Day 26 (May 21) - Dubois, WY

Truth be known, there have been several times along the way where I've been on the verge of pressing the bike trip's red abort button. Today was no exception - the conditions have generally just not wanted to cooperate. Through 50 miles this morning, the goings were great. The scenery was finally beginning to change and become the sweeping landscapes we like to postcard. The things short little notes were made of, however, quickly changed. First came the darkening clouds, then lightning bolts that surrounded causing me to take cover in a thicket of trees (see video), then the hail...after it cleared, I got back on the bike to find 40+ mph headwinds and eventual driving rains. About 6 miles from Dubios, a man in a truck pulled up beside me and offered a ride. I very appreciatively accepted. A few minutes earlier, in fact, I had tried to text Eric the following message: "Meed mercyride - 8miles from Dbs" but there is limited cell coverage in the deep backcountry.

When I got the motel, Eric gave me the bad news - via the National Weather Service - about tomorrow's route:

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WIND RIVER MOUNTAINS..TONIGHT: A STRONG COLD FRONT IS MOVING ACROSS THE STATE TODAY BRINGING IN MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED AND ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN, LARGE HAIL, AND STRONG WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY...SNOW LEVELS WILL DECREASE TO AROUND 7000 FT THIS EVENING...SNOWFALL WILL BE HEAVY AND WET THIS AND WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 12 TO 15 INCHES WILL IMPACT SOUTH PASS AND TOGWOTEE PASS...POTENTIALLY MAKING TRAVEL HAZARDOUS DUE TO SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES.

THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: TWELVE TO FIFTEEN INCHES OF SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY EVENING. SOUTH PASS AND TOGWOTEE PASS COULD REMAIN SNOWPACKED AND TREACHEROUS.

The snow-packed and treacherous part did us in. We were forced to pack up the car, cut our losses at the Dubois motel and drive to Jackson. As we crossed the continental divide and the Togwotee Pass, the snows were already starting -- and they are reaching Jackson at this moment, along with the impenetrable cloud and fog.
I'm extremely disappointed, as I feel all of the previous rides were preparation for crossing the 9,600 ft pass. With 10 rides to go until the Pacific, here's hoping for no more route thwartings.