Day 37 To Jenny Lake to climb a mountain (LeAnn)

We biked 15 miles down to Jenny Lake to hike and enjoy a little jaunt up the mountain. Of course anyone who knows Ben well enough understands that a hike up a mountain is everything and more that one could imagine. We left the trail early on and ascended up a slope, steep enough where we needed to grab onto trees at some points and use makeshift walking sticks to hold our ground. We made it to the point where the tree line ended and we began walking through leftover snow drifts. Then we descended back down the cliff on the rocky side and jumped from rock to rock as we precariously made our way back down from the heavens. Five hours later, we drank the purest of water from fresh flowing streams at the base of the mountain.

That night we found a spot to camp among the trees near String Lake (a tiny lake alongside Jenny Lake). As we made dinner, while swarmed by mosquitios once again, a beautiful silver and black fox came over and snooped around looking for scraps.

Day 36 A day at a resort (LeAnn+Ben)

Our friend Cassie works at the Jackson Lake Lodge and has a dream job more or less. We spent the day with her kayaking in Jackson Lake (right at the base of the mountains), lounging and swimming at the outdoor pool, eating tons of good food, then finishing up the day at a bon fire with a bunch of friendly, down to earth people. Plus we met a nice young fellow who had biked across america the year before, who without any thought of payment gave us his back paniers telling us when we have no use for them anymore to give them to someone else in need. Definatly gonna need those with the homemade panniers starting to take a beating.

Day 35 Errands (LeAnn)

Ben had another popped tire, so I rode 20 miles to Moose and 20 miles back to get a few new tubes and another patch kit. There is a beautiful bike trail running along the mountain range and plenty of interesting and supporting people along the way. There is something in the fresh snow capped mountain air that fills the spirit and rejuvenates the soul to the point where one no longer needs a taste of food nor water to have the energy to carry on.

Day 34 4th of July in Jackson (LeAnn)

Ben and I tried to rest a bit longer at our campsite just outside of The Grand Teton park, but we were swarmed by mosquitos all night and day. They didn't even care if the sun was shining, they just wanted to suck our blood. At one point, Ben counted 70 mosquitos attached to the outside of our tent on the small wall, around 200 total!! just buzzing away, pleading with us to let them in. The constant buzzing and heat of the sun, eventually drove me insane, so we left our campsite and headed toward the Grand Tetons to visit our friend Cassie and watch the fireworks. We drove with her and her friends in the big Windstar van to Jackson and saw the best fireworks show I have ever seen. We had front row seats and Ben screamed in fear/excitement a few times when the fireworks blasted right above our heads.

P.S. I think LeAnn is going to lose her blog writing privlages...~ben

Day 33 The Buffalo Valley Ranch (LeAnn)

The Buffalo Valley Ranch cafe has the best food near the base of the Grand Tetons! Today was a chill and rest day at their little screened in porch. We gorged ourselves on veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, and strawberry shakes. We played cards and watched a herd of about 70 horses run past. A very friendly and well traveled cook/waiter working at the ranch sat down at our table to eat and talked to us for a while. He recommended traveling to Vietnam, where the people are friendly and food and lodge are super cheap. Maybe that will be our next destination. It was very refreshing having a conversation with another person (after you travel with Ben for a month nonstop)(HEY NOW~ben). The young man insisted on paying for our lunch. People are so nice and Elliot reminded me of the concept of pay it forward, which is something that I will undoubtably follow through with after all of the positive experiences I have had with people along the way. We went back to the campsite we stayed the first day because it was free in the national park. :)

Day 32 Togwotee pass (The Great Continental Divide) (LeAnn)

 

We stopped in Dubois and stocked up on sweet snacks. We decided that sugar was absolutely necessary if we were going to climb up a 10,000+  foot high mountain. Pudding snacks (the Bannana cream pie is the best) and chocolate chip cookies are all that two very stubborn people need to bike 80 miles through mountains.

Ben insisted on taking most of the gear and proudly piled the back of his bike rediculously high with the extra gear that my bike apparently couldn't handle biking up the pass. (My road bike gears aren't too efficient when going up steep inclines.) I got a taste of fresh melting mountain snow in July and scenery so beautiful it made the climb totally worth it.

After four hours of intense uphill biking, we were rewarded by 15 miles of flying downhill. At the bottom, we made it to the edge of the Grand Teton National park and had completed our goal of making it there by the 4th of July. We biked 250 miles in the past three days and felt on top of the world.