GDMBR Day 40

• Start: Pinedale, WY

• Finish: Jackson, WY

• Miles: 78.5 miles

• Odometer: 1,653.8 miles

• Ascent: 2,000 feet

• Descent: 3,000 feet

• Location: https://share.garmin.com/Judice

Highlights:

Today’s route was supposed to take me over Union Pass in the Wind River Mountain Range but I received word from my Canadian bikepacking friends who are a couple of days ahead that the pass was impassable. The outdoor gear shop said I would be crazy to attempt the ride. Instead, all suggested that I take US Highway 191 to 189 and north over to Jackson, WY. So that’s what I did. The highway route was very beautiful. There were snowcapped mountains all around me. The valley was filled with ranches and open spaces. The only downside was that I had a pretty strong headwind for the entire 80 miles north, including what felt like a wind tunnel through Hoback Canyon. Yikes!

I arrived in Jackson weary but I rewarded myself with a great meal at a restaurant called Thai Me Up - Melvin Brewing (recommended by the Fitzgerald’s bicycle shop mechanic). I had a beer tasting flight that was outstanding. Melvin Brewing has some of the best beer I’ve ever tasted. After dinner I walked over to the boutique chocolate shop and had three chocolate desserts and a cup of decaf cappuccino. Not a bad day.

Fitzgerald Bicycles did not have aerobars in stock. The helpful mechanic pulled up the specs on Jesse’s build (mentioned in yesterday’s post) and gave me a parts list so that I could call another bike shop up the route and get the parts delivered before my arrival.