{She Said} Into the Wild (and I’m Not Just Talking About Vacationing with the Fam)

Dad, Becky, Matt and I went to Wyoming for a little post bar summer getaway. We spent 3 days in Jackson Hole and the Grand Teton National Park and then 3 days in Yellowstone National Park and West Yellowstone, Montana. Nancy joined us for the Jackson Hole leg of the trip.

After flying in Saturday, we got a bite to eat on the square in Jackson Hole and then went to our condo. That evening, we walked around a bit but mainly rested and settled in.

Sunday, we went to Jenny Lake (oh yea, it’s namesake is not lost on me) to hike around a bit. Dad and Nancy wanted to do some intense uphill hiking so they crossed the lake and went up to Inspiration Point while Matt, Becky and I just hiked along the shore of the lake. It was pretty backwoods for me but I do find being in nature peaceful and inspiring… in small doses. The lake was beautiful. The weather was beautiful. We had some peaceful and inspirational moments looking at and sitting on rocks.

While waiting for Nancy and dad to finish their longer-than-expected hike, we did some people watching. One guy decided he needed to stretch his hamstrings by putting his foot up on the wall next to Becky, giving her a straight shot up the leg of his loose hiking shorts. It was very friends-esq (The One Where Monica and Richard are Friends) with little Robert. Becky also made a little squirrel friend. It was pretty big times for Becky.

Monday was white water rafting day. What an ordeal. Get there 30 minutes early to sit around and wait for a bus. Then we get on a bus and ride for about 30 minutes which feels like 30 hours because it is the oldest bus with some of the screamingest kids you ever met. And it’s hot… but embrace that because it’s the last of being hot for the duration of the experience. You then get out of the bus and stand around awkwardly while the nature loving laid back guides hang out. Finally you are put into groups only for me to find out that I am on a boat of all girls with the exception of Matt, dad, and the guide. So I guess I will be participating fully here to make up for the 5 middle school girls. You have already heard the story about Matt’s volunteering for the front of the boat so we all got soaked. I expected to get splashed a lot, I didn’t expect each rapid to be like diving into ice. The trip was fun and exciting and I got a little arm workout to boot. Afterward you get to ride back in the same bus with the same screaming but now tired kids. And you are wet. You feel like you have peed yourself. It’s amazing.

photo courtesy of Float-O-Graphs (clearly)

That night we went to dinner at a great little BBQ place- best meal of the trip and I take eating on vacation pretty seriously.

A couple side notes…
Dad made a beeline for a specific store with this new hat in mind the first day we were there. I nicknamed dad Sir Khaks-A-Lot on this trip due to the abundance of khaki in his wardrobe. Case in point...

I found this little fellow painted on the wall under the toilet paper holder in the guest bathroom at our condo. I am working on incorporating this into my house somewhere even though it makes no sense. Maybe I’ll make it a horned lizard. Wouldn't that be a riot.

There was a great ice cream place called Moos on the square in Jackson Hole. It was right across from a line of art galleries… one of which specialized in sculptures.

I also found these for sale on the square…

Yes that is a fur jockstrap. Yes it does say $34.95 with tail, $24.95 without. Yes dad’s response to that was, “must not be very good fur.”

Next, onward to Yellowstone for some real wildlife.