Two Sisters, One Valley, So Little Time

In the true spirit of adventurers before them; Ponce De Leon, Amerigo Vespucci, Lewis and that other guy Clark, two travelers came to my home at the end of our high desert summer to soak in a foreign landscape. One of them was from Minneapolis – a name derived from the Dakota word for water and the Greek word for city. The other came from far away Atlanta – a city name meaning “Don’t Come Here in the Summer – Ever”.

These two visitors are sisters, and even though they live in separate cities, they both traveled together to our remote location here in Idaho’s Teton Valley to soak in local culture, wildlife, National Park views and America’s “Way Out West” that they had never seen before. To sit back and observe them as they saw it all was my greatest joy during their trip. To see those that have never gazed upon the Grand Teton see it for the first time, and then on the same day see a moose in its own habitat for the first time; it’s all too inspiring. It is a great reminder that the beauty of this earth is a gift.

And so Minneapolis (Jamie) and Atlanta (Jill) set upon the Teton Valley with enthusiasm and eyes wide open.

I felt compelled to offer them a wee bit of culture right out of the gate, so the moment they arrived, we were off to Music on Main. I am pretty certain that this was the last event of the summer music series, and cannot recall from memory who played to the masses that evening.

However, this outing did afford an opportunity to view local art that one wouldn’t ordinarily see in the Teton Valley if one weren’t paying just enough attention.

And in order to keep paying just the right amount of attention, it was off to the Grand Teton Brewery the next morning to adjust our sites appropriately with a sample of finely microbrewed beer. What I love most about this photo is the Bitch Creek sign over Jamie’s shoulder.

What I love most about this photo is…. Emily! Emily, Jamie and I used to work at the same company in Minneapolis together. It was this highrise right downtown near the Ralph Lauren store. Very corporate. Very rat race. So Jamie is still in the trenches at the rat race in downtown Minneapolis, and Emily and I have our own version of the rat race here in the Teton Valley; after all, we are both still workin’ for da man. But Emily at least is doing God’s work: she is employed by a brewery!

This is the superbly crappy view that the ladies were disappointed to soak in at the top of Teton Pass. Isn’t it ugly here? No one should come. Stay away, the views are craptacular. What I really hate is that when you look out your car window, all you see is this kind of thing:

It’s gets to be a little annoying, all that ugliness.
*Sigh*.

We got to Grand Teton National Park and the first thing we got to see – BAM – there is the tourist ready moose all prepped and ready to pose for action. While all three of us marveled at this cow (the calf was nearby concealed by some brush) surrounded by around 15 or so other people all standing on the side of the rode, this guy with Arizona plates (it could have been a rental) climbed over the guardrail and right down to where the cow was feeding to, I presume, “get a better shot”. What I was hoping for was to witness a statistic: tourist gets attacked by moose – happens every year at both the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. My hopes were dashed when he made it out unscathed.

Jamie and Jill cheesed it up in front of a lovely view of the Tetons, and then off we went to cover the rest of the park.

There is another moose (brown dot near left of frame)! Seriously, this bad boy had an enormous rack. Those lucky dogs – first day in Wyoming and two moose! (mooses?)

The gratuitous Jackson Hole pose.

Back to Idaho to pose in front of the Spud Drive-In,

then off to the Knotty Pine to eat some chow (after margaritas).

Tucked in for another night of sleep in remote Idaho after staring at the stars on the back deck for some time, our adventurers were chomping at the bit to experience the Grand Poobah of parks – the one and only Yellowstone National Park. Naturally some things in life are guaranteed: if you make it to Yellowstone you will see one of these:

And one of these:

Walk some more,

And you’ll find more of these

And some more of these

And a really big one of these

And then some!

Here is the cool thing about going somewhere like this with the right people: we noticed this dragonfly eating an aphid on the boardwalk that surrounded one of the geysers. Jamie took a snapshot as we admired the busy life that dwells beneath the surface of everything. We were looking down at this thing, and got probably two Germans and at least two Japanese to stand by us and stare down for a second. They kind of moved on right away, but we all thought it was cool.

“No pictures, please. I am on private sojourn with my entourage.”

I am telling you, it is butt ugly here.

Heh heh.

On the way back from Yellowstone, we stopped at Mesa Falls. It was kind of nice to end the day just standing and staring at this much water rushing down to end in such a mesmerizing roar.

Go to your happy place…

Back to the homestead after having seen so much and spending time with people we see so little of.

We found reasons to celebrate the whole time Jill and Jamie spent time in the Teton Valley. First moose, first geyser, first raven (that is what those Wyoming crows are really called, Jame).

Still, I don’t think Hobbes noticed anything.

On the other paw, Lucy was thrilled to have the company!

(all photo credits to Jamie!)