June 28, 2017 Day 11 Wednesday Teton Village, WY to Driggs ID

No need to super early rising, but we were ready to leave the hustle of Teton Village to head to “the Quieter side of the the Tetons” just across the border into Idaho. We drove a little over an hour and a half (with a little extra in there due to a GPS malfunction.).

Although Dick had been coming to the Tetons for over 60 years, he had never seen the western side of these beautiful mountains.  The drive was lovely.  We were able to soak in some great views and were glad to see the Idaho sign.

As we drove north to Driggs, we passed a sight that had caught Patti’s attention, The Spud Drive-in.  It has to be one of the last drive-in movie theaters in the country.  It takes it spud name seriously (LOL) with a giant potato on an old truck in front of the theater.  We had hoped to watch a movie there while we were in the area but nothing appealed to us.  So we had to be satisfied with photos.

We would be spending three nights at a really sweet AirBnB called “The Owl’s Barn.”  This was literally an old barn that had been remodeled to make a great apartment on the top floor.   Our hosts let us know that we could have an early check in and so we arrived at about 11:00.

There was a pasture around two sides of the barn.  Two friendly horses enjoyed the space.  To our surprise, there was a sprinkler watering the pasture 24 hours a day.  Coming from California with our drought, that amount of water on grass seemed a crime.  We found out later that the water was on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, so the grass was a lush green.

This gave us time to get unloaded before the thunderstorm came rolling in.  Intense!  You could see and feel the storm coming.  But, we were safe and sound in our lovely place.  

It was really a room with a view: we can see the Tetons out the picture window right by the table.  Wow!  The mountains look great from this side, too.  We watched the clouds clear from the mountains.

Late afternoon, after the storm had blown through, we made a 20-minute drive up the mountain to a ski resort, Grand Targhee.  This was a lot lower key type of place than over in Jackson.  We walked around and enjoyed looking at the chairlift to the top.  However, it was too late in the day, and there had been lightning so it was shut down.  We talked with a young woman in the activities office who encouraged us to come back on Friday when the weather was scheduled to be great.  We thought that sounded like a great idea.

Dinner was a salmon pasta that we cooked in our kitchen.  A great, kick back kind of day.  Just what we needed.  Dick was able to work into the evening with his favorite mountains just beyond the window.

June 27, 2017 Day 10 Tuesday Teton Village WY

The alarm went off early this morning and it was hard to haul out of bed. But we wanted to get over to a wonderful Ranger led hike this morning. The hike was in a special part of the Tetons: The Rockefeller Preserve.  This area was the Rockefeller family’s personal ranch for 75 years, and then 10 years ago was given as a gift to the Teton National Park by Laurance Rockefeller.  It was given with the intent that this would be kept as a very special place, fewer parking spaces, and kept very environmentally sound.  It is a wonderful place.   

We arrived early enough to eat our breakfast in the parking lot.  We had a number of people looking longingly at our choice of eating areas.

We had made reservations to go on a special hike with a limit of ten people, but when we checked in, we found out there would just be the four of us: another couple (originally from India, now living in Baltimore) and us.  And we would be led by a ranger, Meghan who has worked seasonally in the Tetons for 5 years and, during the rest of the year, is a high school teacher in Oakland teaching environmental studies. This was a great crew.  The Indian couple both have Ph.D.’s, and so does Dick, as well as having Master’s Degrees.  I also have two Master’s degrees.  A pretty educated group.  What an educated group for Megan to deal with. But she did A great job! 

Rather than going with a plan to script, because of our small group we were able to have a highly interactive mile and a half hike where we had wide-ranging discussions and questions and answers about many different plants, animals, and history of the area. We were also able to get some behind the scenes information about being a park ranger as well as The current status of the Park service and their response in the current political system and situation. Meghan was a fount of information and we learned so much.

The water was so lovely.  We followed a rushing mountain stream away from the Preserve Center, crossing it, and staying close to it for nearly two hours. 

And the wildflowers were great.  We saw some flowers that we had been seeing a lot of and some new ones that Meghan was able to help identify.

It was a fantastic hike.  At the top of the climb, there was a great lake, Phelps Lake.  Just as we arrived, you could see the dark clouds rolling and in the thunder began.  We quickly finished the formal part of the hike, along with some quick photos of us in front the lake. 

And then the rain began, tiny drops at first, moving to harder rain.  We all dug out our rain gear.  And then it began to hail.  Lightly at first and then it moved to pea sized tiny snowballs.  Luckily, we were close to a bathroom with a small overhang porch area.  Meghan led the run towards it and we found ten hikers had already taken cover.  We squeezed in and watched the storm roar on by.  We were grateful for that cover.

Once it let up, Meghan suggested we quickly start the descent back down to our cars.  We did, and took the time to do a little more talking with our co-hikers about Yellowstone Park which they were headed to next as well as the fun and challenges of long road trips.  We were happy to have shared the morning with them and wished them well. 

We were pleased to head back to our hostel where we ate leftover BBQ from the previous night. And then settled in for an afternoon of napping and reading and working on pictures. Very low-key and relaxing.

For dinner, we took advantage of the communal kitchen area and Dick whipped up a lovely dinner of French toast and bacon on a hot plate. It was a special savory French toast made with stale  Rye Bread. He had a number of people inquiring whether he was so taking orders for the lovely dinner. We also had a chance to watch another family whipping up some very delicious noodle soup to feed their family of 14 who were gathering. The camaraderie of this place has been a real plus.

After dinner, we took advantage of taking the gondola ride up to the top of the ski area for a second time. We enjoyed the ride, including seeing deer sitting down below watching us. At the top we walked around took some more photos. Then had a lovely discussion with her mom in high school son were on vacation from Iowa. We had a quite lovely and far-roaming conversation about the Tetons and Yellowstone where they were headed next in many other topics. We continue to find so many interesting people on our travels periods a big plus.

Back to the hostel for hot cocoa and a time to work on some more photos and get some more blog postings up. Tomorrow we head over to the "quieter side of the Tetons Mountains. This will be the area in far Eastern Idaho where we will be staying in the town of Driggs.

June 26, 2017 Day 9 Teton Village

Early awake today because we were going on a river raft float ride.  We got going so early that we had time to have a lovely outdoors breakfast with the mountains shining in the sun in the background. There was even a deer down the road that we got to watch while eating our pancakes and French toast.

We met up with the people who would join us on the about ten-mile float on the Snake River through the Grand Teton National Park.   They loaded us up on three vans and drove us to the launch area.  Our guide’s name was Mike, and he had been guiding rafts here for over 20 years.  Very experienced and knowledgeable. This was very good today since the river was running very high and very fast due to the record breaking amount of snow this past winter. There were 8 of us on the raft.  It was very comfortable, smooth, and safe ride. 

The high, fast water had eroded the riverbanks in many places causing trees to fall into the water.  When their roots caught on the river bottom, the rest of the tree would swing downstream.  This resulted in many “snags” that Mike had to steer us around. The fast water also meant we made the trip that was usually 2 hours in only 1 ½ hours.

We saw a lot of birds on this trip:  pelicans, Canadian geese, and even a bald eagle.

And, of course, the main attraction was the mountains.  Floating along on the river gave us many different views of the Grant Tetons.  Bright sunshine,, blue sky.  It couldn’t have been lovelier.

And we also saw a lot of flowers. After we got off the boat, we found a wonderful place with some many flowers.  It called to us to stop the car and take some photos. We especially liked the wild geraniums and sunflowers.

We then drove to the Mormon Row where Mormon settlers had homesteaded.  They built barns and homes that are being preserved as part of the history of the park.  There was even an outhouse with a view.   

And there were Uinta Ground Squirrels who seemed intent on posing for photos. 

Also in this area was a paint pony. Lovely, lovely, lovely. 

We then went on a ranger tour to see the General Store and a ferry landing where the horses, wagons and eventually cars were taken (for a fee) across the snake river. Most settlers established themselves on the east side of the river where the better farmland lay but the best hunting was on the west side.  Eventually, when tourists arrived, they wanted to be on the west side to be closer to the mountains.  The only way to cross the powerful Snake River for 20 miles in either direction was the ferry.  Bill Menor built that ferry and a general store on the west bank of the river.  The ferry thrived until a bridge was finally built a half-mile away

There was also a cabin, the Noble Cabin, in which the original discussions and meetings took place about creating a national park. It was out of those meetings that the initiative was begun that resulted in a small national park being created in 1929.  It was not enlarged significantly for many years, fostered by land purchases by John Rockefeller, Jr. We are always struck by the fact that there were always some key individuals who made it part of their life work or legacy to create these glorious parks.   The young ranger intern encouraged us to consider what we were leaving as our own personal legacies. That got us thinking!

The evening took us over to a very fun event: A Hootenanny.  They called it the “Hoot in the Hole” (for Jackson Hole, the name of the Valley.)  This has been going on for many, mnay years, and it included both novice and very experienced acoustic musicians and singers.   People could buy a delicious meal (we both had grilled fresh Idaho trout) or bring in your own food (lots of pizza boxes).  And then there were at least three hours of music.  Some of the performers had played there over 1000 times!  We totally enjoyed hearing this great music in a lovely outdoor setting.

On our way back to Teton Village after the show, we had the chance to see one more Mule Deer Buck.  We had started the day with one and here was another. A great day in the Tetons.  We were both ready for bed!

June 25, 2017 Day 8 Teton Village WY

Sunday morning waking up in the Tetons. Although we both felt a little pressure to get up and go enjoy the mountains, we let her self stay in bed a little bit late and then got up and had quite a leisurely breakfast time.

We went to soak in the mountains, and sometimes just need not pushing yourself too hard.

The first stop was at a beautiful Episcopal chapel that faces the Teton Range. This is one of Dick's most favorite views of the Tetons and we arrived just as the Sunday morning service was getting out. We reverently walked into the chapel and had a chance to gaze at the amazing view at the front of the chapel. Rather than a traditional altarpiece or painting, the architect had put in an enormous picture window knowing the mountains were as beautiful as any art could be. Exquisite!

The Tetons rise like spires.  One particular perspective of the Grand Teton and surrounding peaks has been called the “Cathedral Group.”  This is another stop that Dick has traditionally made to appreciate this view and take a few photos

Then we drove to an area that was not quite as crowded as much of the Tetons will be this week. We drove to String Lake and Leigh Lake area. We first stopped to appreciate another view of the Cathedral Group, this time over String Lake.

Then we had a little picnic lunch enjoying our sandwiches in the fresh mountain air, getting us fortified for what we thought would be a shorter along these to the two lakes. However we got carried away with how beautiful it was and in the end, by the time we were back, we had walked nearly 8 miles. But what beautiful miles they were.

There were breathtaking views of the mountains, rising beyond the beautiful lakes. We were in no rush, walking and strolling and just soaking it in. The trail wound through the woods and up and over numerous ridges. 

Of course, we found more lovely flowers.  Everyone who we talked to who live in the valley has told us that, due to the heavy snowfall this past winter, that has resulted in a huge bloom this summer.  Oh, the power of water.  

The lakes were gorgeous. The weather was in the mid to upper 70s and sunny with a blue, blue sky. We took so many photos.

We had a little excitement when a woman named Heather, who had passed us and soon turned around and came back in and out she had run into what she thought was a grizzly bear on the path ahead. Because she was walking by herself, she decided to turn around and come back. We agreed that that was a smart idea but decided we would go forward to see if we could get a glimpse of the bear. Another couple decided to join us and Heather said she'd come back with us, power in a group. So the five of us watch together for quite some ways. Chatting in the camaraderie way of people in the woods. Get a chance to talk about other bear sightings, of ourselves, and where we all were from. Then the couple finally decided they had enough and headed back, but Heather decided to come along with us. So, we walked quite a ways together, just the three of us. We had a chance to hear about Heather's life as a ski instructor over the past seven years here in Jackson Wyoming. She answered a lot of interesting questions about how skiing in the winter was in this area. It was very fun talking with her and we all learned a lot. She wanted to continue on, scouting for some campsites, and we decided we had had enough so we turned around. A third of the way back, we saw a cinnamon colored black bear running away from the path. We knew enough to know this was not a grizzly.  This was a cinnamon colored black bear. Maybe about a yearling, not so large. It was far enough away that we felt quite safe but we definitely got a chance to see another bear. Wildlife luck is holding up!

By the time we got back to the car we were both agreeing maybe 8 miles was a couple miles too far for us and we were tired! But, we needed to make one more stop for the day.  We were only a short distance along a scenic road from Jenny Lake.  It was along the shores of this lake that Dick's family had camped 60 years ago.  That trip was Dick's first encounter with the Grand Tetons and these mountains have been his blood ever since.  He has returned to the Tetons every 3-6 years since that first visit.  In many ways, it is his spiritual home.

We decided rather than cooking dinner, we would go into the town of Jackson and have somebody cook for us. We ended up having a nice meal at Bubba's barbecue. Lots of barbecued meat, enough to have dinner tomorrow night too. But we were glad to have somebody else cook and clean-up for us.

We went back to our hotel, or Patti lay down for a little nap. Dick headed up to do some exploring. We had heard that there were was a gondola that went up 3/4 of the way up the mountain where some of the finest skiing in the world takes place. During the winter this may be used for skiing, but in the summer it was for sightseeing and, after 5:00, the gondola runs for free. Dick scouted out and came back and urged Patti to put some shoes on and let's go explore. She did and we both had a great time.

The gondola took a few minutes going up the mountain about 3000 feet up to the 9000-foot level. We had a really nice view of the whole valley that is surrounded by mountains and is called Jackson Hole. We took a lot of pictures and looked out over the area. A whole different viewpoint on the valley in the mountains. It was interesting to watch the shadows of the mountain peaks move over the valley.

While we were looking at a sign that showed the gondola path and that the summer hiking trails, we had a chance to have a delightful conversation with a local couple, Chuck and Kim. They've lived in the area for 20 and 30 years and were able to give us a lot of interesting background about what it's like to live there. In the winter Chuck works a couple of days a week as a volunteer ski host on this ski resort, helping people find their way on the mountain.  He gets to ski the mountain and receives free ski lift pass for the year. They were also talking about all of the preparations in this area for the total eclipse of the sun which is happening on August 21. The totality will pass right over Jackson and the town is abuzz with preparations. They have several family members who were driving or flying in to be with them for the eclipse. Darn, it would've been great to have our trip coincide with a total eclipse. But we would've had trouble finding a room.

So at least the sun was starting to go down and it was time to go off the mountain. So down, down, down on the gondola, we went. Very satisfying and a free trip. We like the value.

Walking back to the hostel we did some window shopping and bought some ice cream. All that gondola riding made us hungry. then back to the room to work on some photos and the blog. When the days are so full we need to take some time to write about them and prepare photos for inclusion.  We hear that some people are frustrated when we get behind.  We try to our best to keep up, not only for you but also for us to reflect on our experiences.  We try to catch up when we can. Thank you for your understanding.

June 24, 2017 Day 7 Estes Park, CO to Teton Village, WY

Saturday morning came early but we were ready to take off on a beautiful drive with the blue sky and the sun shining!

The first order of business was to drive over the Trail Ridge Road. This is an amazing road, finished in the 1930s, having taken six years to build. It is the oldest, highest continually paved road in the country. It goes about 40 miles over the top of the Rocky Mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. And what a drive it is. We go through all different kind of climate zones including a big chunk of it is tundra. The road to twists and turns and take shoe higher and higher and higher and tell it is finally over 12,000 feet. The views were breathtaking and nearly every mile.

The alpine tundra was covered with a carpet of wildflowers.  Because of the severe winters, short growing season (six weeks), and nearly constant winds, the plants are all very short.  The flowers are often less than 2 inches tall.  The communities of plants are often able to keep the temperature around them 10 or more degrees warmer than the air above them.  We are always amazed at these hardy plants and their pretty flowers.

But the biggest story of the day was animals. Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! We're actually not any Lions and tigers but we did see the most amazing amount of animals. First, we saw a ton of marmots. Yellow-bellied marmot's to be exact. These are very close relatives to what we might consider groundhogs or woodchucks. They are funny fat little creatures and we get a lot of joy out of watching them chase each other in and out of holes and pose for photos amazing!

The next animals that we saw were else we saw some most amazing elk very near the highway on the Trail Ridge Road. Including some really little babies. They did not appear to be afraid of cars and at one point we were part of a group that was stopped in the elk were just going back-and-forth in front of the cars picture heaven!

Then we got to a spot where we usually would think of saying marmots and a little rodent called up Pika. We saw people gathered and went over to take a turn taking pictures of these small animals. But to our surprise in addition to more minutes, there were three stunning big horn sheep. Up close enough that we couldn't really watch them in action. One of them stood guard while the other to keep right about they were stunning this was so exciting.

We also have the chance to have just a quick glimpse of a couple of probably yearling moves along the side of the road. We stopped because there were people stopping in pointing and we did see them but not close enough to get any photos. But to see moose, very cool!

We were sad to finish the Trail Ridge Road but needed to head down the road the road because tonight's destination was to be at Grand Teton National Park. We drove for a bit and then we were at last in Wyoming. The states are just continuing to pile up on this trip.

We drove about 300+ miles across Wyoming or watching the scenery change. Wyoming experiences serious winter weather, often blizzard conditions.  As an effort to keep the drifting snow from closing the roads, the state has erected an extensive snow fence system.  These disrupt the blowing snow, causing the wind to pause and drop the snow before the road. There was a series of amazing and different and interesting mountain ranges and Meadows sometimes with cows grazing. We saw some stunning huge in enormous rock formations, and we saw huge expanses of sagebrush. It just kept on changing!

A quick stop we made was at a monument dedicated to railroad tie hackers. These were the people who carved wooden tiles out of trees especially from about 1880 until 1920. The monument honored them and all the hard work that it took to make, by hand, these railroad ties needed for the railroads to cross the country.

It last week got the first glimpses of the Grand Teton mountains. These are Dick’s most favorite mountains in the world. And we were so glad to make the first stop to take the first of many hundreds of pictures of these mountains that we will take during this next week.

But before we even got to the Grand Teton National Park, We saw people gathered over on the side of the highway so we have course pulled over what we saw were was a grizzly bear! Now fairly far away so we were safe in case you're worried about us but we did we saw a grizzly bear and it was super cool. It was digging up roots in the meadow very busy ignoring all of the spectators were up on the road.

As we get closer to the Grand Tetons we saw a couple of bison herds. One of the highlights always in the Grand Teton area. They are massive beasts and very power Full and fun to watch. We also saw several small pronghorn antelope. One of Dick's favorite animals to look for in this area. Next to the bison, they are tiny.

So all in all, and amazing wildlife finding viewing kind of day.

We enjoyed soaking in a closer view of the Teton mountains. Before finding our way to Teton Village and our hotel that is a fairly rustic hostile filled with young travelers and families and people trying to avoid the outrageously expensive hotel prices here in Jackson hole. They have a fairly well set up communal kitchen here at the hostel. So Petty was able to whip us together a decent meal of baked yams and salad and we chatted with other people staying here using the borrow dishes from the hotel. Go communal living .We were both very satisfied and ready to settle in for a good nights sleep.