Day 11: Lava Mountain Lodge (WY)

Like almost every day Thomas left the „house“ before me. I needed always some additional time to pack all my stuff together and getting on the bike.

No breakfast today. I ate some corn bars and a sandwich from yesterday. But with a 30 mile ride I would reach Flagg Ranch and having breakfast later on.

What I idiot not saw as I left the Squirrel Ranch was that some riders had breakfast already at the Ranch. The owner gave them an early start up into the day before six o’clock. Unfortunately I missed it. I didn’t like it at all going on the trail for the next hours without any decent breakfast. That was also the reason why the chicken breast from yesterday evening didn’t want pushing me. My legs felt already done. I creped slowly with minimum pace toward the state line of Wyoming.

Since some days I had these little bottles “5 hours energy” in the side pocket of my backpack. Normally I am strictly against those little helpers, because I don’t know if there will be any negative medical effects. I haven’t never in my life tasted Red Bull or something similar and I didn’t want to know what kind of ingredients are in these small bottles. That would be my first test. Delicious is something different, but after one minute I got the notion someone started an engine. Unbelievable! What was this stuff doing with me? Now I rushed toward the state line. But based on this positive experience I prescribed myself a strictly embargo and I promised myself only using these bottles in “emergency cases”. And that was what I really did in the next few days of the Tour Divide!

As I desperately tried to fight against the hordes of mosquitoes at the, from several shots perforated sign of Wyoming, Thomas caught me up from behind. I was totally surprised. I saw him at least 10 miles ahead. He told me about the breakfast I missed apparently. Together we took some quick photos at the sign before we headed on toward Flagg Ranch. The following section approximately until we skirted the border of Yellowstone National Park was fairly exhausting. Steep short ramps covered with bumpy rocks. “5 hours energy” did a good job. But I was happy as we arrived at the Flagg Ranch. Breakfast! We were standing exactly at one minute past ten at the restaurant and the server told us that breakfast is served only up to 10am, but she would ask the kitchen. She came back with a shaking head. We first thought she was kidding us. No, it was seriously meant. But the bar next to the restaurant would be open for some snacks. Any further discussion was all in vain. Thank you! Finally we had some sandwiches and coffee in the bar.

Latest at the dogged paved uphill on Highway 89 I knew the time of “5 hours energy” was over. I was crawling again under the hot sun. All other riders were up and away, like usual. I entered Grand Teton National Park and it was more than obvious that I was now riding through an area with touristic attractions. At the parking lot of Jackson Lake one car took turns to another. Among all this traffic riding a bike was not even fun. In Colter Bay I did a complete resupply, because I hadn’t really got a clue how far I would go today. Further on I had to perform one of my daily explain lessons to two other guys about the Tour Divide. I took a longer break with a coke and some ice cream. Half an hour later I was sitting together with my bike on the platform of a pilot car. It was an uplifting feeling passing by hundred of cars that were waiting in a line until I hit the first row. First I was flirting a little bit with the pretty young lady with the Stop/Go sign and five minutes later I got a place in the pilot car. On my question if the lady in the car would be so kind and drive me not just for 2 miles, but the whole way down to the Mexican border, she refused with a courteous smile.

The car drove in front and all other were following. As I jumped off the car at the other end of the construction area someone lifted down his window and shouted with a smile: “Cheater”. I guess he knew that I was in the race.

After I left Moran Junction behind me the traffic ebbed away. I turned into the Buffalo Valley road to the Buffalo Valley Café (closed on Mondays), but today it was Monday and it was open. I stopped for a fast coffee and a cookie. In the distance I saw the black sky and heard the thunder roaring. Wet or not wet that would be the question like almost every afternoon.

With Togwotee Pass I was going to climb my highest pass. The highest passes in Europe that are ridable with a mountain bike are at the level of Togwotee, but I never did it before.

At the bottom of the climb I had first to explain an interested lumberman every detail of the Tour Divide. Today was explain day.

The climb wasn’t steep but I was already done again. Every 10 minutes I had to stop for a little break and to relieve my butt.

Togwotee Mountain lodge and the rest of the climb on a paved road saved a little bit my life. In the small store at the lodge I got two cokes that gave me the power for the final climb. At no other day before and after I felt the elevation, but today. I felt some kind of being breathless. The climb was not steep but the road was stretching like chewing gum. At the top of the pass I took my mandatory pictures. It was cloudy and as I got over the pass it started to rain. But just for a few minutes. Almost I missed the turn down the pass. It was a little bit hidden and obviously some other riders did miss it because I saw them backtracking the pass from the other side. In a group of five we tackled the downhill on a rough forest road. “Impassable when wet” was the warning. But the road was fairly dry and the rain passed away. A sunny sky would have been nice now. This section is one of the most spectacular sceneries of the Tour Divide. The road is meandering like on a terrace down the mountain with a really awesome background mountain range. The road finally released me at the paved road that leading back to the pass again. I took the other direction with a fast downhill. At the Lava Mountain Lodge I saw the familiar scenery of several parked bikes and I stepped into the restaurant. Thomas has already got a room for us. And as far as I got him he had to race for it, because they were just 5 rooms at the lodge and they will be issued at first come first served base. At the lodge I met Ed Turkaly again. He was totally worn out. He missed the turn at the top of the pass and was following the paved road all the way down to the lodge. Now he has to backtracked all the 9 miles up to the pass and taking the right turn. Otherwise he will be disqualified. I had really pity on him. 

Jackson Lake