Route Map
Itinerary
Daily Journal
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Jackson Mon. 8/30 10315-10641 (326 mi.)
Up at 8:00, gone by 9:15. Ran into some construction by Twin Bridges, but smooth sailing otherwise to Ennis for breakfast. Nevada and Virginia Cities were quaint old mining towns still in the original log buildings. Met three guys from Oregon on Motoguzzis in Ennis. Pressed on to Yellowstone ($15!) and took the long way around. I found Yellowstone very disappointing - mostly dead trees. A few beautiful areas, but I'd seen prettier areas along my route for free. Weather began moving in so I tried to stay ahead of it, but got caught in the rain in Teton National Park.
Pulled into Jackson soaked (below the waist). Looked like all-night rain so I got soaked again for a hotel ($83). Went to the hot tub and the bar for Monday Night Football. Talked to Laurie-Bear and some guys running the ski area until fairly late (1:00). Invited to take a tram ride by Nancy (payroll x705) and her husband Dave.
Smoot Tue. 8/31 10641-10752 (111 mi.)
Woke up to the inane yakking of some foreigners next door about 10:00. Headed over to Bubba's for lunch and finally got on the road about noon. Decided (at the turn-off) to check out the ski area. Never did get ahold of Dave or Nancy, but it was beautiful up there. Back on track about 1:30. Drove 8 miles of dirt road just outside Smoot to Cottonwood Lake campground. Very isolated - I was the only one there. Took a large group campsite and hiked up the mountain for a couple of trees to burn. Read my book, relaxed, made stew, built a fire, and finished off my beer. Kept the fire alive until 1:00. Dozed off to music and woke up freezing with the fire out. Finally went to bed after a very nice (final) day of camping.
Vernal Wed. 9/1 10752-11008 (256 mi.)
Woke up late with a bit of a cold. Packed up and took off about 12:00. Snuck into Idaho for the third time (only state I didn't overnight in) and had lunch in Kemmerer. Headed down towards Flaming Gorge, watching the rainstorms in the distance as I approached them. Managed to avoid them until outside the gorge region. Debated camping by the gorge, but my cold was acting up and the weather was very iffy. Pressed on through light rain to Vernal. Beautiful scenery in the Flaming Gorge region all the way to Vernal, bordered by full double rainbow! Stayed in the Weston Inn in Vernal, and tried to kill my cold.
Colorado Springs Thu. 9/2 11008-11403 (395 mi.)
Got up around 10:00 feeling much better, but it started to rain again just as I was checking out. Had breakfast at the hotel to wait it out. Cleared up nicely by 1:30, so I drove about 18 miles to the Dinosaur Quarry. Very interestin place - entire wall (once a river bed) full of bones. Pressed on through Rifle, Aspen, over Independence Pass, and had dinner in Buena Vista about 7:00 pm. Back on the road again about 8:15 for final leg home.
Contact me at: rf6gunz@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2000, Rick Fletcher
