I am
serving my woman breakfast in bed: she requested cranberry juice and a banana
nut muffin. Halfway the muffin though, she said she had enough…her stomach
didn’t feel like having more banana nut muffin. Weird! Was she having the
norovirus in her making her ill? There has been a health advice all through the
about an outbreak of this stomach disease. Well, she didn’t feel feverish –
that’s a good sign. I helped her pack the Sweet Machine and then we went to the
post office, sending bought goodies to St. George. After that we were ready to
cycle. She felt she had to take it easy – and she felt sorry for the burping
along the way. But it helped. The past years this ride had a story of rain in
it – but today the sky couldn’t be any bluer. Now woman, make up your mind:
which side of the Continental Divide do you want to stay at? Another crossing!
This isn’t a straight line but it wrinkles all over the mountains.
The Dutch
couple gave us some good advice and especially on this narrow road with no
shoulder it is a great idea to stick the American flag out to the side of the
cars. They do tend to make a bigger curve around us or … they even stay behind
us when another car from the opposite side arrives. To our right lies Lewis Lake,
but I’m watching the trees to our left.
I almost get hypnotized by the
alternation of sun and shadow of a tree… But wake up… there are the Lewis Falls
…
and a bunch of tourists crossing the street. Out of the bus – take a picture
– back in the bus and off they go again.
From the falls it’s a climb, but the
rewards are some good views from the Lewis River below in the canyon. And
finally there are the favorite flowers: Indian Paintbrush. Fields of them!
Here, above the river, my woman asks me if I remember 1992: when all the trees
were still burned and the new lodgepole pines were at knee height. Has it
changed – how much is the forest regrown! At one point – as we stand off the
road into the gravel waiting for traffic to pass – my woman sees this RV in her
mirror coming up and we both think: this is it! We’re history! We know the driver is most certainly not a
cyclist. My woman does her best to let cars go in front, but sometimes there
really is no way to get off the road in a safe way! There is one more screamer
of a downhill – and even then my woman stops (when possible). Two motorcyclists
pass us, asking if everything is all right. How sweet of them! Once through the
South Entrance of the park this wide shoulder is waiting for us. Finally we get
to breathe again. A couple of signs along the road make us go slower (yes –
that is possible).
And then at last: Flagg Ranch pit stop. My woman finds a new
snack: chex mix. Tasty, I agree with her. She drinks the Gatorade and fills the
water bottles again. Let’s go the Tetons! Some nasty flies want to hitch hike
with us to the top… my woman starts swinging her arms while climbing this hill
to the entrance of the new park. There we do not stay for a picture with Sweet
Machine in it. Too many people who just keep on taking pictures and too many
insects flying around. We are now ready for the grand finale ride down to
Jackson Lake, with the majestic peaks on one side. Aw… this hurts… my woman has
a collision head on with a fly at an average speed of 52 km/hr. And yes… the
creature stung her right in the middle of her chest. But we keep rolling down,
trying to ignore the pain, she says. We’ll have a look at the damage when we’re
not going this fast anymore. A nice viewpoint makes an excellent stop to take
pictures, to look at the damage and to get the insect repellent out again.
Hate
those flies and bees and whatever they are! The green of the grass and the
trees, the blue of the lake and the different colors of the flowers make it
awesome. It is still some hard work to reach Colter Bay Village, but the views
make up for it! Tonight we are staying in a cabin again – but boy – this isn’t
the Little House on the Prairie anymore!
We have so much space: we can play
hide and seek in this cabin! The dinner with mashed potatoes, cabbage with
apple and beef was actually the first food my woman had today. No virus!
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