Day 24: Dubois to Colter Bay WY

Grand Tetons from Oxbow Bend

66.6 miles, 3585 ft ascent, 9% max grade (most grades were 6% or less), 6:01 saddle time, elevations: max 9591, min 6745

Today was SPECTACULAR, but let me begin at the beginning.  We started by going to the Cowboy Cafe for breakfast.  This is an iconic cafe that was highly recommended for their pies.  I had a delicious breakfast of eggs, hash browns and avacado toast with salmon, and ordered a piece of pie to go.  At about 0900 we continued our journey.  The route started out rolling before the ascent to Togwotee pass.  

Leaving Dubois
Lava Mountain
The pass is to the left of the mtn on the right.  It was cold (38 deg at 0700), but we had a tailwind of about 10 mph.  The first miles flew by.  The ride up to the pass was not too hard because the grades were about 4% with the steepest at 6%.  

There was a picnic area at the summit where we stopped to eat our “summit pie”.  

View from the picnic area

As we crested the summit our tailwind turned into a stiff headwind with gusts of about 30 mph.  It was striking that it could change so quickly.  The descent was intermittent 6% grades, but the headwind limited my speed to about 30 mph.  My windbreaker was flapping like crazy, which is not surprising since I was effectively in a 60 mph wind.  We ran across a lot of eastbound cyclists on the way.  Most of them were traveling light with gravel bike/bikepacking setups.   Brain and I could not figure out how they could fit all their stuff in the bags they were carrying.  I think they might have been credit card touring.

On the way down from the pass I got my first look at the Tetons, and it was spectacular.  
The Tetons from Togwotee Pass

The Tetons are striking because they rise so abruptly from the valley, and it is a beautiful, lush, green valley.  There are no water shortages on this side of the divide.  
Teton Valley


Today we are taking a “rest” day and riding (without panniers) down to Moose and back.  The route is entirely in the valley, so it should be beautiful.

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