Day 20 Thayne, WY to Grand Teton, NP (Colter Bay)

Mary by the Snake River in Wyoming

We left the campground after the usual morning routine and stopped for gas, a few groceries and a pack of #6 screws and nuts. I repaired a pesky door support on Mary’s above bed compartment using the screws, some nail polish and a few well chosen words questioning the ancestry of the engineer that placed the support so close to the rear compartment. By 10am, we had completed the errands and repairs and began the beautiful drive along the Snake River to Jackson Hole.

Jackson we much larger and more developed than I had expected; the sleepy little mountain town of my dreams was surrounded by shopping malls, hotels, apartments and supermarkets.  We did find the boardwalked old town but it was filled with upscale stores offering $2000 cowboy boots and $300 shirts – I don’t know how modern cowboys can make ends meet.  We did enjoy strolling and looking for an hour or so.

Elk antler arch in Jackson, WY

After a picnic lunch of fried chicken and spinach vegetable salad (thoughtfully purchased this morning by my lovely navigator), we fired up the rolling hacienda and headed into Grand Teton, NP.

Strolling the boardwalk in Jackson, WY

At the entrance gate, I presented our Senior Federal pass (purchased 5 years ago for $10 at Badlands, NP) and was waved through at no charge, if you are over 60 and travel you need this lifetime pass, it has saves us hundreds of dollars in free or reduced price admissions, camping and other services.

Grand Teton in the clouds.

Driving on the inside park loop, we took the Jenny Lake scenic drive – the lake and mountains make for spectacular viewing and pictures. We met a couple from Istanbul who immigrated 40 years ago and live in Dallas, TX.  He took a picture of us with the lake and mountains as a backdrop and we talked a bit about the vast beauty of this country and the richness and variety of its citizens (including our new Turkish friends).

At Jenny Lake in Grand Teton, NP

We continued North with the incredibly steep and craggy Tetons on our left and a nearly flat grassy valley on our right.  We arrived at the Colter Bay RV Park at 3:oopm and checked in. 

Mary's Moose!

The woman that checked us in said we shouldn’t miss the view from the deck at the Blue Heron Lounge at Colter Bay Lodge so we headed that way for cocktails on the veranda, a margarita for her and a huckleberry margarita for him accompanied by chips, salsa and guacamole – there are no calories in Grand Teton.  A few minutes after sitting our waitress came back to out table to point out a moose about 500 yards out in the marsh.  20 minutes later another one waltzed into the pond below the deck – that’s two wild moose, mooses, meece?? In one day!

Back at the RV park about 4:45pm, we leveled and hooked up the rig for the night.  I fired up one of my Villar-Y-Villars and took a stroll around the park. Excellent end

to another great day.

Lounge view at Colter Bay Lodge

Odometer: 79941 Miles Today: 101  Total: 2722