July 29 2011: Hello everybody! We arrived two nights ago in the beautiful Teton range in western Wyoming, in Grand Teton National Park. (Grand Teton = Big Boob en Francais.) We're staying at Flagg Ranch at the very north end of the park, just over the border from Yellowstone. Yesterday we did 6.6 miles around Two Ocean Lake. This is a place that we came to three or four years ago but were unable to complete the loop because of a very active griz on the other side of the lake. It is an absolutely fabulous hike… on the north side of the lake, you have nearly continuous views of the Tetons while going in and out of forest and meadows. But the highlight is that this place has just about the greatest collection of wildflowers anywhere. We also got to see woodpecker babies (going "me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me"" in the nest), and Jerry got an amazing shot of the momma woodpecker bringing in a beak full of bugs for the kids; a huge family of ducks and ducklings; Canada geese (my whole life until about two years ago I thought it was "Canadian" geese, but I don't know what that's all aboot, eh); and a beautiful red fox that was on the trail right in front of us. I looked up, and for a moment all I saw was fur. I'm pretty sure he scared me more than I scared him, as he just sauntered off.
The highlight in hilarity - although I hesitate to laugh too much for fear of Karmic retribution - was going to the lodge/gas station across the way when we first got here. There was a group of six or seven motorcyclists, all probably in their 50s, who were on a big ride, but had apparently decided to just stop and ask for directions instead of reading maps. Or reading road signs. Or looking at where the sun was. Or thinking. So we're in Moran, Wyoming, on the northern edge of Grand Teton National Park. And where they wanted to be is in Cody. It's alright, go and get a map. I'll wait for a minute until you get back, and then you'll get the joke.
Last night we made tortilla pizzas outside on a wood fire for dinner. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Since we did such a big hike yesterday (and Liz has blisters on her feet), we're taking it easy today. We have a backcountry permit for tonight, but don't think we're going to use it due to the current mosquito population. We are probably going to hike a half-mile to Huckleberry Hot Spring, stick our toes in (there are big warnings that say that if you stick your whole head in the water, bacteria and amoebae and protozoa all swim up your nose, and then you get a runny nose, maybe a headache, and then die of meningitis or encephalitis or some other god-forsaken thing), then drive a scenic drive to Jackson (a great town - we'd move there, but word is that the billionaires are buying out the millionaires) and hopefully dinner at The Gunbarrel, an amazing place we've been to before.
See you soon - don't forget to carry bear spray!
--------------
July 31, 2011: Well, it's hard to believe it's only the last day of July… ordinarily, the past few summers, these trips have gone by way too fast. But this summer, everything seems to be in slow motion. As it should be. We've been having a great time here in the Tetons; the other night we got to see a mother grizzly and her cubs (from a safe distance, in the car). Yesterday we went on a lovely hike around Spring Lake (without Liz, who's on the DL). The first half mile is paved, along the lakeshore, with parking along the whole way, so it's ridiculously crowded. Although it's no Bryce Canyon. But after that first 1/2 mile, it crosses the stream, goes up into the woods, and is just great. After 3.5 miles, we looped back to the trailhead, and had a lovely lunch at the water, followed by an ill-advised competition to see who could go the furthest out into the lake, balancing on the trunk of a fallen tree. The best was Izzie, who made it all the way out, but then skipped/leaped/bounced/bounded her way back, nearly falling in after each little jump, then barely recovering, just barely regaining balance, then repeating the whole process every 1.6 seconds. You've never heard so much "WHOA… OH… NO… OOOOOOOH… WHOA…"
We've made what we're saying are the final changes to the plan, but we've said that each of the other hundred times we've changed the plan. We will not be returning to Rocky Mountain after all. Tomorrow we move just up the road to Yellowstone for four days, then on to… Glacier National Park. Yes, I said Glacier. The final stop on our tour of the American south and southwest will take us less than a day's drive from the northwest coast and less than an hour's drive from Canada.
Note: This has now been amended as we've heard that the freakin' skeeters are worse in Glacier than the Tetons. We're now going to head east, stop for the evening in Hardin MT at Little Bighorn Battlefield (mmmmmmmm, Indian tacos!), and then press onward to the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Note: This has now been amended as we've heard that the freakin' skeeters are worse in Glacier than the Tetons. We're now going to head east, stop for the evening in Hardin MT at Little Bighorn Battlefield (mmmmmmmm, Indian tacos!), and then press onward to the Black Hills of South Dakota.
It's been beautiful here in GTNP. Daytime highs in the 70s with a nice breeze,and the average nighttime temp has been 39 degrees. We've had to run the furnace! The biggest problem here, as it seems to be overtime we come here, is the mosquitos. Facing the overwhelming numbers really requires a certain kind of bravery, There are so many of them that bug spray just can't do the job.
No comments:
Post a Comment