So how do you do a 4 day ride in one day?
I had a really good rest day yesterday - no exercise other than slowly walking through town - and I was still tired when I woke up this morning. That didn't really surprise me because I think my tired levels have been building for at least several weeks now. No altitude issues, no excuses, just tired. And yes, before you ask, I am eating enough! The next time I plan a 3-month trip I think I need to plan a week's worth of rest in the middle of the trip.
This morning was a decision point for me. I figured I could stay in Frisco for another day or two and try to get more sleep, start riding again even though I knew I was tired, go home, or find some other alternative. I didn't really consider going home. I don't think I'm done yet - I just need a break. I want to continue riding, and I need some more rest time. I didn't really want to sit in a hotel in Frisco any longer, although it was definitely a nice town and not a bad place to stay. It's not like I have a hard and fast end date for my trip, but sitting still for several days and extending the length of my trip didn't feel right. My planned ride today from Frisco to Kremmling wouldn't be too long - probably about 42 or 43 miles, but I knew there was some bad construction, and I also knew that it wouldn't be an easy ride even without feeling tired. I was in a good part of Colorado to try to find some alternatives. I knew that if I moved on that the alternatives would disappear very quickly as I moved back into the middle of nowhere.
I looked at my maps and thought about where I wanted to be, and I thought about what other types of transportation might be available. To most people, traveling by bike is the alternate mode of transportation. To me, traveling by bike is normal and other transportation methods are in the alternate category. I decided that I'd try to jump ahead to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. How to get there? Bus? No, not for me. There were a couple of rental car agencies in Frisco, so I called Hertz and asked about a one-way rental. At first I was going to try to drop a car in Lander, WY, which would jump me ahead 6 riding days. It wasn't possible to drop off a rental car there, but it was possible to drop off a car in Jackson, WY. So I rented a car, and I'm in the process of driving to Jackson. I looked at different routes to Jackson, but I decided to stick with the Transamerica route so I wouldn't miss any of the scenery. I find driving tiring too, but it's a different type of tiring. I'll probably sit for a day once I get to Jackson before I start riding again. This is also a case where having a folding bike came in handy. With the frame folded the bike fits very nicely in the trunk of the rental car.
Driving is so different from cycling. I drove with my camera at my side, and I continued to stop and take pictures. The ground I covered today represented what would have been both hard and easier cycling days with some fantastic scenery. As usual, the camera just isn't good enough to pick up the unbelievable terrain. The evergreen forests disappeared and I started seeing more scrub vegetation again. Ranches reappeared, so there was some green along the way even though the hills and mountains took on more of a brown tone. Oil hasn't totally disappeared either - there was a pretty big refinery in Sinclair, WY.
I was blown away by the image of me riding what I drove today --- and what I've been riding through all along. It's almost as if I'm in some kind of a bubble when I'm on my bike, riding along in my own little world. I've been riding through some pretty empty territory where there isn't any sign of people for miles, but it didn't really hit home until I saw the same territory from a car going 65 miles an hour. It's really empty out here!
I only saw three cyclists today, all riding south (eastbound Transam riders). The first was in the very nasty construction section just north of Silverthorne. I was very glad not to be riding through there - 6 miles with no pavement with alternating northbound and southbound traffic in one lane, not pleasant even in a car. The other two cyclists were resting on the side of Interstate 80. I was actually glad not to be riding there since it too was under construction. Both eastbound and westbound traffic were routed on the eastbound side of the interstate. That meant that it was more like one of the normal 2 lane roads - 2 lanes with little or no shoulder. The speed was reduced to 65 MPH (from the normal 75 MPH). That's the same speed as most of the two-lane roads around here, but Interstate 80 carries more traffic.
I was going to try to get to Lander today, but when I pulled off of the interstate in Rawlins I realized that I was pretty tired. I figured I didn't really need to drive another 125 miles today, and I knew that if I continued on I wouldn't stop to smell the roses or see anything that looked interesting. It was time to stop for the day.
I stopped at the Pearl Izumi outlet store in Silverthorne & bought 2 new pairs of Ultrasensor shorts. Now I don't have to worry about my shorts falling apart before I'm finished riding! The sales rep suggested their Attack shorts instead of the Ultrasensor shorts because he said the fabric is more durable. Unfortunately they are an inch shorter and are not as breathable. I prefer longer shorts, and I like the breathable fabric, so I stuck with the Ultrasensor shorts that I know I like. Silverthorne had a number of outlet malls and there were tons of people there - talk about culture shock! I guess outlet malls are a tourist attraction where ever they are. I never would have stopped there if I'd been able to find these shorts in a local bike shop, but none of the shops in the area carry Pearl Izumi shorts. Guess they may be too expensive for the normal traffic through these stores.
More driving tomorrow with planned stops in Lander to wander around, and in Dubois to find a cafe that Matt recommended that has great pie...
I'm happy, my sore knees are getting a break, and I'm sure that I'll be happy to get back on my bike in Jackson. And I know my sister approves since she wants me to just go home so she can stop worrying about me!
