9-13-11 Company's comin'

Anyone who knows Ron knows that he likes tools and things of that nature. Dave has a new ladder and Ron is thrilled to try it thinking that he may get one someday. I'm not going to discourage him (yet)...look at the great job he's doing on our home. We have many ladders of all shapes and sizes at our stick home. What we don't need is another ladder. All we need is for Dave to show up once a summer and we'll be set!

When we were on the Gallatin River earlier this summer we were next to a couple from North Dakota. He's a fly fisherman, like Ron, and before he would set out in the morning he would start a fire for his wife. She'd have her coffee out there and one morning asked me to join her. It was wonderful. The fire felt great early in the morning, the coffee was hot, and our backs were warmed by the sun. A big plus is that you don't go right inside to bed, as you do with evening fires, and your clothes get rid of that smokey smell. Since we've been back in the Tetons we've been having an occasional morning fire. Our friends are enjoying them with us. Today, it's Phyllis, Sandy, Dave, and Noel. It's a great way to start the day!

Our Lazy Daze friends, John and Linda, who were with us for a short visit in June, have returned with their new doodle, Sadie. Denver and Charley are excited to make a new friend and would sure love to roll in the dirt with her. They're on restriction for the moment as they've just had a bath in preparation for company coming.

We're excited to see our Lazy Daze friends again. Cookie and Frank are here too. That means lots of RV tech talk. You can find John and Ron many times a day totally absorbed in all things technical. It's nice for folks to have guys like Ron and John in a campground. They're great at solving problems other RVers may have along the way.

We've grown somewhat attached to the "boys" as we call them. They snooze behind our RV in the early mornings. You can tell they're practicing to be real tough "bulls" when they grow up. They nap a bit, butt heads a bit to get the velvet off their antlers, munch a lot, and eventually wander off to the river.


Next year I'm going to be a very handsome big bull with a nice big rack.


People are going to walk by me and say, "Nice rack." They whistle and say that to this big guy. Is that politically correct? I want to be just like him.

The "boys of summer" are off to the river once again. They'll be best of friends until some cute cow comes along.

Alison and Steve and Russ and Mary Lou have arrived. We have to admit we never really believed they'd join us here in our summer home. We're thrilled. Russ and Mary Lou celebrated their 50th anniversary in June. Ron and Russ were in college together before they got married. We spent a lot of time together when our kids were young (and we were younger!) Bunch of old folks, eh? Ron and I will be looking at the big 50 in another 3 years (that is if we don't tandem kayak again!). We'll start this party off with just a taste of champagne to celebrate their big year.

Then it's formal dinner for six in our formal dining room (aka living room, office, bedroom). Let the good times roll (on wheels!).

This morning we let our guests sleep in a bit (at their hotel) and then headed out to do a late morning hike to Taggart Lake. We started, and then turned back as we could see the clouds building behind the Grand Teton. We, instead, headed north along the Tetons and stopped at String Lake. It looked pretty clear there so we walked just a short way along String Lake towards Leigh Lake. Once again the clouds and thunder threatened so we turned back. This time we got the point and headed off to console ourselves with food and drink. That always works.

If you don't like the weather in the Tetons just wait a half hour (summer only) and it will change. After lunch the storm cleared and Russ, Mary Lou, and I headed to Taggart Lake once again. Alison headed to the hotel for a little rest hoping to shake off a bit of a cold.

If you think you've seen this photo before, you have. It's my Taggart Lake stock photo. I forgot to take a photo of the lake today so this one will have to do. It changes every second of every day but always looks the same to me. Gorgeous! I think Russ and Mary Lou were impressed too.

We returned from Taggart on the Beaver Creek trail. It has a few ups and downs before it meanders along Beaver Creek and returns us to the Taggart Lake trailhead.
Formal dinner for six again tonight on the ranch! Tomorrow we have to shake these folks out of bed early. It's kayaking day and it's always best to head out before the wind starts to blow. There's been a bit of discussion of how the pairings will work for tandem kayaking. Ron and I are holding out to have our own kayaks (single is safe). Steve is lobbying to tandem with me. I guess he heard that I really know what I'm doing. I may have to give in. I never like to disappoint folks who need my expertise.

We awakened this morning to a perfect day...not a cloud in the sky. While we were waiting for our guests to arrive, so we could take off for kayaking, a heavy mist/fog descended on us. It was really beautiful. The sun sparkled through the moisture. As we drove out of the campground we could see four moose standing in the fog. We stopped at Blacktail Ponds overlook to watch the fog rolling along the mountains.

At the Snake River overlook we could just barely see the river peeking through the fog. We needed to keep moving but we just had to make a stop or two. Phyllis and Noel were waiting for us at Coulter Bay.

Today's pairings have Ron and Alison together. Look at those grins. I hope Ron can keep up with the speed demon. Is this some kind of competition?

Yes, that's Granny and Sonny, our respective names for each other. Mary Lou doesn't understand how we can treat each other with such lack of respect. Well, he is my son-in-law and I'm his mother-in-law. Respect? You've got to be kidding. I've decided to let Sonny think he's in charge today. You know, sometimes you just have to stroke those egos.

That's Phyllis and Noel, very experienced kayakers. Very experienced is more than once in our world. Is that a camera? Smile, everyone. Look natural!

We thought only Russ was going to kayak with us but the pressure was great on Mary Lou (imagine that) to join us and she reluctantly did so. Her foot was in the kayak and she was still trying to think of some way out of this. She's a good actress. Smile for the camera.



I think he's letting Alison do all the work. Hmmm, I can't believe he's letting her have control. I guess he's doing what I'm doing...keeping a low profile.


If this is a competition Phyllis and Noel are going to be tough to beat. They're nothing but smoooooth.

Where are Russ and Mary Lou going? They need to put those paddles in the water and head left. Sonny, the Navy guy, has some technial language for that maneuver. Maybe that would help.

Looks like they made the turn but things are just a little out of sync. Soon, it will all come together. Experience counts ... even if it's only a half hour's worth.


Now, that's better. Keep paddling, you'll catch up before long.


Bang! Looks like there's bumper kayaks taking place in the battle for the lead. Alison and Ron are falling prey to Phyllis and Noel's smooth stroking.

Ron had better get in sync or he's going to be out of that kayak if I know Alison.

Ron has finally caught on to his precarious position. It's a battle for the lead with Phyllis and Noel.


Alison and Ron are smokin'. Can anyone catch them now?



Alison and Ron disappeared from view while setting kayak speed records. When they finally returned we took the mandatory group photos. Is that Sonny telling Granny what to do? She is very mellow today. Hypnosis must be working.



It doesn't look like any of these guys will make the kayak water ballet team.


It's time to head back and Alison and Ron take the lead in a fast sprint once again. What exactly are they trying to prove? It's the journey, not the destination!


Do you think Mary Lou had fun? Just like Sandy, before her, her fears were groundless and she found out how fun kayaking can be...told you so!




Later that afternoon Ron and Steve headed out to do a little fishing on the Gros Ventre River that runs by our campground.




Alison had missed out on the hike to Taggart Lake with Russ and Mary Lou so she and I took off the next morning to hike the Taggart to Bradley Lake to Beaver Creek trail. We ran into a bit of rain but it was kind of fun hiking in the drizzle for a bit.





Those clouds meant business.





Modern photography


The next day another hike was in store, this time to Phelps Lake. Russ, Mary Lou, Alison, and I had a grand time doing a short 5 mile hike up to the lake and around one side. There's a huge boulder you can climb and from there you can take this photo of the glacier formed U-shaped canyon above the lake.


The wind was wild on top of the boulder but the scenery was beautiful.



No matter where you go around the lake the beauty is amazing.




The Tetons make everyone smile!


While Russ, Mary Lou, Alison, and I hiked, Ron and Steve set out to explore the Gros Ventre River east of the campgroud. It runs many miles to the east. We've often driven out to Slide Lake and the Red Hills area, about 15 miles away, but rarely go past that point as the road turns to dirt and washboard. Ron and Steve went another 30 or more miles beyond the lake along the river on the dirt road.


It's a great lake for kayaking. Hope we see more of it soon!


The Red Rock fire has been burning many miles to the east, south of the river, since about the second week in August. This photo was taken from the campground shortly after the fire started. There were a lot of lightning strikes at that time. It flares up and settles down. The forest service plans to let it burn in the wilderness until snowfall puts it out. That helps restore the forests as we've learned from our many travels through Yellowstone. Ron said the normally rough road was smooth all the way. He figures the road had been graded to accomodate all the fire management personnel who've been traveling that way. He and Steve could see a little of the burn as they got out past Crystal Creek. Fortunately the fire has been moving south and east and not west towards us.

They didn't fish that day as the wind was blowing hard and steady but they had a grand time exploring the river and looking for future fishing holes. They were 40 miles east of here and could still see the Tetons in the distance.


The scenery changed again as they got above Crystal Creek.


We always tell our guests that they will see lots of moose and lots of bison if they visit us. Russ and Mary Lou had seen a few here and there in Yellowstone but our resident herd of bison stayed hidden until the last day they were here. We saw them heading for their watering hole.


The big guy in charge needed his nightly mud bath and...




...a good shake! Our guests got to do and see a little bit of everything....the Teton sampler. Hope they'll return someday to enjoy the full course. We've had a fun week!