And then it happens.
A Bear. Not just any bear.
A Grizzly bear!
Today we started in – Yellowstone Canyon’s Village
We finished in – Jackson Grand Teton, Wyoming
Miles travelled today – 141
Miles so far this trip – 1,520
Tonight we are staying at – Four Winds Motel, Jackson
We are minding our own business, heading south towards Grand Teton National Park. Even if we wanted to, we had no room to pick up the 5 hitch hikers we sailed pass.
All was going swimmingly, when we come across traffic. Previously the traffic is because of an Elk, or a Bison, and we have seen plenty of those, so we drive on by.
This time though, it seemed different.
Common sense was going out of the window. People were stopping everywhere and anywhere. National Park Rangers are doing their best to control the chaos.
Road traffic rules and common sense vanishes as everyone tries to park and get a decent view of the bear.
We get lucky and a space opens up in a lay-by, Suzanne swings in. A family with a scope set up on a tripod is parked next to us. Initially, I am the only one who jumps out to ask what has been spotted.
“A Grizzly bear” comes the answer.
I dash back to the car, and before long we are all standing on the edge of the hill, straining our eyes as we look down into the valley.
Using the zoom on the video camera gets us the best view. This is not enough for me and I want to get a better photo. We make the decision to move closer along the road, but by the time we get there, the Grizzly has decided it is time to move on, and is wandering off towards the hills in the distance.
The following are the best I can muster. But we saw one. We saw a Bear, and a Grizzly at that!
Drive south to Teton is pleasant and traffic free.
Jackson Lodge is the first place that we find. Blue Heron Lounge was on our itinerary but we decided for something a bit less formal, quicker and cheaper so we headed to the Pioneer Grill.
Dinner had, and the views from the back of the lodge enjoyed, we head on.
We have a number of easy stops on the way to our hotel, so we should be able to tick them off without too much trouble.
Time was getting on, so we skipped Signal Mountain Summit Road and Jackson Lake Dam.
We headed straight to Oxbow Bend, and enjoyed the snaking river with the mountains in the distance.
Next on the list, the Snake River overlook.
An angle of the river and mountains made famous by Ansell Adams.
We travel further south, pleased that all these amazing things we are seeing, are a stones throw from the highway, and we can tick them off our list. Yes, perhaps they are not the most adventurous, but we are enjoying the drives, and the stop offs.
The Schwabacher landing is the next stop. Again, beautiful river views, with a mountain backdrop makes for great photos, even if they are a little bit rushed.
Mormon Row is next up. It’s old barns, and structures photo worthy with the mountains again forming a perfect backdrop. Moulton Barn the highlight here. Regularly photographed, and often featured on the cover of travel guide books.
It is not the right time of the day to get THE shot, but I do my best, even waiting for the other tourists to move before taking a shot with no humans in it.
And a couple of shots with a non human in it.
We had a couple of the places to stop at but time got the better of us so we had to miss out the National Museum of Wildlife Art Snd the Creekside Market.
Check in at the Four Wind Motel was simple enough. A very basic one but close to down town so we could walk around easily.
We had dinner in a place called Yeah Buddy Pizza which sold good pizza. A trudge upstairs to a pleasant restaurant the was constantly busy with people coming and going.
Jackson itself was a great town. Possibly one of our favourites. A cowboy vibe with many covered walkways. Sidewalks (pavements) often wood covered given a creaky noise as they were walked over.
The town square not big, but popular with Antler Arches on each corner forming a gateway to the square itself.
There are gift shops selling everything from fridge magnets at $12 to what appear to be real stuffed animals. The most expensive we saw was 4 animals in a small boat going for $5,500!
And that brought an end to our first day and evening in the Grand Tetons.
We have about 8 things to see tomorrow, but as you will read, this will not go quite to plan!!