, we started to move into the Targhee National Forest heading through Pine Creek Pass and then towards Grand Tetons Pass (elevation 8341 feet). Now the fun began! Initial grades were 6% but the last 6.6 miles had grades varying in the range of 8 to 15%... just brutal and toss in, incrediby challenging and difficult. At times, I felt excruciating pain and thoughts of misery moving at just 3.5 MPH wondering if it would ever end.
Then came the exhilerating emotional high - the reward of reaching the summit of Grand Tetons Pass. Few words can describe the raw emotion of joy and happiness. Life can't get much better. A feeling that brought tears to my eyes.
We had brilliant fun talking to those who took the easy way (via car). The weather had been swinging from sunny to rain all day but cleared for us - we could see for miles. Absolutely spectacular! We then ripped down 5 miles of 10% grade with top speeds of 41.80 MPH --- great hair razing fun. The finale for me was viewing the Grand Tetons in the late afternoon sun (see photo). Arriving at the hotel, we munched into gigantic chocolate chip cookies (sent by a rider who left us the previous week). Just what the doctor ordered!
Today was the by far the toughest ride day but also one of the most enjoyable in terms of natural beauty.
We topped the evening off in Jackson by stopping into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar where the bar stools are horse saddles. And of course, I requested 'We're going to Jackson' by Johny Cash which had been buzzing in my head all day (of course, that song is for Jackson, Mississippi!). Tomorrow is another 85 miles heading to Dubois with 6% (piece of cake compared to today).
