Grand Tetonic Adventures

Lander Fireworks Extravaganza

The town of Lander WY probably throws the greatest fireworks show I've ever witnessed. Many cycling compatriots got together in Lander on the 4th to soak up the festivities. I camped by a river for three nights for $8 per night and had access to the hotel's showers, bathrooms, and hot tub, plus the family that runs the Lodge were very friendly. I thought about staying for a month, but the road was calling and I didn't want all my newfound companions to disappear ahead. On the night of the fourth I recorded my first chart on the road, and since everything was loud or closed, even during the annual parade, I had to find somewhere to chill and consult the cosmic muse.

I stood and tried to watch the parade, but my philosophical brain kicked in and started asking meaningful questions about why we humans do this, especially in a town of 6000 and everybody pretty much knows everybody else, or is about a half a degree of separation away. I mean do we really need to know the local businesses? I mean cowboys walking down the street firing rifles and pistols are cool. But I was waved at sincerely on the way to the parade on my bike by a local. Then when I got to the parade I didn't feel any sincerity from the people on the slowly moving platforms (floats) waved at us. And as a vegan I don't appreciate people randomly flinging junk food at me! I just don't get the parade thing, unless something great happened like the troops return from vanquishing the barbarian invaders. Now that would deserve a parade! But to commemorate the same day every year, year after year, seems tired. I would rather have themed holidays, so we're not so stuck in the traditions.

As the fireworks went off in a 360 degree range around town I returned to my tent to consult the cosmic muse and do a chart. It was fascinating to interpret an astrology chart with explosions and whistling sounding all around in the darkness and the rushing sound of the river. But I got the job done and the client was pleased: Epic inspiration! The next morning I took another shower, brushed my teeth, and loaded up the bike. I was one of the last cyclists to leave town, but not the last. It was a tough journey ahead 76 miles to the town of Dubois, and quite a climb.

At one point I stopped at a rest area and all these Japanese and Indian tourists surrounded me and snapped lots of photos of me and my bike. They thought it was amazing what I was doing and the Indian people were impressed that I was fluent in Vedic astrology. I told the father of the travelers that I had just begun my Saturn dasa and he closed his eyes and said a prayer for me, and told me to look up prayers online. That seemed really cool in the modern era to look up mantras on the web to help align your metaphysical dimensions with the flow of beneficial karma!

The next 40 miles proved to be horrendous. The wind returned to scream in my face and the ride was uphill. Another harsh uphill wind day and 76 miles. At least this time I didn't almost die. Close, but not quite. My intuition asked me to talk with the wind, and so even though I was struggling, I humored my higher visionary self, and started making extremely obvious statements to the wind, and it made me laugh and forget the pain. I said out loud to the raging wind things like "Wow! It's really windy out here!" and "I wonder if we can make it to the store a block away in this wind?" and "The wind seems really strong today!" That got me through to Dubois.

The Cold of Dubois Creeps in...

I had to go several more miles to get to the KOA campground where all the cyclists were convened and camped amongst numerous campers. They saved me a spot and I tried to save Alex and Iris a spot, because I heard they were about 6 miles back and the sun had already set. I recalled my dark walk through the country near Laramie and prayed for them to find shelter or press forward to Dubois. They never made it to town that night. They caught me the next day going up the pass and told me they pulled into the RV park on the east side of town and gave up. I told them I had a veggie burger at a cafe and watched for them till late, but they never arrived. Sky, the unicyclist asked to share my tent because it started raining and it was very cold at that altitude. So i placed my panniers down the middle of the tent and made him a spot. He woke up at 6 AM ad blasted out. I got up at 8 AM and went to the showers and coffee shop and took my time.

Dubois was a cool little mountain town, totally set up for the tourist with one main street laden with interesting and unique shops, bars, and restaurants. We were all too tired to do much though as even experienced cyclists were saying that was one of the most difficult rides of their lives, so I didn't feel so bad about losing my mind and talking to the wind in humorous obviousness.

Eventually I was headed toward the ominous pass in the distance. Ominous but grand! As I climbed higher and higher up extreme hills in my lowest gear it got colder and colder and I had to break out my rain jacket or suffer hypothermia. My bones were chilled and brittle inside when Alex and Iris came by at last and left me in the dust due to my weight factor. I started imagining things I could live without and vowed to ship a box ahead to Nelson BC when I arrived in Jackson.

At the top of the hill, the workers were busy moving half a mountain to widen the road, and they stopped me and said they'd have to take me across the construction twice for a few miles. I said, "Darn!' and heaved the heavy Magellan into the back of the pickup truck and jumped inside. It was the first time I had been in a vehicle sine I left my Pathfinder back in Boulder, and it felt good to my frozen hands (inside gloves) to have the heater warm them. I had to take the highest pass with no ride through construction though. It was hellacious! But I made it and then after another ride through the construction went screaming down the 6% grade o try and catch Alex and Iris. I found them lounging at a lodge having hot tea with some of the ACA cyclists.

What a wonderful place to stop. The management was friendly even though we were not staying, and bought us hot water and everything. It was very cozy, but I forget the name. The next leg of the journey was downhill, and when I say downhill I mean the most extreme and longest downhill stretch I've ridden. I would try not to crash, but I was determined to go fas and enjoy watching the odometer stack on the miles. At the lodge we met a father and his 17 year old daughter who were biking across the Trans American Trail and they told us about this cool campsite at the bottom of the hill called THe Hatchet Resort. The girl had a guitar strapped to the back of her bike! How cool is that?

We ended up getting there and they had a free campground next to the luxurious over-priced resort. Turns out that the place is owned by some folks form my birth state Mississippi, and that they import seasonal workers, friends of friends, from the deep south. So we were served dinner by a couple of deep south nineteen year olds with the best Southern hospitality in the world! They were so friendly and cool and gave us the internet code. After dinner we made our way back to the campsite where we had set up our tents before dinner and we made a blazing campfire, canceling the mosquito factor. That was fun!

The Ultra Richy-Rich Town of Jackson

The next morning we set out for Jackson, mostly downhill. And we rode parallel to the Grand Tetons which I snapped a lot of photos of, just check out my Facebook photos to see the grand shots of these. They are incredible mountains and the town of Jackson with about 8000 people is nestled to the south behind some very large foothills that pretty much block the view of the Tetons, which was disappointing, but nevertheless marvelous. Even the foothills are quite majestic.

Not knowing where we were all going to camp or stay in Jackson created a certain amount of stress, being that this town has a reputation of being rich rich rich, and they don't like bums sleeping in their parks. Don't want to upset the billionaires that live there, including Harrison Ford. I think Indy would love to have a few homeless people comfortable in Jackson, but hey. In addition, my back tire blew a spoke, my first major repair, while rolling down the hill into town, so I had to walk my bike through a sea of tourists over to the cool bike shop Fredricks. The lady inside was a very hot brunette who acted very interested in the journey so far, but I think she acts that way with every potential customer. So $26 dollars and one Thai meal at Bon Appe Thai later, Magellan was back in the game. I immediately stopped at the post office and unpacked everything and threw 16 pounds of gear into a box and sent it all forward to Nelson, BC for $56. My bike immediately felt lighter. I might be able to give these professional cyclists a challenge now on the flats and uphill slopes.

We didn't know where we were going to stay with no campground in sight, so Alex, Iris, and I called Sky the Unicyclist, and found out that he was staying with a friend of a friend from Lander in a camper. We asked if we could join him and he got enthusiastic permission from his hosts who delivered all their vegan leftovers from the fridge to us: Couscous and eggplant among other delights. Yes they were vegan, just my uncanny luck. I offered to do a chart in exchange for their hospitality, and the lady was more interested in me charting her two teenage sons. God knows we all need help with those crazy times! So I agreed and will hopefully meet them tonight back at the camper. They lived about a half mile from Harrison Ford's house and said that he had visited the local children's lemonade stand and requested cookies for next time. To see Indy would be an Epic heart-pounding moment, but even to sleep in his hood is quite cool!

As for today, we slept in our little camper beds till 10 AM, and woke up with the usual banter and humor and listening to Iris complain and beg Alex to get her breakfast or something else she left on the bike outside. She's a real princess with Leo Moon and Leo Rising, but also tough with Capricorn Sun sign. They're going to be a perfect married couple since they've already mastered the art of strategic yet humorous conflict. Any couple who can ride across the country 4500 miles and still even be together deserves a vote of confidence on their longevity. Sky blew a tire and tube out on his 36" Unicycle so he will be stranded for a few days till he can get Unicycle.com to send him another one. He's bummed but thinks it's a sign he should explore the area and do some hiking. He could easily catch up to us later as he is fast!

We will probably enjoy the town tonight and then head out tomorrow for Yellowstone and the Montana border. Can't wait to actually pass into another state so I can say I biked a whole state! Meanwhile, we'll see what madness we can get into tonight with lots of other cyclists rolling into town!