When people think of cruiser bikes--with those big handle bars and funky graphics and old-time baskets and dinging bells--they usually think beaches. Beach cruisers have been a popular mode of transportation among coastal town residents for years. But many are surprised to find that Jackson Hole, of all places, is a cruiser bike Mecca. With our well established bike path system, that winds part way from the small town of Wilson to Jackson and then south of Jackson to the neighborhood communities along Highway 89, we have a pretty good reason to choose bike over car, which is exactly what we did last night.

We hopped on our "mountain cruisers" in Wilson and rode the bike path that winds behind the small ranch town to Highway 22, which runs between Wilson and Jackson. We took a left at the light and rode toward town on the wide highway shoulder until we reconnected with the bike path. We enjoyed on the early fall evening, swinging wide from one side of the path to the other Butch Cassidy style on our oversized, stable mountain cruisers--a converted mountain bike, complete with gears to get up and down the hilly terrain of mountain towns.

Our final destination was The Pub Place located south of town on Highway 89. We sat on the deck, enjoyed pizza and beer for a friend's birthday party, and then rode home.

The trip was just one of many that Jackson folk take during the summer months, when the roads and paths are clear of snow... although there are the diehards who brave the slippery slopes mid-winter. In recent years, Jackson has enjoyed a rebirth of the cruiser bike. We leave the cars at home, fill our cruiser baskets with groceries or picnic supplies or goods from the Farmer's Market, and ride through town without having to worry about parking or gas mileage. Soon, the snow will start to fly and we'll once again have to rely on our studded snow tires and four-wheel drive. But for a few more weeks, we get to partake in some whole-hearted cruiser culture.