Imagine the excitement when you’re only a couple hundred yards from the top of a mountain pass in the Grand Tetons, loaded down with all your gear, riding at about 5mph, looking forward to reaching the top and heading down again, when all of a sudden an approaching pickup truck comes to a stop and informs you that just over the pass is a large, and possibly hungry, grizzly.
Hmmm… Stop and wait? Can I turn downhill quick enough if I see him… Maybe he’s friendly.
Weighing his options out, Steve decided to go for it. You can’t ride that far up just to turn around and have to do it again later. He convinced himself the bear would more than likely be gone by the time he got up there.
Luckily he was right, there was no bear in sight by the time he reached the top and he was able to get off the bike and take a picture of the pass. Granted, it was a quick picture with a lot of shoulder checking, but it worked out.
On a side note, there was some unsureness as to how Dubois was pronounced. In reality, nobody asked but me, but tracking down the answer was pretty easy, and everybody can rest assured knowing the truth– “Du Boys” Not what I was expecting, but it is what the locals know it as.
Hi Steve,
We miss you here at INSTEC but glad you are safe and enjoying your travels. The website is fabulous and gives us a welcomed break from our mission to keep the place going in your absence. Triathlon update…Martha whizzed by me on her Felt bike but your tips served me well. Mark Steffens and I need more practice but Martha’s ready to ride a stretch of IL or IN on your way through! God Bless!