A day of stupendous quotations from (mostly) the little people...and another swimming hole in the middle of these Utah canyons. We embarked from Panguitch, UT this morning after spending one night in the KOA. The kids were a bit disappointed that the pool hours were 1pm - 8pm. We did anchor down next to some local residents last night who showed up this morning with fresh bass that they gutted on our shared picnic table. Very appetizing. Julie had a juice smoothie and the kids took down the Cocoa 'Bumpers' (an organic version of Cocoa Crisps).

The drive took about 2 hours today, but through some beautiful canyons. We are staying in Bryce Canyon tonight and hoping for some good weather to hike in the morning.

Some of our favorite quotes today:

"Hey, I've got your poop cup ready". (Reed) Let me explain. Once we decided to take to the lake (reservoir) and do some swimming we had some biking to do. It was not far, but it was somewhat 'off road', which for our group was a challenge already. Reed flying off the side of the mountain and Edward thinking he could keep up. It's always tough keeping us together (thanks to Julie for always staying with E while I'm catching up to Reed to pull back the reigns). Anyway, we get to the swimming hole and about 20 minutes into a wonderful afternoon Edward says he has to go to the bathroom. His nickname is 'Deuce' (confusing when trying to figure out what kind of bathroom break we need) so we ask "is it liquids only" (code for 'acceptable' in the RV). He says no (it's #2), so we've got an issue. We (the whole group) debate how he's going to do his business without risking our quick return trip around the water and eventually land on the great idea that he'll poop in a cup (it was one that we found). He's very excited but gets a little anxious about it in the end so I put him on my bike and make it back to the ranger station for a civilized facility.

"That bathroom is nicer than our house". (Annie) As you know, the quest for clean (private) restrooms has become a bit of an obsession. We found the best possible Utah pork barrel project when we stumbled upon the Escalandes Visitor Center. It's probably about a $2million facility in the middle of nowhere with LEED certified handicap accessible pristine restroom facilities. There was a retiree behind the counter with a bunch of brochures and conference rooms that could not have been used a dozen times since the little oasis was built in 2006. The little puff of air freshener was on a timer and the lights were motion detected. Top shelf.

"Do they have a handicap shower"? (Edward) When we got to the restaurant tonight Edward wanted to know what the bathrooms were like back at the camp. Since he had stayed in the Grit with me when Julie checked in, Annie was giving her report. Edward proceeds to explain to our table that he's found that the handicap showers are the best, because you can run right into them and they're huge. I asked that he please not sit in the chair if there happens to be one.

"He eats like a grown man". (Annie) Tonight we ordered from the Ruby Inn Diner (it's a buffet). They bring out the menus and we proceed to place our orders and the Edward asks for the Rainbow Trout with rice and broccoli. The waitress is a bit perplexed but Annie explains to her that he's a bit more refined and that he can handle it. Sure enough, he takes down most of the meal. But let's be clear...he eats like a 6 year old even though he orders like a grown man.

"I'm going to kiss the toilet when we get to Crested Butte". (Julie) This produced a lot of laughter (borderline obnoxious) from our table at the end of dinner. It was more an expression of anticipation for the end of this portion of the road trip than anything, but it was hilarious. Pretty proud of Julie for holding out this long to drop something like that on us. She's tougher than you think.



The moose from yesterday's drive:



For anyone who thinks I'm exaggerating the organic grocery tales (Julie)...here is photographic evidence from the Jackson Whole Grocer:

Another little RV nugget...the unidentified green plastic we pulled out of the septic pump:

Only in Jackson Hole could you have (literally) no one viewing Ai Weiwei sculptures and a long line at the organic grocery store. It's a weird town, but very beautiful. There's no denying the Teton's and the Snake River's splendor. For those of you who suggest I'm making too much fuss about the grocery store stops (Julie) I photographed the entrance to "Jackson Whole Grocery" which reads..."Everyday essentials from coconut water to cornflakes". Where else in the world is coconut water considered an 'everyday essential'? In Sheffield, that's about as exotic of a food item as I could imagine. Not here in Jackson. It's essential. OK...I'm done.


We have had a great two days...a good bit on the road in Utah today, but yesterday we stumbled on one of the trip highlights thus far. I knew that Utah was good for some natural beauty. I had spent some time around Logan when I lived in WY 16 years ago. But I did not remember the lakes. We drove the Grit to Bear Lake and spent the afternoon on the beach. That's not a misprint. This 109 sq.mi. lake is on top of a massive limestone deposit, which results in the most magnificent blue water you could imagine. It is referred to as the Caribbean of the US. The kids were really enthused by the find, and to top it off, this particular area is known for how it's fresh raspberries (which any blue blooded American would know) fit into a milkshake. It was awesome. My iPhone is acting up (hope AAPL delivers some strong earnings on Tue. because I'm returning this one next quarter) so I don't have the best pictures to post but it was outstanding.

What was NOT outstanding was my hour long journey into the bowels of our busted septic pump. I've been accused of not being very handy (which is true). But the dynamic response of the duct tape has really boosted my confidence. There is new duct tape on the couch, the dining table, and I'm thinking of enhancing the exterior seams to boost our water protection. So, without the proper tools (or training) I disassembled the pump (it was really only about 6 screws) to see what was clogging up the rotor. Imagine taking apart your weed eater to put new line in the head and finding that it's wrapped around the motor. Wait, before you do that...drag the weed eater through the sewer and let it sit under your car for about 2 weeks. Now you're getting close to the level of difficulty. Anyway...I got it all cleaned out and put back together (I'm scared to turn it on). It looks good though.

Today we drove ambitiously through some rain (stopping in Salt Lake for Costco apples). I forget how vast this land is...the west. The speed limit is 80mph out of necessity. We need that momentum to carry us off the ramp to the gas station...geez. The mantra for refueling is that you don't stop when you need to...you stop when you can. There are some stretches now that we're off into these southern canyons where you can count on 1 hand the gas stations you'll see for about 4 hours.

We did stop (suddenly) to photograph another moose. This one was thankfully not running around our campsite, but was instead just off the highway when we got into Utah. He was large. As Edward kept saying, "he had a huge rack".

Here are a few pictures from the last moments of Jackson Hole. I can't get the phone to cooperate on all of them, but you get the idea.

A little late...but a memory worth sharing from the Cody Rodeo. This one probably ruined any of the kids' aspiration for bull riding. Let's just say the Cody Rodeo is a little bit lax on their process for loading the chute.

The Daily RV Treat: "Hooked on a Dream"

Amazingly, this morning started with a visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art because we saw they were featuring the Zodiac Heads by Ai Weiwei! I could not believe that this exhibit was here and that it was free. These twelve animal sculptures were displayed in this beautiful setting which is so free, unlike the artist who remains under government scrutiny in China for speaking out for democracy and human rights. It was a great lesson for the kids to view this work. I will be shocked if they remember it, but Reed was very impressed. It was a highlight, and they were kind to indulge us.

It was off to the Targhee Music Festival this afternoon for Patty Griffin, Mavis Staples, and Bruce Hornsby. We got soaked. In fact, we did not make it to Hornsby. After some parental concerns kicked in for a late night crossing of Teton Pass (in the rain) after hundreds of fun seeking fans leave it felt like the right move. Let's just say we did some explaining about strange smells...and it was 4pm. That only gets worse. We did bring our tent (finally got to use that) so the kids could stay dry. I promise Grace is in that picture between Reed and Edward.

There are certain things from each RV park that you just can't describe. Enjoy a pair from tonight's.

This morning we had a quick and efficient departure from camp...one of the first in our trip. We dropped the Grit off at the mechanic for new tires and met up with cousin Allen for breakfast. He has a new dog, Arlo, who the kids were very excited to meet. Our primary mode of transportation in these towns is our bikes...and on the way to breakfast (from the tire store) Annie and Reed collided on their bikes (a lot of "he said, she said") and Annie's inner tube popped (deflated). So, for those keeping count, we got 6 tires for the RV and 1 tire for a bike...today.

We did make it to Dave Hansen's Whitewater outfitter in time for our afternoon date with the Snake River. We were piloted downstream by a good friend of our nephew, Sam. It was a great adventure and the kids were all very excited. Each kid took the plunge and got into the river (at 50 degrees).

After the rafting trip we picked up the car and gave the Grit a car wash (which was an experience itself). I've never tried to find a car wash for a 12 foot tall vehicle. It's not easy. Go ahead, try. We did manage to find one and knocked most of the South Dakota bugs off our grill.

We came back to the RV campground for some pizza at a nearby restaurant and the kids found a lot of open grass for playing. They're really a social bunch. We haven't gone anywhere that one or all of them isn't approaching complete strangers and engaging in conversation. The other night in the hot tub at Bar J (don't get me started) Grace told a couple from Iowa our internet password for my computer. Why she felt compelled to reveal this is still a mystery...it came out somehow in the retelling of the St. Louis heist. Tonight I came back to the RV to find Anniston (a new friend from the camp) sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows and talking about her uncle's road rage. You cannot make this up.

We did have a moose sighting in our camp this evening. While the kids were relatively calm and contained (after a quick scolding...'respect the wildlife'...'give the animals some room to be wild'...that kind of thing)...out charges Julie from the passenger seat in pursuit of a closeup picture. She really needs to watch some Animal Planet or Youtube videos of a moose charging. It's not a pretty sight. Thankfully the moose had seen his share of reality TV and fled the camp...not wanting to tangle with 'the people'.

All in all...another great day...off tomorrow to Targhee Music Festival (Patty Griffin, Mavis Staples, Bruce Hornsby) and the Ai Weiwei exhibit at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

From Reed Trapp:

Graceland was so much fun. I thought it was so cool how this couple got married at the chapel. I had no clue Elvis was so young when he bought the house (22yrs). He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. My sisters were obsessed with the penny press. The cars were my favorite part. The planes were also very cool. The RV Park was not as shady as we thought. I didn't know that they kept real horses there. I had no clue he had so many songs. The Peabody ducks were really fun. So was downtown. The Peabody view was amazing.

Crazy Horse was huge. I had no clue that Mount Rushmore could fit on the head. I didn't know the same family was still building it and it was private. I didn't know a college was there either. It was awesome. Last night we went to a rodeo in Cody. We saw bucking, roping, and barrel racing. Most of today we drove through Yellowstone. We went to the Tetons and spent the night at the Hatchet.

From Annie Trapp:

The trip has been so much fun! We have been to Graceland where we was Elvis' house. Then we went to St. Louis and got robbed while we were at the Arch. Then we went to the Badlands and saw the beautiful mountains. Then we went to Bear Country and saw 50 bears, wolves, deer, and tigers. One bear walked right up to our car. Then we went to Crazy Horse Memorial and learned that they are still building it to this day and how they are building it.

Themes that are emerging on the trip: Edward (Deucie) Waltemath is a ham...a little stud muffin...and an all around lover of animals...unless you're an elk/deer/moose...to which he remarks with great gusto, "man I would pull my trigger on that one"! In all honesty I hope we don't encounter a bear. It would require all of his focus and energy not to run up to it and just give it a hug.

We like stops. I don't mean just a quick stop to get out of the RV and stretch your legs. I mean let's stop and go visit the toy store for about 2 hours. Let's stop and get a coffee. Let's go sit in the park for an hour. Let's go to the RV campground so we can relax and the kids can do laps on their bikes. There is no shame in pacing ourselves. We left on July 5 (11 days ago). We are not halfway home. There was a moment on Wednesday that required some family fortitude...one of those, if we don't start treating each other like family and having thankful hearts for this great opportunity...the Grit is going to the graveyard and dropping you off on the way kind of talks. But...the hike was very fortuitous and the little crew proved resilient and determined to change course...much better attitudes since then.

You never go anywhere alone. With the little unit of 6, there's always someone to pair off with. It's been a great joy to watch the kids bonding on this trip. I know it's bringing them closer together...and that's been a main goal of the trip from the beginning. They're starting to anticipate each other's needs and look out for each other. They will also turn a von Trapp 'Climb Every Mountain' moment into a cage fight in a heartbeat.  

 

Lastly, this part of the country is just as beautiful as I had remembered. If you have not been to the Tetons, it needs to be a priority. The views are breathtaking. Julie took this picture of a stream near Jenny Lake from a bridge that was about 6 feet from a 4 foot deep stretch and you could see the bottom like it was just 2 inches from the surface. Tomorrow we will be whitewater rafting down the Snake River and probably getting wet, so hopefully this good attitude and spirit of adventure will continue.

Oh...the Grit will have new tires tomorrow. She got new oil and a brake inspection only to find some early signs of dry rot on the inside tires. Not one to take chances with tires, we've got all new being commissioned in the morning...so we will have confidence when we get back on the interstate Sunday for the journey south through Utah.

Today's hike was in Teton National Park, along Jenny Lake. This elk was right by the Jenny Lake visitor center when we finished our hike. The wildlife here in the Tetons is really amazing.  I talked to a friend this evening who said, "if there's a more beautiful place on earth I haven't seen it". I tend to agree.

We initially thought about trying a light 2 miler to 'Inspiration Point' until learning (while we were on the trail) it was closed for the summer. So, we made an audible (which we had to explain) and decided to explore Hidden Falls, a beautiful walk along the lake's shore. 

We had a few ankle sprains and missteps but got dusted off and pressed on for the duration. There was a bear sighting on the trail a few moments before we appeared (a mom and 2 cubs), so I was thankful not to have to deal with that. The kids though have been very eager to spot something...so we did keep a particularly close eye out for any movement. Reed stumbled across a marmot (while going off trail to handle his business). Edward thought the marmot was outstanding...only he kept calling it a marmalade. We just let that one go...provided us with some chuckles.

We have stayed two nights at the Hatchet Resort in Moran, WY. It's been fun to point out things to the kids that I can remember about living here. They're astounded that I lived above the restaurant with 6 people and shared 1 bathroom. So am I.

Tomorrow we head down into Jackson for some brake pads, oil change, tire rotation, and general check-up on the Grit. We realized this would be a good opportunity to have it serviced before heading to Utah and the Grand Canyon. Feel responsible.






My apologies to anyone who's tried to post something on the blog. Apparently I haven't configured something correctly...or paid for some extra feature...so the comments have to be 'approved' by the site administrator (me). I'll have Grace look at it for me in the morning and see if she can fix it.