Day 26Really? 26 days already???

A long day, started with a horrible rails to trails segment of perhaps 35 miles? This rail line was removed many years ago. What is left is a loose soft surface that is difficult to ride on, more like plowing through sand. Thankfully, for most of the route there was a parallel road!

The book stop for today was warm springs, but I got there too early to stop then for the day. 

I continued into the next book day, much of it bumpy gravel that was very difficult to find a smooth line through. And yes, endless uphill toward the end of the day. I had to stop twice to filter creek water as I was going through it big time!

Had intended to get to John D Rockefeller Jr Memorial Highway campsite, but found an absolute cherry site beside Grass Lake Reservoir, about 4 miles earlier. Not on the map, it had a table, bear food box, and a flat tent spot! 

I was pretty spent, cycling from 70 miles from 830am to almost 7pm. 

On arrival got more water, setup camp, pondered tomorrow on the map, and cooked a delicious dinner of Alpenlite dehydrated pepper beef and rice that I added a bag of uncle bens and a little bit of spam. Cayenne and Tajin too. So yummy!!
Earlier in the day, met a guy cycling from Patagonia to Alaska, then intends to take a boat to China. (From Seattle, maybe?) A young 23yr old Brit just out of the university, I realized I was approximately 2.5x his age. Pondered that for a couple miles…
Saw quite a few old fart couples riding four wheelers on the road, seems like a low impact fun adventure…

Thought a bit more about the poem I will write, involving how we are always trying to find the smooth line on a bumpy road…as a metaphor for life…

Tired, already laying in tent 930pm, a million stars above, so quiet…

Day 27

Awoke in that very nice campground, started a fire with pine needles and collected sticks. Started right up! Made some coffee, oatmeal, started packing up again. (Repeat daily…)

I did realize that was my first truly solo night, camping alone, speaking to no one (except myself), cooking only for me, waking alone. An interesting feeling, true solitude…

Got rolling and stopped at Flagg Ranch for some juice and I hear my name called out! It’s one of the Dutch gang! They are taking a rest day there; so technically I’m ahead of them! I went over to their camp and said hi to the folks that were there. Nice group! Expect to see them again as they pass me in the next day or two…

I pedaled on to Moran and was devastated that the pizza place on my mind since yesterday closed 45 min before I got there!!! Shiza!! I did inquire about renting a rustic cabin the Heart Six Guest Ranch. They were full, but smallest place is $220!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Continued on and set my sights on Turpin Meadow campground. Made it there, but there is Turpin Guest Ranch right beyond, I went in and asked about rooms, yes they had a $320 cabin available!!!!! Oh, the lives the rich lead… Clearly out of the question for a cabin, I asked if I could join for their overpriced dinner, and they’re able to squeeze me in at 6pm! Hope they have wifi so I can update things!!

Expensive, small portion dinner, but good! And a tasty Ginger IPA! Arrived back at the campsite to a handwritten note saying I cannot tent camp in this campground. Why the fuck not?? In my tent now, see what happens…

Day 28

Had a quiet night sleep, though I realize good sleep is difficult in a tent, seems like about every 45 minutes I have to roll over to a different position, so seems like I never really get into a deep sleep somehow… 

Definitely heard coyotes in the distance several times during the night…

Got up early with some extra motivation, didn’t want to have a confrontation with some angry camp host. On the road and rolling by 830, had a big hill to start with but that was a good warm-up is it was pretty chilly anyway.

Emerged from the hills with another chunk of the Tetons right beside me, and as usual I made it up to the Towgotee lodge at about 9500 feet elevation, and of course I missed their breakfast cut off by 20 minutes. Seems like that’s happening a lot lately! Thank goodness I had my incredibly delicious instant oatmeal and a cup of instant coffee already!

Continued on, short breaks because I want to make good progress today, eventually came across the lava Mountain Lodge, had an extraordinarily huge cowboy club sandwich! Forgot to take a picture of it, it was three slices of bread, bacon lettuce tomato and a generous slice of brisket and some unidentified sauce, with french fries. Absolutely fantastic as real meals are hard to come by these days it seems… Also had three tall icy Coca-Cola’s as well! I never drink pop in my real life, but on a bike trip it is great fuel!

Spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out where I was going to go in the afternoon, checking the map, elevations, whether to stay there but it seemed like a waste of good time as I was there at about 1 PM, then I tried to use Wi-Fi Skype to call the next lodge to see if they had space, that took forever because I had to get my account reconfigured. Yadda, Yadda…There is rarely cell service unless you’re in a sizable town.

Decided to push on after verifying that was space at the crooked Creek Lodge, the big challenge was Union Pass Road, about 1600′ in 4.5 miles. But I now have this lovely little cabin that has heat and hot water and a bed! On arrival, I got there about an hour earlier than they expected me, they asked me to stay in the bar while they cleaned the room, only to my delight was I able to do that and enjoy two Alaskan icy Bay IPAs! Feeling luxurious after a couple nights camping.

The extra push today will enable tomorrow… I’m hoping to push on to Pinedale, it’s a big 75 mile day, but after about the first 25 uphill, it should be flat or downhill, so I will get an early start and looking forward to taking a day off in Pinedale, I haven’t had a day off since Butte.

They have spaghetti and meatballs on the menu, that sounds pretty darn good to me… Well, they were out of marinara… Not wanting to give up on the pasta, I asked to toss in butter and Parmesan… Soy on the side… Then I added black pepper, tobasco green chile, and Heinz 57 sauce… Was awesome!!!

Signing off of this blog entry, thanks to those of you who comment! Sorry I don’t answer every comment, but I appreciate the kind words!