West Bend, WI – Are you following local speedskating superstar Jordan Stolz of Kewaskum?This year TheBikeWriTer.com will be documenting its bicycle tour from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Today consisted of a climb up a 6,000 foot mountain and some new friends along the way.
On vacation yet stressing about the climb up Emigration Pass, Little Mountain and over to Park City, Utah. I’ve easily done 39 miles before, loaded with about 80 pounds of gear. But the mountains to the east are daunting, like a wall of 90-degree rock.
I slept a little and prayed a lot. I flipped on my red blinking taillight and headed out at 5 a.m. in the dark. Nervous and wanting to turn around, my anxiety was getting to me and with each pedal stroke I reassured myself this was the adventure I relished.
Spinning up Donner Hill I stopped to put on biking pants and a heavier jacket, temps were dropping as I headed up the mountain pass. Odd, I wasn’t alone.
”You look like you’re going a long way,” said a wirey woman dressed in biking gear.
It was someone I didn’t know but from my same tribe. “Have fun,” she said and was off with the glow of a red light in her wake.
That same scenario happened time and time again that morning. Cheers from other riders and shouts of encouragement. “You’re doing it,” said one man embedded in a pack of six older bikers.
I was doing it and as my doubts faded my confidence renewed. My journey also not as difficult as the ones before me who blazed the path in the 1800’s.
“August 23, 1846, and the ill-fated Donner-Reed party had reached the place where I started at Wasatch Mountains. Here at this narrow mouth of the canyon they were stopped by what seemed impenetrable brush and boulders.
“Bone weary they decided instead to climb the hill in front of them. 12-year-old Virginia Reed later recalled that nearly every yolk of oxygen was required to pull each of the parties 23 wagons up the hill.
“After this ordeal, the oxen needed rest, but there was no time the party pushed on to the salt flats where many of the oxen gave out. This caused delays which led to the disaster in the Sierra Mountains.”
I had reached the peak. The sun was out and the day warming. I asked a biker next to me if there was water below. “Not for a while…
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This year’s tour is intended to highlight previous Winter Olympics as we head into the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy.
Local speed skater Jordan Stolz is expected to compete in four events and if you would like to be part of Team Jordan feel free to pledge your support by using the QR code below courtesy the Dan Jansen Foundation.
Jansen’s foundation is a 501c3 and he’s agreed to donate 100% of all support noted to Jordan Stolz. Be part of Team Stolz today.