Day 3: Pocatello, ID --> Lander, WY

Day 3

By the Numbers:

• Total miles traveled today: 325
• Total miles for trip: 1200
  
• Time on the bike: 7 AM
• Time off the bike: 5:30 PM
• # of stops: too numerous to count
• # of conversations about the bike: at least 4
• # of naps: 1
• Pain Points: Neck, forehead, knees, ankles, wrists. Butt.
  
• Pleasure points: Soul.
• Route: I-15 to Idaho Falls; Route 26 East; Route 31 East; Route 22 over Teton Pass to Jackson; Route 191 North into Grand Teton Natl. Park; Route 26/267 East to Route 131 to Lander, WY.
  

Day 3. The best day of the trip so far. Nothing but two lane, twisty mountain roads, a national park, and cool little towns. My plans had changed the evening before. Rather than heading up through Yellowstone National Park into Montana, I would head East by Southeast to Northern Colorado to visit my aunt and uncle. Three days alone with my thoughts is enough, even though I had really wanted to see parts of Montana again, as well as experience Yellowstone for the first time. In retrospect, I probably made the right decision, but it would have been nice to at least see the Custer Battlefield again. It's a tidy encapsulation of the history of the American West that can't help but move the visitor, like many such monuments in the west. Maybe not everyone, I guess.

Anyway, I got up very early, watched the sun rise as I packed my bike (I'm an excellent driver), and headed out in 45 degree weather. On a motorcycle, going 70 miles an hour, this feels a lot cooler...fortunately, the previous owner of the bike had installed heated grips. I'm just a country boy, but I'd recommend heated grips to anybody who likes a little comfort for their ride.

Idaho became very beautiful as soon as I hit Route 26 East. Dry-land farming here yields wheat, which was just being cut as I rode through.

This is a place I need to come back to, I thought. Crosswinds and trucks made concentrating on the road of paramount importance, but I still managed to take in the amazing scenery. The air is remarkably clear, and the greens, yellows, and blues just seemed deeper. Of course, much of the previous day had been spent in the browns and grays of Nevada, so...

Somewhat reluctantly, in Swan Valley, ID, I decided to move away from Route 26 and took Route 31 through the Bridger-Teton National Forest and over Teton Pass (via Route 22) into Jackson, Wyoming. This route was a little twistier, a little steeper, and much more fun than any road thus far. Freshly paved, at the base of the pass were warning signs for truckers that the grade was 10%. On the western side, the side I was ascending, it didn't seem too steep, however (90 horses on the rear wheel+50 lb/ft of torque may have something to do with that). Teton Pass is not that high (~8400 feet), but when I pulled over at the summit, my bike died in 1st gear. Carburetors will do that sometimes. Not that I'm a worrier, but considering I'd be spending much of the day at altitude, this gave me pause. More pressing was the downhill, with its 10% grade and signs announcing the presence of "Fresh Oil".

Teton Pass. Jackson, WY is in the distance.

But, I got the bike started again, and made it down to Jackson (not before being passed by a minivan with no brakes). Jackson is the home of Jackson Hole Ski Resort, a cold, cold place where lots of snow falls. It also has a bustling and touristy downtown. After the isolation of Nevada, it felt good to be around people, even tourists like me, though no one was too friendly.

The National Elk Refuge is just east of town, and you ride next to it for a mile or two before being smacked with one of the great views of the West, Grand Teton National Park.

For the next 20 miles, the mountains dominate the landscape. Since much has already been written on these peaks, let me just say that it appeals to my inner Beavis that French fur trappers dubbed them "Les Trois Tetons," meaning "the three tits." Must've been a long time in the wilderness for them. Just go see it, and judge for yourself. They are strangely seductive. Once in the Park, I saw two coyotes, who (which? that?) were sporting a brownish summer coat. Apparently, lots of wildlife exist within the park, in places me and my bike couldn't reach. I also took a short side trip to Jenny Lake, one of three lakes within the park:

I probably spent a good two hours tooling around the park, then had lunch at a lodge in the north end. Gassing up, I exited the park via Route 26/287, which again presented a great riding opportunity. I didn't know it at the time, but this road is listed as a Top Motorcycling Road, as is pretty much today's entire route. It sure felt good.

55 miles outside of the park is Dubois, WY, a small town with numerous billboards proclaiming the existence of the World's Biggest Jackalope, and one interesting sign that simply read "Trial Lawyers College." Not interested in fake fauna, and thinking that "Trial Lawyers College" was short for "We Shoot Lawyers," I found a little park and took a nap on a park bench (of course, now I realize that I was wrong about the college). I awoke 20 minutes later to the wind whistling through the aspens, and the sing-song voices of little girls having a birthday party. The only thing missing was the sound of wind chimes, and I could've been in a bad horror movie. Not spooked at all, I hopped back on the bike, and continued to Lander, WY, reaching it about 5:30. Just a phenomenal day of riding, with great roads, great weather, and great sights.

Lander is a cool little town, very Wyoming. On one side of the street is the gun store with an NRA neon sign in the window; on the other, the district headquarters for the Nature Conservancy. At dinner, the salad choices were "mixed organic baby greens with a light vinaigrette," or "iceberg lettuce with ranch." I wonder who chooses which. No, actually, I don't.

Some pictures of Lander: