Our first day without rain since Wednesday! Immediately after leaving Afton, WY, we plunged into low overcast and/or fog, where we remained for about 35 miles. The chill and grayness didn't obscure the beauty of the Star Valley, a rich and very active agricultural area in Western Wyoming, and home of Rulon Garnder, two-time Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling.
We then reached the town of Alpine, the sun broke through, and we began making our way up the Snake River Canyon. If you have a chance, do this road, preferably in a northerly direction, and stop often. It is truly spectacular. Readers of this blog may tire of me speaking of the natural beauty we are seeing, but this stretch of road must rank up there with the most scenic anywhere. We are all so blessed to be living on this beautiful earth, and Rich, Chuck, and I are doubly blessed to be seeing it by bicycle.
As luck would have it, Ralph Hughes, the Director of the Sacramento Master Singers, was traveling in the area with his parents, Glenn and Sybil, and we had arranged to meet for a picnic lunch, wherever we happened to meet. So 11:30 was approaching, and Rich and I were watching ahead for Ralph's white Town and Country mini-van, while at the same time expecting Kathy and Cindy to appear in our rear-view mirrors. Suddenly, around a turn ahead of us, a white Town and Country appeared, and there was no question who it was, because the driver was aiming a camera at us (don't try this at home). Rich and I pulled over, and soon Ralph pulled up behind us, having managed a u-turn, hopefully not while still holding the camera. Soon Kathy and Cindy joined us, and we had a fine lunch, including some muffins Ralph had purchased at The Bunnery in Jackson -- now one of our must-see places on our day off tomorrow.
It's very moving that good friends are eager to meet us and share in our adventures. We are extraordinarily fortunate to be able to do what we're doing, and to have so many people taking vicarious pleasure in it. Now if only we could figure out how to have some of those folks vicariously pedal up some hills for us!
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