AAN day 15 - Idaho Falls, ID -> Teton Pass -> Jackson, WY

Across America North day 15 - Twin Falls, ID --> Teton Pass -> Jackson, WY

We got an early start today. I left with a group of others at 7:11am and we rode in a headwind for 30-40 miles. From mile 15 to mile 31, we rode a chip-seal rode still being built. Often a rock of the right size lodged between my tire and the top of the fork and made a sound alarmingly like a puncture. I stopped and checked my wheels often during these miles.

At 44 miles, I arrived at a place for which I could not find a name but which had a sign that caught my attention. It said, "best milkshake in town". That's enough for me and I went to get one. It was a black raspberry milkshake and was very, very good. The restaurant was at the turn where I would head toward Teton Pass and I figured that I needed the fuel.

The Wyoming state line came at 70 miles at the top of a big climb. After this came a descent of about 700 feet only to be climbed again on the way to the pass. At 77.4 miles was the top of the pass. The last two miles of this climb were an average of 10% with occasional rises at 11%. All this came after 3 miles at about 6%. This pass is certainly the hardest climb that I've ever seen. The day's climbing was 5500 feet.

After some time to collect my wits and assess my coordination, I headed down toward Jackson. The grade was 10% like the uphill side and I was on the brakes to hold my speed under 45. When cars going uphill stirred up some dust, I cut the speed to 35. Part of the way down, I wondered about the brakes so I stopped. They were too hot to touch for several minutes. When I could touch them again, I resumed. This is one very steep descent. At the bottom, there were still 8 miles to go to Jackson.

I was among the last to arrive and met freshly showered and recovering fellow riders in the lobby. Everyone had the look of going through the wringer and making an extra effort to do the activities of dailing living. No one was making any sudden moves.

Dinner was at Bubba's BBQ where we could order any entree from the menu plus a salad bar. It was a huge dinner for which I was hugely hungry.

Tomorrow's ride is 86 miles but has only 3800 feet of climbing. I'm looking forward to a rest day on Friday and I'm not the only one. We are assured by the staff that today was the hardest day of the tour. Amen.