Day 24: Near Union Pass to Pinedale - 76 miles
It was a cold night and there was a heavy frost on the tent. To be expected I guess since we were over 8000'. We had decided on an early start since we were planning on rolling two days into one and get ourselves to Pinedale and so we were packed up by 08:00. After last night's success we headed over to the lodge hoping for a repeat performance, ie a warm breakfast but sadly this was not to be. It was completely deserted. We therefore had some of our energy bars and tinned food as we needed to conserve water (so no cereal with reconstituted milk powder). By the time it was all said and done it was 09:00 and we started the climb in glorious sunshine.
Yes, it was another climb. We had about a 5 mile climb which we calculated had an average gradient of about 7%. The climb took us up to almost 10,000' along a winding unsealed road which made cycling a bit difficult. To compound things, half way up I got a puncture and so I changed the tube. Sean wasn't feeling 100% and he didn't appear until much later, having needed to stop a few times and rest. While I was changing the tyre some hunters on ATVs zoomed by at very high speeds. None was wearing a helmet and I wondered what the fatality/injury rate is for these vehicles. Probably quite high.
At the top of the climb we were rewarded with incredible scenary, stretching as far as the eye could see. We were on top of the world, or so it seemed, and the song 'Climb Every Mountain' from the Sound of Music was on my lips. It was grand. The photos below don't do the view justice.
One of the paradoxes of cycling the continental divide is that the divide is not always at the highest point. In this instance the divide was down the mountain at Union Pass which had an elevation of 9,210'. We enjoyed cycling about 5+ miles through rolling alpine meadows with a panoramic view to the lands below and around us. The road was good and since it was mostly downhill it was a pleasure.
As we rounded a corner we came upon a contractor replacing the guardrail on a bridge. They had their excavator blocking the road holding the guardrail in place, and what little bit of road remaining was a pile of dirt. Commenting that it was a good thing we had mountain bikes, they watched us push/pull the bikes over the mound of dirt. I was not impressed. It would have been good form to at least offer to help.
We continued on and at some point crossed Union Pass. It wasn't marked and we didn't confirm it until we came to a road several miles later. The road took us through rolling terrain and we crossed a number of creeks. It was a series of alpine meadows, all very similar with a few cattle grazing, good water, and lovely trees/grasses. In spite of the ups and downs it was good cycling.
At one point when climbing up a hill I heard a loud BANG. Sean had blown a tyre in dramatic fashion. He saw this bulge in the tyre and thought he had picked up a stone. Instead, his tyre had split and his tube was poking through. Eventually it burst which was what I heard. Off came the wheel and the tyre and tube were replaced.
The road became more downhill and was therefore more fun to cycle. The pavement was still in good condition, although there was the occasional trap for unwary cyclists which meant you couldn't concentrate on the scenary too much. However, there was still time to take in the mountains in the distance which were often offset by trees with the yellow and orange colours of autumn. Summer is definitely over, at least at these elevations.
Our lunch break was in a meadow near mosquito lake. There were no insects -- probably killed off by the cold weather. The view was grand and I lay on my back admiring the mountains in the distance capped by snow. I got so relaxed that I fell asleep, only to be woken when Sean asked me something. Pity, as I could use a few 'power naps' these days.
The road continued downwards but it deteriorated markedly. It was now more of a rock strew, potholed and water damaged trail than a pavement. More suitable for cattle than cyclists.
The more we descended, the more trees there were. As the photo below shows, the autumn colours were magnificent. However, the land was far from being tree clad, and the dominant flora was scrub.
Eventually we reached the Green River and shortly afterwards we left Bridger-Teton National Forest and found ourselves on a paved road. We had a short rest stop and then peddled on, but only for a short distance. Sean stopped with a problem -- his front pannier frame had snapped! Out came my trusty cable ties and I had it fixed well enough to get us to Pinedale.
The sky was overcast and we were treated to a headwind for a lot of the way. We had already covered about 40 miles and were tired but the elevation profile suggested that it would be largely a downhill run to Pinedale. It was wrong. We had to slog our way up some long and fairly steep hills and it got quite frustrating. After one climb which presented us with yet another one Sean lost his temper. Understandable, but doesn't achieve much. It was really a case of peddling on and hoping that eventually things would get better.
And get better they did. We eventually began a good long downhill run which took us past a number of large properties, all with huge houses on them. In fact, by NZ standards the garages would be considered substantial dwellings. I was told later that these are called 'trophy homes' by the locals, and are usually owned by 'outsiders', ie not Wyoming'ites (or whatever they call themselves).
After what seemed to be forever we came to Highway 191 and then turned east towards Pinedale. The headwind was no longer impeding our progress and we made good time for the last 5+ miles into town. I think that seeing the town in the distance provided us with the necessary enthusiasm. We were looking forward to a good meal and a motel bed for the night. The former we managed, but not the latter: the entire town had 'No Vacancy' signs out. Apparently there is a large natural gas development near by and they have taken all the available space. Pity.
Dinner was pizza and Sean had the misfortune of getting a puncture in his rear tyre just before the restaurant. In fact it may have happened earlier since the nail was in the tyre and Sean had thought he heard bearing problems in his rear wheel. I ordered the food while he changed the tyre.
While waiting for dinner we were joined by Mark who was also cycling the route. He left a week before us and was impressed with our progress. We compared experiences on the trail and agreed that even though it has been very difficult, it has also been very rewarding. He told us that the bike mechanic in town was excellent and advised us where to find the campground.
Once we had finished eating too much we waddled over to the campground on our bikes and pitched our tents. I called Lis to check in and then enjoyed a shower and a shave. The latter is something I don't like doing but Lis informs me that I look like a criminal after only a day so I don't have many opportunities to be lazy and let the beard grow while at home. At least here I can be a bit lazy as mirrors are few and far between and the wife even further away. At least for another 11 days...