What a beautiful sunrise I experienced, as the pastel pinks rose over the river's mist. I was the first one awake in the campground, with a white Vanagon parked across from me. That's the kind of wagon that would be ideal for me on a roadtrip such as this one. A mountain bike was strapped to the rear.
I drove westward for a few miles until I entered the Targhee National Forest. Here is where I was able to let Sadie out and let her run for 1.8 back into the National Park.
The resort campground that charges $26.50 was packed. People were walking back from the general store/gasoline station ($2.75 a gallon there; $2.99 in the park) and myself got a cup of cappuccino to warm up. The resort store was family-owned and the father and son were quite friendly to their clientele.
There wasn't much I could do while in the Teton since Sadie was contraband. However, I spent over two hours at the Colter Bay laundry washing a load of clothes, shopping, and walking part of the lake trail. The view here was beautiful, with the 13,000' peaks in full view. Both the laundry and shower facilities were packed as well, and with half the dryers and washers "out of order" a vacant machine was prime real estate.
But oh, to have clean jeans again! I was out of all essential wear, and when I got my Mudd jeans bloodied up with mosquito blood from last night's war with those beasties, I knew I needed to take a break from driving and exploring and wash the clothes.
I also spent over $154 on souvenirs for Kevin and the kids.
The drive across the park was beautiful. The 57 miles were over fast, though, as I stopped at both visitor centers. At the southern one I asked about snow mobiles in the park. The park ranger immediately got on the defensive, saying that only 4-stroke engines are allowed in the park, and only around lakes in the winter, where few animals would be. People with 2-strokes could drive in via the Grassy Lake Road from the Targhee National Forest, but would have to turn around at the park boundary.
"But you don't allow dogs in the park?"
"Dogs create a flight response in animals" the ranger responded.
"And snow mobiles don't?!" I immediately retorted. I didn't want to start an argument with a park ranger, but I knew that the park's official status on snow mobiles, although, as the ranger said, where "tentative" (tentative for how many years now?) were only because the snow mobilers provide a revenue for the park, just like the rafters, mountain bike rentals and marinas. If the park were truly serious about a natural habitat for wildlife, motorized boats and snow mobiles and even bikes would not be allowed.
Once I exited the park via Moose, WY, I was no longer in the Grand Tetons. I was now entering Jackson Hole, a famous ski resort for the rich and famous.
I stopped at the visitor's center/forest service office on the north side of the park. A very knowledgeable assistant gave me some information on local hikes, even though his first recommendation was to "Drive 12 miles north of town and get brochures at the visitor's center there for hikes in the Grand Tetons."
"I don't want to hike in the park, I want to hike in the national forest with my dog!"
"Oh, well in that case..." and he gave me a town map ("A big map for a small town" he added) and showed me where to get to the Cache Creek trail, and where to hit the brewpub.
And that is what I did, taking Sadie on a 6.5 mile stroll up the easy Cache Creek Trail, an old lumber trail with a gentle grade that took us up three miles along the creek. The trail meandered higher, but I didn't want to walk too long. Other dog walkers, cyclists and joggers shared the trail with us.
I was hungry for real food and beer though after this hike, grabbed a corner table in the Snake River Brewery and enjoyed two great beers. The wheat beer was refreshing and ideal, and the pale ale wasn't bad either. I later shared the double cheese burger with Sadie. (I ate the fries in the restaurant, saved the burger for breakfast the next day)
The town center of Jackson Hole is very foo-foo and not my style, but I did notice the town's center park with elk antler gates. Very original.
After good food and beer, we drove into the mountains near the Elk Refuge to spend the night under the stars. So were many other RVers and tent campers, picking flat top sites with views of the valley. It was on this road that I spotted my first moose, a female, that caught me by surprise as I was looking for a place to camp. She didn't dart off, but lumbered slowly into the dark tree line while chewing her brush twigs.
I saw the sun set and the moon rise behind the peaks. Except for the cold, life couldn't be prettier from my vantage point.
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