This year’s trip was another coordinated with my brother’s annual excursion to Wyoming. As explained in the introduction to my 1985 trip, he and his two boys would be planning to end their vacation at a ranch in northeastern Wyoming about the same time I expected to arrive in the Big Horn Mountains.
Once again, I found myself being drawn toward the Grand Canyon, my favorite waypoint. Having never been in the Tucson area and the fact that it was located at about the right distance from Wyoming for a three-plus week trip made it a good choice.
In order to synchronize with the end of his vacation, I would delay the start until June 10. I realized the daytime temperatures in southern Arizona were getting quite hot by that time, but I expected it to be manageable until I could reach the cooler areas north.
On the first day, I left Tucson at the crack of dawn, primarily to beat the urban traffic. I did beat the traffic, but as the morning stretched closer to noon, the temperatures were getting really hot. In the small ‘town’ of Mammoth, I had to call it a day by stopping at a lonely and modest motel. By 1 pm the thermometer was already 100°. The second day was also quite short because of the heat and I stopped in Globe for the night. One more day would be required to reach the higher elevations and corresponding cooler temperatures. Unfortunately, I had to spend a miserable third night in the bottom of the Salt River Canyon with temperatures around 100° and a bad headache lasting all afternoon and night. On the morning of the fourth day, I climbed out of that “hole” and high temperatures were not a problem for the balance of the trip.
Nearing Bryce Canyon, I met Steven K. Roberts by total coincidence. He is the character who managed to get a lot of publicity by riding his computer-outfitted recumbent across the country back in the mid-1980s. Quite a character and still into (as of 2021) many kinds of “off the wall” things; all in some way highly technological. For more insight on his activities see microship.com on the web.
The third most memorable episode occurred in Yellowstone. It was July 4. I stayed the first night within the park in a small cabin at the park facilities at Yellowstone Lake near Fishing Bridge. I planned a long day trip; looping north in a counterclockwise direction to Tower Junction, Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, and back to the cabin (see map). This totaled approx. 105 miles. I loaded the bike with all my gear because I could not be sure I’d get back for whatever reason. It was a tough day involving several major climbs. I was never so tired in my life. I made it back at dusk (having left at daybreak) and ate at the dining hall in the main lodge. Of course, I had to have three beers before eating.
Well, that night I got up for a nature call around 2 am and somewhere between the bathroom and the bed, I fell asleep and woke up as I hit the floor. My right pinkie finger was hurting badly and pointing in the wrong direction! I managed to get to the lodge and fortunately learned there was a clinic on the campground premises staffed 24 hours. A doctor examined it and gave it a controlled pull, returning the dislocated digit to its more or less proper attitude. The pain was reduced by 50% and he fixed me up with a plastic brace and bandages. The next day, I continued my journey leaving the park with no real issues. Had I been traveling with a conventional bike, I would have had a problem, but with the Avatar I could steer, brake and shift with only one hand – something I do all the time.