After all my boasting about beating the weather, we wore our rain suits for most of the day. Once again, the day started out pleasantly. Sore and tight from all the miles on the bike, we booked an amazing massage in the morning. Rejuvenated, we packed out in warm bright sun. One more stop - the Harley Dealer. Magic needed a few screws tightened, etc.
Lunch
Route 26 to Swan Valley started the day. Together, at a quiet stop for our picnic overlooking a deep gorge, we watched as the familiar storm clouds formed over the mountains. Shortly, there were raindrops. We stopped for gas and the rain stopped in about 15 minutes. Letting our pride get the best of us (after all, we beat the rain for 2 days now) we took off without suiting up. Twenty miles down the road - off the bike - rain suits on.
Stormy weather
The rain, gentle at first, let us enjoy this classic route through Swan Valley. Riding along the Palisades Reservoir, we watched boaters dodge raindrops. At Alpine, we turned East onto 89 .
The Snake River, familiar from so many Westerns, paralleled the road. As we watched from above, hundreds of rafters out of Jackson took the rapids. Buses everywhere waited to pick them up. The rain began to pick up and as Jules hunched down behind the windshield, I escaped the stinging drops by melting into his back. The only sights I saw here, as I kept my face down, were the yellow and white stripes on the road.
Pulling into Jackson, the sky cleared for a bit. Our mission here was to make it through the town without hitting a pedestrian or being steamrolled by a mega- RV. So crowded, this little tourist trap of a town was brimming with shoppers and photo-snappers. Guilty of the latter, I shot pictures of the famed antler arches and Cowboy Saloon as we rode through town. The Teton Pass was our reason for being here. Up we climbed into the clouds, over 8000'. A major artery between Jackson and Victor, the traffic was more than we expected, but the views were outstanding.
Antlers!
The Cowboy Bar
Jackson from above
Making an about face before Victor, the weather surrounding us again, we rode back over the pass, out of Jackson and along the Snake River, again, raining pelting us all the way. Alpine was calling to us. A crossroad on the map, with a gas station and a few motels and a population just over 800, it seemed prudent to stop here considering the elements.
Here we found a true treasure in the Flying Saddle Resort. Right on the Snake River, this beautifully landscaped and appointed motel, welcomed us with blue skies. After walking the property, sitting on rustic benches by the river, eating raspberries off the bush, we settled in for a fine outdoor dinner by a fountain and pool. Later we sat and chatted with other patrons around an outdoor fire. A lovely end to a rainy day.
Gnarly
The view from our back yard
Raspberries
Picking raspberries
The Saddle Resort
Ahhhhh!
As farmers, rain is our friend. As riders, it is a nuisance. But as we look at all the areas affected by drought here, we cannot be so selfish as to deny this precious water. So we face the storm together, heads down until we find our haven and luxuriate in the comfort we find there.
No comments:
Post a Comment