June 10, 2023
Day 11: Alpine to Jackson
I ate breakfast in my room and got on the road at 8:05. It was chilly, the first day of the tour to be overcast early in the morning. The sky was mostly overcast all day.
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US 26 has easy grades following the Snake river upstream through the canyon. Wind river range to the right. Grand Teton range to the left. The highway stays 50-100 feet above the river with no river access. The sky was somewhat sunny in the valley behind me, but cloudy in the mountains ahead.
I enjoyed the river views. River always on my right so I can see it well from the road. Truck and motor home traffic was somewhat heavy but the highway has a decent shoulder.
I took 2 rest stops before arriving at Astorica Hot Springs at 11:30. I had a 11:15 to 1:15 appointment which cost $18. The hot spring is just across the river from the highway. The 1-lane internal truss bridge has low clearance and was recently damaged by a tall vehicle.
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I soaked for about an hour at Astoria hot spring. Didn't want to get too sunburned at mid-day. I chose to soak at an adult pool that supposedly has a quiet rule. More pleasant than the family pool which has kids yelling and splashing around.
Most of the soaking pools have a view of the Snake river. It's a nice place. Admission is limited, by appointment, so it is never crowded. The kiddie pool is chlorinated but all the other pools have flow-thru water that doesn't require chlorine.
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After the soak I continued pedaling towards Jackson. A bike trail begins shortly before Hoback Junction.
At Hoback Junction I have a view of the muddy Hoback river flowing into the Snake river. All the rivers and creeks have high flow because of ongoing snow melt.
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I took a long stop at Hoback Junction to eat a sandwich. It was the warmest time of day but the temperature was only 68F, with a brisk wind.
From Hoback Junction I pedaled on US 89 for about a mile because I couldn't find the trail.
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Just north of Hoback Junction the trail suddenly appeared on my right after crossing under the highway in a tunnel. I followed the trail all the way into Jackson. At first the trail is squeezed between the highway and river on a tall retaining wall. It was obviously very expensive to build.
After the 4th river crossing the trail turns away from the river and becomes quieter, more pastoral. I enjoyed the views. The road is just a short distance away, but up the hill so I can seldom see or hear it.
The bike trail is hillier than the highway but I enjoyed the solitude. I was surprised how few people were using the trail.
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The trail continues all the way to the city of Jackson, connecting to the highway on the edge of town. Traffic was extremely heavy once I got into town.
I pedaled less than a mile on US 89 to the Super 8 motel. I arrived at 4 PM and got my reserved room which cost $332 for one night. Lodging is extremely expensive in Jackson Hole. This is the first time I have paid more than $300 for a motel.
Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant 2 miles away. I was able to pedal on back roads, but even the back roads have heavy traffic. The city of Jackson did not make a good impression on me. I will see it again at the end of the tour.
Today was a good day despite the overcast skies. I had many views of the Snake river and a nice soak at a "new" (to me) hot spring. It seems like I am destined to finish the tour with cloudy skies. Apparently that's normal in June.
Distance: 36.3 mi.
Average Speed: 8.3 mph
Ascent/Descent: +1371/-897 ft.
Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 406 miles (653 km)
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