day 16/17/18 (wyoming and the national parks)

the new tires have made all the difference the past three days. prior to getting them, i always felt i had a flat, even when the bike was fine. constantly stopping to feel the air pressure, or looking down to see if the tire was low was starting to become annoying. three solid days of riding have taken me into the heartland of wyoming, where the wind is not playing. chicago and boston apparently don't compare to the gusts i will encounter as i continue southeast through wyoming the next several days. all i can do is keep pedaling.





day 16 took me into yellowstone national park. i've always wanted to visit. it's odd, but my interest in many of the places in the northwest was sparked by the 5th grade curriculum i taught at claremont for four years-the dalles in our native american unit, and even yellowstone from our reading series. recalling the fire of 1988 from that story, it was crazy to see firsthand the damage that it caused in the park. despite the acres of bare forest, it was still amazing to witness the sheer magnitude of wilderness even without leaving the main road for too long (only to go see old faithful). definitely an area that requires further exploration on my part. it was a light day of riding, except for crossing the continental divide a few times.





day 17 saw me leave yellowstone through the south entrance and enter grand teton national forest. wow. i really can't describe what i saw, so hopefully some of the pics can better capture grand teton. riding along the teton range for most of the day set up the final day's challenge. my original plan was to camp at the western base of togwotee pass, a 9,658 foot climb. but a strong western wind made me start climbing. and up i went for two hours, hoping the campground indicated on my map existed and was open. 8 miles of climbing later, i reached a lodge and was informed that the campground was just a mile or so down a gravel road. it was there, and open, and completely desolate. i really haven't been scared as i go to bed since i was younger, but all those signs stating that i was in grizzly country, and the pitch darkness, and the weird night noises really messed with my mind. after laying in my tent a few hours imagining any and all situations of me running/fighting/playing dead if a bear approached my campsite, exhaustion took hold and i fell asleep for the night at about 12.30am.





day 18. no grizzly bear visits, although some of the tracks on the road were neither mine nor my bike's. being terrified made a great morning alarm, because i was up and out of my campsite before 7.30am. and then it was on to complete the task from the previous day. another 9 miles of climbing and escorted truck rides through construction zones took me to the highest point of my trip, togwotee pass at 9,658 feet above sea level! people say this elevation makes one dizzy and short of breath. after this many days of riding, i can't really notice any difference. maybe as i begin my decent east from colorado something will feel different.

i'm constantly meeting different bikers now and hearing their stories. i didn't have a chance to talk to anyone today, because everyone was heading the other direction it seemed as i was descending down the pass, but even with a brief, "it's only 3 miles 'til the top!" an instant bond is formed. the "hello's" and smiles seem so sincere, and fuel my pedaling. even the tourists in their trucks and RV's who approach me with complete shock, as they shake my hand and shake their head in disbelief, give me the strength to make it to my next destination. and all the great messages, emails, texts, comments on FB help me keep going, especially on those tough days. so thanks to everyone for the words of support.