Middle two weeks - June 23 to July 7, 2015
Day 15 - Wide open spaces
Leaving Montana (finally)
7:23am, 14h 15mm, 89 miles, 2,566 ft of climbing
Day 16 - Scenic Byway and some assistance
Past Mesa Falls towards the Tetons
8:14 AM 81.1mi 3,374ft
Taking a Scenic Byway instead of the sand
Tetons from 40 miles
Took a side trip to visit this spectacular falls
Upper Mesa Falls
Lower Mesa Falls
The flat gradual part of Ashton Flagg Ranch Road
Ashton Flagg Ranch Road
"It is 36 miles of gravel road - sometimes washboarded, sometimes rutted, often windy, always narrow."
Day 17 - Grand Teton NP in AM, Togwotee in PM
Lost tourists and finding hidden lakes
08:14 AM, 61.8mi, 4,042ft of climbing
Day 18 - Union Pass only better
The Devil's Hole Trail and riding the divide
6:24 AM 82.6mi 4,157ft of climbing
Heading to Union Pass
Starting the day the same way I started most days - me and my shadow.
Some nice 8-10% grades along the way
Between the two climbs in the reroute. Climbing to here was one of the toughest (most fun) I had.
The views opened up all the back to the Tetons
View west
At the top of Devils Hole Trail
View east
After the two climbs I rode along the divide for miles
Union Pass area - view west
near Union Pass
Union Pass area - view north
... for miles and miles
I was amazed again and again during the five plus hours it took me to go through this section.
Rolling toward Pinedale - back in the desert
The last 40 miles was rolling downhill and south through wide open spaces. The Wind River Range was to the east
Day 19 - Wyoming - after the mountains
A long, hot day in the desert
07:52 AM, 87.7mi, 3,560ft of climbing
The first 35 miles of the day were hot but reasonably flat.
Once agin riding along the divide for miles
The Big Sandy River
Along the road to South Pass City, a restored mining town.
Atlantic City - stopped for the day
Miners Grub Stake - the tepee was taken so I ended up at a home nearby.
Day 20 - Another long day in Wyoming's Great Basin
Water supply and disappearing jeep trails
07:15 AM, 97.9mi, 2,712ft of climbing
100 miles thru the desert
By 9:30 I was alone for the day
Flat - but the roads not
The double track was rutted and difficult to get a good line through.
There were no cattle guards, fences or signs.
Wild horses along the way
He really looked angry.
about 10 miles that felt more remote than almost any other spot on the ride.
Picture from Jill Horner's story also gives a sense of what I was riding through.
Wamsutter, WY
Back to civilization or at least a Truck stop along Interstate 80
Day 21 - Brush Mountain Lodge
My birthday in a slice of heaven
7:06 AM 81.9mi 3,928ft of climbing
More desert south of Wamsutter, WY
Going south there were many trucks building, widening or maintaining the gravel road.
Afternoon in the desert
Heading toward these mountains in Colorado
another fence
Savery, WY - 5 miles to the Colorado border
The museum basement had various items in the fridge. I had a couple yogurts and at least 4 cheese sticks to go with 2 cans of Coke.Their break room was air conditioned so I stayed for a while.
Lots of ups and down on the way to Brush Mountain Lodge.
Entering Colorado - destination is 12 miles up Slater Creek
Along Slater Creek
It was hard to get a sense of how bad this was going to be.
The ride up to Brush Mountain Lodge was slow and painful but it was a ride and not a walk
Brush Mountain Lodge
Before I could sit down I had been offered Lemonade and Cheeseburgers for my belly and ice for my knees.
Happy Birthday Jim
Day 22 - Colorado Mountains
Long steady climbs and descents
07:55 AM, 50.5mi, 3,220ft of climbing
Day 23 - A long day out on the road
A giant coast into Kremmling and mind games
06:55 AM, 108.7mi, 6,441ft of climbing
The first 20 miles out of Steamboat was developed with homes and ranches all around.
Road leading to Yampo River Dam. I was supposed to ride across the top of it.
toward Lynx Pass
This was a long climb which put my goal of reaching Dillon in doubt
Finally on top of Lynx Pass
Top surprised me - I thought I had a few more miles to go
Gore Pass
After struggling on Lynx I chose Gore Pass instead of through Radium, an old uranium mine.
After Gore Pass the 14,000 ft mountains came into view
It was about three miles to the pass and then a wonderful 16 mile coast down to US Hwy 40.
36 miles to Silverthorn - starting at 3pm
This was torture - gradually up along the Green Mountain Reservoir
End of a 100 mile day
With less than 15 miles to go I was able to convince myself I could probably walk the last few miles.
Day 24 - Dillon Reservoir, Breckenridge and Boreas Pass
Highest pass on my tour
7:00 AM 68.0mi 3,507ft of climbing
Lake Dillon
Starting the day at the Dillon Lake by my hotel
Looking down on Breckenridge
The lakes were full
Boreas Pass Road
9 mile climb. Looking like rain.
Boreas Pass - 11,482ft
Highest pass I traveled through
Boreas Pass - 11,482ft
Railroad car to show that there used to be a railroad thru here.
The south side of Boreas Pass
From here on it would rain almost every afternoon
from Como to Hartsel a 10 mile stretch of washboard
There were rain clouds all around but the rain held off until I reach the Highline Cafe & Saloon in Hartsel.
Rainbow over bustling downtown of Hartsel, CO.
Day 25 - July weather
More afternoon rains and washboard roads
7:51 AM 48.4mi 2,300ft of climbing
Sunset on my home for the previous night
The town gazebo - safe and sound
Sunrise in Hartsel
Just about a traffic jam of bikes
People coming and going all different ways from Florida to Alaska
I think I've been down this road before.
Trucks where they shouldn't be - Boots, jacket but no driver
Somehow this truck was gone a few hours later. The mud was not
From outside Salina
Dropping almost 3,000 ft over 12 miles.
Day 26 - Marshall Pass and the Colorado Trail
Tepees, Rain and the 4th of July
07:30 AM, 46.4mi, 4,382ft of climbing
Repairs were needed before our big climb
Poncha Springs Post Office was our repair stop
Stopping for repairs after just getting started
Once off the main road it looked like it would be a beautiful day
27 miles - 4,000 ft
We got this
On top of Marshall Pass
On top of Marshall Pass - Rob, Andrew and Jim
Home for an afternoon nap
Colorado Trail - Is this a shortcut?
Home for the night - A leaky tepee
Room for three people and bikes.
Day 27 - Lighting and Thunder in the afternoon
Two passes and outrunning the rain
07:49 AM, 101.0mi, 5,182ft of climbing
Leaving the Teepee on an overcast day
The initial 13 miles on US50 to Doyleville where I turned south onto gravel roads.
20 miles of gravel
Some long slow climbs in this section of gravel prior to getting back onto CO 114.
From Doyleville (8,100 ft) to North Cochetopa (10,135)
I reached the pass about noon and rejoined the TD route at the low point before heading up to Carnero Pass.
Lighting and Thunder on way to Carero Pass
The pass was 12 miles out and there was rain all around.
A little rain 3 miles from the top
Second 10,000 foot pass of the day.
Trail magic just before the top gave me some water and returned my headlamp
Some great canyons and hodos on the way down.
Each time I stopped the rain would come in behind me and I would ride as fast as I could to get out in front of it.
Literally blown into town
As I approached Del Norte the sun broke through the clouds in a couple spots.
Day 28 - Getting some rest and plotting my course
The Library, Amish Cinnamon Rolls and Wild Boar
Sleeping in at the Windsor Hotel - zero ft of climbing
Woke up to rain
I went to the Amish bakery and bought a cinnamon bun and headed out to do my laundry.
Two nights at the Windsor Hotel
I had a delicious meal (Wild Boar) and fantastic desert to celebrate my day off.
I spent the afternoon plotting my course in and around the remainder of the tour divide. I was trying to avoid the afternoon rain and wind.
An afternoon snack of Strawberry Rubarb pie from The Columbine.