Spring Parks Tour 2006

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I have just returned from a 5-day 353 miles tour of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks as well as eastern Idaho. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful.

Day 1 - 65 miles from my cabin in Wilson, WY to Flagg Ranch in the Rockefeller Memorial Parkway between the Tetons and Yellowstone. There were a a couple of showers early in the day but I managed to stay dry. Took a nice break for lunch on the dock at Jenny Lake. Afternoon breaks yielded great views from Jackson Lake Dam and again further north along the lake before finishing for the night. Two moose greeted me after dinner. The night was so clear, I decided to sleep under the stars.

Day 2 - 82 miles from Flagg Ranch to West Yellowstone, MT. When I woke up in the morning it was quite frosty. My 32 degree bag and long underwear barely keeping me warm. After 2 miles, I crossed into Yellowstone. In the first 40 miles, there were three crossings of the Continental Divide. Needless to say, I spend most of the morning climbing. By the time I ate my lunch in front of Old Faithful, the day had warmed enough for shorts and a t-shirt. In the afternoon, I continued to marvel at the thermal features of the park while riding towards West Yellowstone. Along the way I saw many bison, elk, and even a bald eagle. Several of the bison were blocking the road. I spend the night in the Gallatin National Forest just outside of West Yellowstone. Throwing a bear bag in a lodgepole pine forest can be quite difficult. Again it remained clear and I slept under the stars.

Day 3 - 100 miles from West Yellowstone to Driggs, ID. The day started with one final crossing of the Continental Divide, Targhee Pass. It was much more mellow than yesterdays climbs. There was then almost 50 miles of flat or gently inclining terrain. It made for a quick morning and a final descent into Teton Valley before stopping for lunch in Ashton, ID. Around this area, the Tetons started to come into view again. But there were many miles of potato farms and rolling hills between us. I took an afternoon nap from the hot sun in the shade of an old grain elevator. I finished the longest day of the trip at my friend Matt's place in Driggs, ID. After dinner and a fire in the backyard, we again slept under the stars.

Day 4 - 71 miles from Driggs to Snake River Canyon. Things started a little slower today. I was a bit sore from yesterday's effort and it was hard to get off the soft couch. After breakfast in Driggs, I headed down the bike path to Victor. Ascending Pine Pass led to a long downhill along Pince Creek into Swan Valley for one of their "famous" square scoops of ice cream. Here I rejoined the Snake River that I had left behind in southern Yellowstone. Riding past the large Palisades dam of the Minidoka Project, I continued on to Alpine, WY. The town pavilion offered refuge for my afternoon shaded nap. I was now entering familiar terrain, having previously ridden the Snake River Canyon. About 10 miles upriver I stopped for the night as the only occupant of a National Forest Campground. Lying under the stars by the river lulled me to sleep.

Day 5 - 35 miles from Snake River Canyon to Wilson. Last night was the warmest night yet. Continuing up the canyon, I relaxed in the sun at Hoback Junction with a juicy orange and the morning paper. A final 25 miles through Jackson and I was back home in Wilson.

All in all, a wonderful trip filled with wildlife, dramatic views, and excellent weather.

Jon

Equipment

Below is the gear we plan to use. Everything can be changed. Especially if someone wants us to test their gear for them.

Jon plans to use:

2002 Bianchi Eros
BOB Yak trailer
Giro Pneumo Helmet
Camelback Lobo 70 oz
Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 sleeping bag
Foam sleeping pad
Black Diamond Betalight shelter
Marmot Precip jacket and pants
Patagonia Capilene long underwear
Homemade alcohol stove (thanks PBR)
Flip-flops



What will Eric Ride?

Mt. Washington, Fall 2005

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On October 29, 2005, Erik and Jon took advantage of some early season snow in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Four feet of snow provided sufficient coverage to ski from the summit almost all the way back to the parking lot via the eastern snowfields, right gully of Tuckerman's Ravine, and the Sherburne Ski Trail. This provided to be a wonderful way for Jon to celebrate his 27th birthday. The following day we took advantage of the lifts running up Wildcat Mountain across Pinkham Notch from Mt. Washington. We took many more turns, but it just doesn't have the appeal of earning them.

Reach out and Read

We will be riding to support Reach Out and Read, a national non-profit that promotes early literacy. We hope to raise over $6000. That's $1 for every mile ridden. There will be a couple of stops along the route at select Reach Out and Read locations nationwide. More information on this collaboration will be coming soon. Click the link below to make your tax-deductible donation. For other ways to support the ride click here.

Donate Here

Reach Out and Read is a national, non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by making books a routine part of pediatric care.

Reach Out and Read makes literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric care so that children grow up with books and a love of reading.

Reach Out and Read trains doctors and nurses to advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and to give books to children at pediatric check-ups from six months to five years of age. A special focus is placed on children growing up in poverty. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, Reach Out and Read helps families and communities cultivate early literacy skills so that children enter school prepared to succeed at reading.

Visit Reach Out and Read

Meet Erik

Throughout his life, Erik has sought adventure, whether through the pages of a book or in the great outdoors. In some of his fondest memories, Erik can remember being read stories of intrigue and excitement, such as the Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, at bedtime. The sense of adventure garnered from stories led to a life where Erik has sought out new experiences at every opportunity. During the 1990’s Erik participated in and led canoe trips across the Northern Canadian wilderness. In college, he traveled extensively throughout the Americas, studying in Cuernavaca, Mexico and Chilean Patagonia. Now he embarks on another adventure, a 6,000 mile bike ride around the perimeter of the country, to help raise money for early literacy, and help a new generation grow up with the sense of fascination and wonder that books filled him with.

Meet Jon

Jon grew up in Woodbridge, CT where his parents continually emphasized the importance of reading and education. Upon graduating from Colby College in 2001, he moved to Boston to take a research position at Harvard University. Following a 2005 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, Jon moved to Jackson Hole, WY for a more adventurous and outdoors oriented lifestyle. He continues to work as a research consultant with Harvard University. Throughout his life, Jon has enjoyed reading for both pleasure and academic necessity. Progressing from the Hardy Boys to complex scientific papers, it all started at a young age. Reading and education have allowed Jon to follow his dreams. With knowledge garnered from literature, it is possible to make wise decisions and guide yourself through life. As he embarks on this new endeavor, he is excited to be benefiting the next generation through reading.

Sponsors

Please let us know if you would like to sponsor us. We will be collecting tax-deductible donations for Reach Out and Read. We will also accept items that support the ride. We have set-up a paypal account where you can send a portion of your donation to help defray expedition costs. Sponsors of the ride may be able to place their logo and a link on our website.

Click Here to Donate

Thanks to our sponsors:




Annie's Homegrown - makers of excellent mac and cheese
Annie's has agreed to send us some care packages of food along the way.







Wilson Backcountry Sports - Wilson, WY
My local bike and ski shop in Wyoming. They are helping to get new parts for the bike and offering a generous discount.

Clifbar - makers of awesome energy bars and products. They have donated a boxful of products to fuel us on the journey.

Amity Bike - Woodbridge, CT - They have donated tubes, chain lube, cables, and spokes.

Thanks to all of the sponsors!!

The Route

We will embark on a self-supported bicycle tour of the United States around August 20, 2006. The tour will commence in Jon’s current home of Jackson Hole, WY. The first leg will take us north through Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. After approximately 600 miles we plan to take a couple of days to explore the backcountry of Glacier by foot. From here the journey turns west. We will be riding along the US/Canada border for about 700 miles towards the Pacific Coast. The third leg of our adventure will take us south to Santa Barbara, CA. After 1400 miles of riding along the Pacific Ocean it will be time to head inland. We will cross the southern tier of the United States and continue to our final destination of Key West, FL. After completing 6000 miles it will be time to dismount our bikes and head for home.

Fall Tour 2005

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In September 2005, Jon embarked on his first bicycle tour, an 8-day 618 mile ride. I had been dreaming of doing this for many years but did not have the opportunity or proper gear. Then, during the preceding winter, I bought a used trailer. Fresh from my Appalachian Trail thru-hike, I had strong legs and was ready to go.
The ride started at my parents house in Woodbridge, CT with a destination of my friends Quinn and Chrissy's home in West Bolton, VT. On the way north I rode along the Farmington, Connecticut, White, and Winooski Rivers. After determining that I was plenty strong, I tackled Vermont's mountainous Route 100 for the trip south, eventually joining with the Housatonic River in MA for the remainder of the trip.

Erik Balsbaugh

Erik and the Tetons