We have had some pretty big days lately, often consecutively. From Lima (like the bean) we did an almost 90 mile day through to the little tourist resort of Mack's Inn. As this was the plan, we knew we had to start the day off in style and having the motel facilities meant we were able to get a little creative. Or to be a little more truthful, it gave Trystan the chance to be creative (I should point out I am the master of the oatmeal however). The biggest cooked breakfast of the trip (to date) and we were all set for the big one. And pound out the miles we did on those long flat (ish) dirt roads, all the way to Mack's Inn for a night with the RV's. With that 90 miler under the belt, 60 milers now seem somewhat ordinary!
From Mack's Inn we decided to detour from the route (a decision which took a little getting used to for me) and headed up the highway to West Yellowstone. From there we entered Yellowstone, though a entrance to rival any international border, and from there we got to play tourist for the next couple of days. That day saw us ride through to Grant's Village (nearish the southern entrance), another 80 mile day though all paved. Yellowstone is tourism central - they even have an overpass to get to the main attraction - Old Faithful. And what a tourist attraction it was - a good couple of thousand people to watch just one showing of Old Faithful - which blows every 90 minutes. This geyser is supposed to blow every 90 minutes +/- 10, but old faithful was playing games on this occasion and was both late and unspectacular. Leaving chief tourist of the day, Trystan a.k.a. Captain Sunscreen, a.k.a The Black Ninja, in disbelief. Dragging Trystan away, yet another thunderstorm rolled in, leaving us ducking for cover in the visitor centre, where we got to watch a ranger recruitment video... I mean tourism video... until the power failed. The winds brought in with this storm was fierce - the huge dust cloud and falling tree right next to the visitor centre leaving no doubt. That night the best storm to date hit around midnight - it was great - passing directly overhead - lying there in our tents safe as listening and watching the most intense of thunder and lightning.
From Gran't Village it was a straight forward 40 miler to Colter Bay Village - right on Jacksons Lake in full view of the Tetons. Today's ride saw us rejoin the route at Flagg Ranch, but not before playing dodgems with and endless stream of American trucks and RVs for 20 odd miles.
We took a rest day in Colter Bay - another tourist mecca which left us craving to get back into the back blocks. The rest day turned out to be just that - after our intention to hire a canoe and paddle Jackson Lake was thwarted by quite extreme restrictions on how far we were allowed to take the canoes. So plenty of reading and lounging beside the lake - which is pretty much my idea of a good rest day anyway.
We eyed the breakfast buffet at the restaurant and decided that the next morning was the day to redeem ourselves for the Holland Lake effort. Strategies were implemented - which included a light but stretching meal the night before. Arriving at 7.30am with our game faces on, and it was all on. There was no room for failure here - the mission was to eat like never before. And unfortunately that is exactly what we did. Breakfast sausages, bacon, eggs, enchiladas, french toast, and that was just the cooked section. Just about rolling out of the restaurant some time later, and it became obvious we had overdone it. Not able to move, we were only able to make a 9am start and the first couple of hours were not pleasant. So unpleasant that one team member (to remain un-named) resorted to removing the top enchilada from the digestive system - a strategic move that was described as "one of the most satisfying things I have done in a long time" which in his mind overcame the shame of the barf. One other team member noted French Toast on his top tube - but swears that "micro-vomits" do not count. In some ways our overeating experiment was rather successful - we did not eat again until well into the afternoon. The most disappointing aspect of this day was having to take a ride in a pilot vehicle up the last section of Togwotee Pass. Togwotee was to be the single biggest climb of the trip to date - and for that reason (along with its cool name) we were looking forward to knocking it off. In fact this climb and the 3000ft ascent up Union Pass later in the day was one of the main motivators for the Breakfast Experiment. But anyway, a 6 mile trip in the pilot vehicle was required - which was the first time any of us (aside from Trystan's hitch hike) had been in (or on) a motor vehicle since leaving Banff - a bit of a shame to end that streak. The day ended atop the Union Pass - our first campsite above 9000ft. The spot was magic, aside from the mozzies - which have been a constant presence on this trip - but the swarms up there were positively torturous and made for some interesting new dance moves to rival the robot/ garden sprinkler/ the fireman/ chainsaw and may have to be passed onto some of the locals back home...
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