“We’d go down to the river
And into the river we’d dive
Oh, down to the river we’d ride”
- Bruce Springsteen
I had an entire range of options for today’s ride, but based on the scenic beauty of the Snake River and Hoback River canyons, this one gets the nod. Tonight I will need to choose my words carefully so as to avoid the Idaho-style karma kickback here in Wyoming. The first 20 or so miles today leaving Alpine were stunning. The Snake winds its way down from Yellowstone, through Grand Teton and down to Alpine before it turns west for Idaho. At some point years ago, Kelly and I took a little raft trip down the Snake. I think we were a bit further up the river, closer to Jackson. At the appropriately named Hoback Junction, the Hoback empties into the Snake. My route turned to follow it for another 20 miles through another canyon, complete with fly fisherpeople and avalanche warning signs. I was about halfway through the day but, as it turned out, I was about 90% done with the scenery.
After lunch, the road went through a wide valley and then up a fairly steep grade to a point at almost 8000’ (7918 per Strava although there was a noticeable absence of commemorative signage). Not aware that I was almost to the top, I had stopped to take a picture back down the hill. Little did I know that those would, for practical purposes, be the last trees I would see for 30 miles. As soon as I crested the hill, the scenery changed completely to a high, open valley with no streams or creeks and lots of cattle. Several stopped to stare at me, but one couldn’t be bothered as he was in the process of getting his groove on. The subject of his amorous intent did not appear to be as excited about it and she kept walking along the fence line, making his work a bit more difficult. I did not linger to watch nor did I believe it to be polite to take a picture.
I eventually made it to Pinedale where there is an actual bike shop. Sort of. They had the tire irons I was sorely lacking yesterday. I asked for a tube, and the guy went into the back storage room and came out with one, not in a box, and looking big enough to fit in a tractor. He inflated it to test it and promptly announced, “this will fit whatever you’re riding.” I told him I’m afraid it won’t. The tube that went flat was a 26x1 1/4. The tube I replaced it with yesterday was a 26x1 1/2, which was already borderline to big as Officer Harris and I were concerned about pinching the tube. The tube this yahoo tried to sell me was a 27x1 3/4. So aside from it not even being for the same size wheel, it was fatter than the one that was too fat yesterday! I paid for my tire irons and left him to deflate his circus tire and stuff it back into the used toy bin he had pulled it from. Hopefully I’ll have better luck in Rock Springs.
On our last trip, back in 1988, I believe my friend Tom described Wyoming as “miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.” The last part of the day reminded me of that and I’m due for another long day of it tomorrow.
Early morning Snake River near Alpine, WY
A little later in the morning on the Snake River. I could have stopped to take 50 of these and still not had my fill of the view.
Later in the morning on the Hoback River
The view looking back down the hill and the road toward Bondurant, WY (population 104)
The view in front of me after I crested the hill just around the curve from the previous picture.
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