There is a tendency for us to view the summer as bookended by Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer, 2023, has both begun and ended in the popular view, though it technically has another 18 days to run.
Next Saturday brings the annual LaToJa Classic bicycle race, the longest one-day amateur bicycle race in North America at 200+ miles. It includes 3 mountain passes and most of the route is over a mile high.
The last fifth, along the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson, is especially scenic. Competitors begin in Logan, UT, and cross the finish line in Jackson, WY. Between bicyclists and chase cars driven by support teams, next Saturday is a great day to stay off the highways.
Looking back at the summer that’s ending, it has been cooler and somewhat more rainy than usual, though still very pleasant. By now most years the fire danger is extreme, this year it is only moderate. As a result we’ve had fewer smoky days this time around.
We’ve also had less summertime company than is usual for those of us who live near national parks. I’m not sure the reason, maybe high fuel costs and the bite of inflation more generally.
