Update - 8/26/14

. . The Daily SKED has been updated to include 1) a change in the time for dinner reservations at Old Faithful Lodge, 2) Andrew and Dean's arrival/departure from Jackson Hole Airport, and 3) the "final" list of participants. We now have seven bicyclists on every day and nine bicyclists on several of the days.
. . The car ride home will be as eventful as days in the park, especially on day #2 and #3.  On those days we really need to be on the road by 8AM at the latest (preferably by 7AM on day #2).

Withdrawing from tour

Well, we're down to the wire almost for the beginning of our Yellowstone trip and I'm sad to have to say this that I'm not going to make it because of Sciatica.  I know I've only been involved for a few months with the tour but still it's a great let-down for me.  Just a couple weekends back we were in Charleston and I went on a ride of just under 20 miles and I had to finish it almost on one leg.  It was disturbing but not overly--there had been times when I'd have to slow down after a few miles into a ride to rest my right leg a little. After a short spell of backing off, I am able to get back on it with no more problem.  But not this time.  I had a follow up appointment with a GP for a UTI when I told him about this leg issue--he confirmed the Sciatica.  I was put on an antibiotic for the UTI 10 days before so I couldn't be given a Steroid injection that might have a chance to quiet down the nerve--the drug interaction could have very severe side effects.  An anti inflammatory I was given hasn't helped at all and the leg pain is only getting worse.  I have had a couple back surgeries already for this same thing. 

Thanks for the invitation, Dave, to join the GT/YST--you are a great group of guys and I hope I have a chance to ride with you all again.  I will be following your tour with great interest on the blog and on Facebook.

Regards,

Mike

Yellowstone Weather - An Added Blog Link

I have added a link in the right sidebar (near the top) showing the ten day forecast for Yellowstone.  Unlike the high temperatures that Anne & Ben reported about their bike tour, Yellowstone is expected to be COLD and WET for the next 10 days.  It would be my best guess that we need to plan on cold temperatures in the 50's during our ride and in the 30's at night, but continue to watch the forecast by clicking on this weather link.

Routes and cues

I've reworked the Sked page more to my liking and redone the Routes page with what I think is the most recent and final routes. I'm now working on each day's Garmin gpx files to include the points of interest and doing cue sheets for each day with the same. Cue sheets will appear under the planning section, daily cues, on the right panel as I complete them. Please look my routes page over and any cue sheets done so far. It takes me a while to do these cue sheets but it is the only way I can fix the route in my head.  Please let me know if you have any corrections for what I've done so far and any suggestions before I get too far down the wrong path.
Bruce
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Night Sky

. . Unfortunately, the moon will not be cooperating for a dark sky when we are in Wyoming.  It will be nearly full at that time.  However, not all is lost.  The moon is not visible for the entire night.  The best time for a dark sky is 4:30AM on September 7'th.  We'll be at Colter Bay at that time.
. . For those who want to check out their own viewing schedule, here is a handy tool. http://www.moongiant.com/

The Details

. . Without a doubt, the devil is in the details.  I have outlined a "suggested" detailed hourly-by-hourly schedule to help us see/visit all the major points of interest and to make it easy for the non-bicyclists to meet the bicyclists (if they want to) for shared photo-opts and lunches.  The schedules assume that we ride at tour (aka snail) pace, which usually is 10-mph average.  On all days I have included a lunch plan.
. . I have updated RideWithGPS maps for several days with new mileage.  I have a new plan for the ride to Ashton, for the day we ride to Driggs, and for the ride back to Jackson through Grand Teton pass.
. . We have two early dinner reservations at Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful Lodge.  So the schedule on those two days is tight.
. . We are probably not going to need a SAG on most days when the non-bicyclists meet us in route. On the other days I have attempted a preliminary look at a SAG schedule that does not keep anyone a long time in the van.
. . Please check the SKED page.  Comments? Suggestions? Revisions?

GT/YS Tour Participant Update

The full GT/YS tour participants are...

Ben & Anne Cowan
Bruce & Wilma Day
Tom & Sharyn Evans
Dave & Alicia Shumaker
Mike & Sonia Kovach

Additional participates in the first part of the tour are...

Nicole Shumaker       Arrive Friday evening, Sept 5th and depart early Friday morning, Sept 12th.
Sharad Bhaskaran      Nicole's friend.  Arrive Friday, Sept 5 and depart Tuesday, Sept 9th.
Brian Shumaker         Arrive Fri late or Sat Early, Sept 5/6 and depart Fri/Sat??

Nicole has firm airline reservations.  Sharad and Brian still are working on theirs.  Nicole and Brian both have in park hotel reservations, but need to make them in Jackson & West Yellowstone.

I believe that all of Bob Schofield and Pat Gleason's tour reservations have now been transferred or cancelled.  I think that only my other daughter, Lisa Mirman, has Park reservations that will not be used.  Since I do not know of anyone else needing rooms, I will tell her to cancel her reservations now.

I have arranged to take out three additional bikes for these individuals to ride - one each from Bob Schofield, Bud Park and David Irvine.

To my knowledge, all other persons who were considering the tour have decided it is not possible to participate this time.

Great Rides on Day 1, 2 & 3 of Return

I am posting great potential rides during the ride home.  I would like comments to see if you agree/are interested/or completely refuse.

Day 1 Monday, Sep 15           Jackson to Buffalo
Mile 55 to 100                         9550 Ft down to 6340 Ft.     Almost all down hill.   Nat'l Forest
Mile 301 to 338 (day's end)     9640 Ft down to 4550 Ft.                 "                           "

Day 2 Tuesday, Sep 16          Buffalo to Rapid City
Mile 191 to 227 (day's end)     5840 Ft down to 3540 Ft.   Almost all down hill.  Black Hills NF

Day 3 Wednesday, Sep 17    Rapid City to Chamberlin
Mile 40 to 75                           2930 Ft down to 2400 Ft.     Gradual down hill.   Bad Lands NP

These are all Recovery Rides with a little screaming fun.  Two are at the day's end so we can let the ladies go ahead and just ride into the motel.   The street views show some construction and rumble but overall looks good.

Park Services

. . I have added a SERVICES page to this blog and entered what I think we need to know.  Please review. An important note is WiFi and cell service is at best very limited in the parks.  We will not be able to pull up the pages on this blog.  I suggest we try to capture the stuff that we need to know on this blog so we can print it and have it available on the ride.  So please comment on stuff you thing we need to have.
. . I added telephone numbers for Medical Services which I hope we won't need, but it may be incomplete for anything special that any of us might require on short notice.  FYI: the last time I was in these parks, I was sick and needed medical attention at the Jackson Lake Clinic.
. . The one thing for which I have not a suggestion is communications.  I have small transceivers with very limited range, maybe a couple of miles.  I don't think they are adequate for communications with a SAG or with the non-bicyclists.  Any thoughts?

Bear Spray Instructions - From Dave Irvine

I have attempted to embed a video below.  If it doesn't render, here is the link to the original article
http://www.centerforwildlifeinformation.org/BeBearAware/BearSpray/bearspray.html#video