It was a disjointed ride today, as we had to shuttle (via pickup trucks) around two road construction projects. We were able to ride up most of Togwotee (pronounced "ta wo tee") Pass, which at over 2,600 feet of elevation gain is the highest vertical uplift we have faced thus far on our trip. Near the top of the pass we encountered another major road construction project that required us to pack the tandem, trailer and panniers (along with myself) in the bed of a pickup truck used by the construction company as a "pilot vehicle". The pilot vehicle is used to lead the accumulated one-way traffic through the construction, which meant we got to go first. As we rolled up to the flag woman, she ordered us to go to the head of the line and get our rig into the truck bed. So, unlike the other day, we did not have to wait (but then we missed the opportunity to be entertained too). That shuttle covered about 10 miles. Later, as we were hurtling down the east side of the pass toward our destination (Dubois) we were stopped by a second road project. After making several calls, the flag woman said that it was "company policy" for all cyclists to be shuttled through the work zone. We didn't argue because we assumed that the work was another major re-do of the road, like those we'd seen in Grand Teton and on Togwotee Pass. As it turned out, this was simply a 4 mile stretch of repaving. Fresh tar is not a lot of fun to ride on, especially during the heat of the day. But it obviously could have been safely ridden without problem.
This time we had to wait around for the pilot truck to ferry us through this second project. While we waited, another cyclist arrived and introduced himself as Jim. He is a IBM engineer from Vermont who is traveling to Denver via the Pacific Northwest (don't ask me to explain). He had no maps with him and didn't seem to appreciate the vast distances in Wyoming (for example, the town of Lander is nearest Dubois but is 75 miles away). He didn't seem bothered by his lack of information at all. That is a very common trait we have seen in the solo riders on this trip - the 'not to worry' attitude. God love 'em, we aren't quite that carefree about such things.
We also met a lovely couple from Salida, CO at dinner tonight. They are on a motorcycle trip. We found that we had a lot in common, not only the bike riding but the approach toward life - you don't need a pile of things to be happy. Do what you enjoy doing and don't look back.
.JPG)