I biked a huge loop all around Grand Teton National Park! Mom hasn't been feeling well and Dad spent the day with her! She's got good media and should be feeling better soon!
I started at Moose and headed up US191 toward Moran Junction. The first mile or so was on a bike path and after that I was riding on the shoulder of the road. The shoulder was wide and paved and smooth so it wasn't bad, even though cars and big RVs were whizzing by at 60+ MPH (speed limit is 55!). The valley looks flat, but it's not! The road climbed gently, then had a steep descent, followed by more rolling hills. None of the hills were all that big or long which I liked, I like more rolling terrain with variety!
18 miles in US 26 continued east to DuBois and 191 turned left to continue into Yellowstone. This is where the entrance station to the National Park is. I'd left my park pass in the van. I did have $20 I was going to use to buy lunch so I figured I'd be able to get in. However, once I got to the entrance station the Ranger told me they had a power outage and she couldn't do any sales. It was free admission! YAY! Turns out a big power substation in Idaho went down and most of Jackson Hole was without power for a long time! Things you don't know when you dry camp!
I stopped at Oxbow Bend overlook, one of the most popular, I was disappointed though because Signal Mountain blocked the view of Grand, Sout and Middle Teton. I continued around to the dam that created Jackson Lake. It was about there that I saw the mileage sign. I'd gotten it in my head that this was a 38 mile loop. So I was surprised to see that Moose was 20 miles away. I'd already ridden more than 20 miles. This was going to be a 40+ mile day!
Soon I came to Signal Mountain Lodge, the was a general store there and I got a sandwich, some chips, a drink, and another "Kate's" bar like the one we got in Leadville - I decided I like them! I was really glad I hadn't had to pay the entrance fee because lunch was really good!
After lunch there was more climbing, and then on the downhills, the headwind got going and it was fierce! As soon as I'd start to go up the wind would stop, but on the downhill side it was so strong I couldn't coast, had to pedal! A few times I even almost stopped with just the wind holding me up.
A few miles after lunch I met up with the only other cyclist I'd seen on the loop. He was from the Netherlands and was riding the Continential Divide Trail. He and I joined up after Jenny Lake and chatted the last 8 miles. He seemed really nice and it was fun to ride with him!
The total ride ended up being 44.5 miles. After I got back to Moose and got a drink & changed out of my bike shirts I headed into Jackson. I'd figured out how to get to Moos Homemade Ice Cream without going through the square. I even found a great place to park!
Yesterday when we were exploring we saw that Moos had a kind out the door. Always a good sign! Turns out they are all organic, no junk, and the huckleberry had won "best desert in Wyoming" from the Food Network! I thought it was ok.
Since I was parked next to a shady picnic table and I had signal, I decided to spend an hour or so updating my blog, then I ran over to Albertson's so some stuff we needed for dinner. I discovered that they sell Moos ice cream in pints! I picked up some strawberry sorbet. It's just strawberries and sugar and has only 45 calories per 1/2 cup! And it's really good!
Then it was back to the campground for dinner & blogging.
Something I realized....there is probably just as much, if not more "money" and rich people living in Jackson as in Aspen, but Jackson is a much nicer town! Some of it that there's a lot of tourists, more than in Aspen, but it's also just a nicer place! People are friendlier, the town is very "outdoorsy" and they embrace it!
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