So yeah, spending the day exploring! Well, more like half the day at that point since I woke up around 11 (it's a weekend thing) and I have the approximate motivation of a spawned-out salmon until coffee cup two or three is empty. So first breakfast and coffee, then ride.
Though you may be doubting it at this point, I did eventually make it out, and the ride happened.
I couldn't have asked for a better day. It was a perfect, cloudless, low-70s kind of day, and in late April, no less. That did mean most Jackson Hole locals were out, and the pathway is a pretty popular spot for strolling and riding, but the crowds were smaller than you'd think. On the early stretch of the ride it was marginally more crowded, but then the path runs through some residential areas there. It also runs alongside Flat Creek for quite a ways, following it across Highway 89 and few blocks after that.
For all the path crosses two major highways, it's really safe in terms of biker v. car stuff because it crosses them via underpass.
The first highway crossing is on a slight downhill while you're still on a pretty populated stretch of the path. On this particular ride, I mildly endangered a small child heading into this underpass, since the kid politely tried to move, but sort of forgot to move out of my way. However, I am pleased to report no children were injured while making this post.
The second underpass crosses Highway 22, and you can only get to it up about five yards of a sudden 7 percent grade. I'm bitter about this because I wasn't expecting it on this ride, but it's really not hard to make it up. I forgave the underpass for surprising me because it has brightly colored murals painted on it, which I also didn't expect. This time I meant that in a good way.
The ride between the end of the residential stretch at the Indian Trails subdivision and the end of the path at the driveway to Teton Science School was faultless. It's an easy ride, and I was glad because it meant I had attention to spare for the view. Plus, I hadn't been on a bike since the Wonder Steed and it can take your calves a little while to remember what they're supposed to be doing.
It was way too nice to go home after I made it to the Science School, so I backtracked and followed the path south for another hour or so. This stretch of pathway parallels a mildly busy road and a small golf course, ending a small ways past a gated neighborhood. At the time, I didn't realize I was biking next to a golf course because the owners keep the actual course pretty well blocked-off from the path.
The path also runs parallel to the Tetons, so I was once again glad the path is pretty flat. I can simultaneously manage hills and scenery if necessary, but on that ride it was nice not to have to. Overall, I really liked that this path could keep me occupied all afternoon, and I loved the chance to enjoy a nice day outside on a pathway open year-round.
So with that settled, let me leave you with a few more pictures of the view and of Little Red. I'll have more and more options as the summer gets closer and more trails and paths open to cyclists, but this was a pretty solid start.
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| View heading back south |
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| Little Red and the Tetons |
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| Looking down from the underpass |
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