Against the Wind

We all, apparently, got out of bed on the wrong side this morning. It wasn’t until we tried to leave the comfort of the Togwotee Mountain Lodge that we would realize this however. Our day started with a delicious breakfast of eggs, toast, hash browns and bottomless cups of coffee in the Lodge. While looking over the day’s maps we were surprised by the sight of fellow thru-riders Deborah and Ralph, especially after reading of their troubles from the last few days. We exchanged stories before heading off to pack our bags and depart.

Once packed our troubles began. As we left the parking lot of the lodge we were instantly thwarted by a power-tripping, stop/slow-sign-wielding construction worker. She informed us that due to the ongoing road work we would have to load our bikes into a pilot car for the next two miles. Unfortunately our self-imposed “no car” rule eliminates this option. We immediately began looking for alternatives. With help from Google Map’s satellite imagery and some input from the locals we devised a plan to bypass the construction through a maze of old snowmobile paths and other forest clearings. Empowered by our ingenuity we informed the roadway gatekeeper of our plan and set off. Unfortunately, satellite imagery from Google makes mountainous terrain appear easier than it really is. The next two hours consisted of pushing, pulling and lifting our bikes through 1.5 miles of nearly impenetrable sagebrush, shoe-sucking marshland and other terrain not generally considered “bikable”. Back on the main road our troubles continued.

We were supposed to climb over a relatively easy pass, then cruise down the other side for about 20 miles. On this day however, we were heading in the wrong direction. A strong, amazingly consistent wind met us head-on in any direction we went. Even on downhills we were forced to pedal in order to maintain a decent pace. For the next 20 miles we fought for every inch.

Near the end of the day we turned away from the wind and started our climb up Union Pass. About half-way up, and exhausted from pushing through the wind all day, we called it quits for the day and camped on the side of the road. Several times throughout the night we were awoken by the calls of nearby coyotes. At one point their excited calls were so close to our food bag, Jeff and I had to investigate to ensure grub was still safe. Thankfully all was well and the rest of the night went on without incident.

Phone Home

We had an unfortunate loss today, Jeff’s phone. At some point it decided to jump ship and is no longer with us. He’s decided to go phone-less for the next few weeks.