Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
It’s predawn, the Saturday after Labor Day—the dewy chill of fall prickling the air. A gaggle of middle-aged, spandex-clad women hops into two Sprinter Vans, hauling bikes, bags and coolers. We crank the tunes for what appears to be a ’90s-greatest-hits road rally.
Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
“And I still…haven’t found…what I’m looking for…!” We wail along off-key to the U2 track between bursts of laughter while we hang out the windows to cheer on our teammates. This is our annual adventure on the nation’s longest one-day amateur bike race, LoToJa, a grueling test
of physical and mental stamina.
The 203-mile LoToJa (Logan to Jackson) ride welcomes cyclists of all levels to ride through three different states from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyo., as single divisions. The tour of autumnal splendor finishes at the base of the Teton mountain range and, along the way, residents from Preston, Idaho to Star Valley, Wyo. create lawn-chair cheering sections complete with clanging cowbells. They’re rewarded with a view of professional riders competing to win, and the rest of us who are just aiming to cross the finish line.
A LoToJa Sisterhood
I love my LoToJa sisters. Shortly after I became comfortable on my bike, I started looking around for other women with a shared love of cycling. Slowly my tribe emerged and the rides began. We didn’t know it yet, but we needed each other. These women would help me in ways well beyond physical fitness.
Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
Our number grew from five to 15. Out on the open mountain road, we had the chance to figure ourselves out, one ride at a time. We may not have found all the answers, but we’ve woven an impenetrable fabric of trust and friendship. Cycling became our chance to unpack our lives—all without direct eye contact and judgment. Our conversations have forced me to pull my bike over dozens of times to wipe misty tears from my sunglasses, and other times I’ve giggled so much I’ve had to pull over for…other reasons. We’ve worked through raising infants to sanity-sapping teens, explored career paths and personal aspirations and sought each other’s advice on everything. I’ve grieved with friends who’ve lost loved ones, who’ve received unwelcomed diagnoses or battled through emotional trauma. Sweating together, pushing each other and being each other’s cheerleaders is worth the effort to squeeze training rides between work, weddings and summer swim meets with the kids. It all culminates in our LoToJa weekend.
Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
The big day arrives
Photo by Snake River Photo and Rachael Sharp
As race day approaches, we ladies divide into multiple teams—some planning to ride 150 miles and stay on through multiple legs, while others plan for 30 miles and complete only one leg. Either way, as relayers, we’re glad to hop in the car and give our bikes (and backsides) a break at intervals during the ride. While we aren’t tackling the same challenge as the hundreds of cyclists who individually ride the entire 200+ miles, I think we have a lot more fun.
Some in my group ride the relay race every year, others drop in and out with life’s ebbs and flows. We sneak training rides in during the early hours but sometimes we deliberately duck out midday to dodge responsibilities. However we manage, we’ve made spending time on our bikes together a priority—even if we don’t end up training quite as we’d intended.
While LoToJa, for us, remains festive and relatively low-key, a decade of participation has strengthened my resolve to improve and push myself a little more each year. That resolve has helped me turn 30 miles into 50 miles, then 75, then well over 100. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll try the full race like those lady beasts who fly past us each year out on the course. I’m usually happy to admire their athletic prowess from a distance, but one never knows. I’ve learned never to say “never.”
LoToJa Towns Show Love
Every year, cyclists and support vehicles pass through more than a dozen small towns en route to Jackson. Residents warmly welcome racers by volunteering at feed zones and cheering them on.
The race passes through Logan, Richmond, and Cove, Utah; Franklin, Whitney, Preston, Mink Creek, Liberty and Montpelier Idaho; Smoot, Afton, Grover, Thayne, Star Valley, Etna, Alpine, Hoeback and Jackson Hole Wyo.
Whose Crazy Idea Was This?
In 1983, avid cyclists David Bern and Jeff Keller of Logan dreamed about a Utah race to resemble the difficulty of a one-day European classic. They convinced seven friends to enlist in their race, which started outside Sunrise Cyclery—Keller’s bike shop. The route has evolved over 42 years to cover more terrain, conquering three mountain passes through scenic Utah, Idaho and Wyoming highways. Now, the 200+ mile race attracts 1,500 cyclists that range from top-level licensed racers to weekend warriors competing in full-distance, tandem and relay team categories. The start line is still located in front of the little Logan bike shop, the finish line is located in Teton Village in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
