July 3, 2005
Day 47: Jenny Lake to Lewis Lake
Very chilly. I was up at dawn. Unlike yesterday, Leigh Lake was mirror flat with Mount Moran beautifully reflected in the morning light.
I only met one other group of folks on the hike out. Just an incredible morning.
I stopped back at the campground and reloaded my stuff on the bike, then rode up the old highway towards Jackson Lake.
Jackson Lake Lodge has wonderful 1950s moderne architecture. Some people may be disturbed that it isn't the "rustic" style so often associated with national parks, but it is the capstone of all that John D. Rockefeller, Jr. did to create the park that exists today. The restaurant has huge picture windows that frame the Teton range. So what if a cheeseburger and fries costs $10.
At the Colter Bay store I met a young guy who was on break sitting on a bench outside. He asked me all kinds of questions about my tour - telling me he was planning on doing one next year. Boy, was he sweet. I sure wish I were 25 again.
Well, anyhow, I was heading up the lake, climbing up the steep hill that's between Grand Teton and Flagg Ranch when I came upon a family whose Suburban had dropped a drive train. I stayed around to help - mostly moral support and guiding traffic as they got the truck turned around and pointed downhill so they could coast to the Lizard Creek campground. I stopped for a Coke at Flagg Ranch, then started the big climb up the Lewis River in Yellowstone Park. Even though it was 6:00, the traffic was still awful.
Lewis Lake was a million mosquitos, but I went down to the dock by the edge of the lake and had a bug-free dinner. Then I dashed to the hiker/biker campsite, threw up the tent, jumped in, swatted the half-dozen mosquitos that jumped in with me, and promptly fell asleep.
Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 2,410 miles (3,879 km)
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