We went to Colorado and Wyoming at the end of June. We flew into Denver and took the shuttle to Ft. Collins to see Rhea and Joe. It was Rhea's birthday and they prepared elk tacos for us. The tacos were delicious and elk is now my favorite protein! Joe decided to bring some with us to Wyoming.
The four of us left in Joe's truck the next morning for the six and one half hour drive to Jackson Hole. Joe did most of the driving and it was luxury for me. I'd never been through that part of the country and it was wonderful to be able to appreciate the vastness and grandeur of this part of the American West. Whoever wrote "oh beautiful, for spacious skies," etc. must have taken a drive similar to ours. We saw antelope, wild horses and incredible vistas.
Pulling into Rick and Mary's just in time for dinner, we were happy to be off the road. Rick and Mary have a wonderful home in a subdivision that's surrounded by national forest. The subdivision is bordered on one side by Pacific Creek that feeds into the Snake River just a couple of miles downstream. Mary and Rick also have a guest cottage where Rhea and Joe stayed.
The next morning we set out to paddle the Snake River from the dam on Lake Jackson to the confluence of Pacific Creek. Rick estimated it would take a couple of hours or so. It was a crystal clear day and the river was equally crystalline. There were only a few other people on the river and we had it mostly to ourselves.
Rhea brought her inflatable paddle board. Susan, Mary and Joe took the kayaks while Rick and I were in the canoe with the supplies (cerveza, water, snacks, etc.). There was a strong current so the paddling was leisurely. We had time to enjoy the pristine water and beautiful scenery. Despite the ease of access, the area is wilderness. We saw eagles, beaver and other wildlife.
Joe and Rick brought fly-fishing gear and we stopped at a fishing hole Rick knows. It didn't take many casts before each of them caught a trout. The fish were released so a good time was had by all.
When we pulled out at Pacific Creek, there was a brief encounter with a park ranger who had some questions about registration stickers on the kayaks. It turned out that his concerns were unfounded. We also learned he was from Kerrville and so had a little visit about the Hill Country.
After the river float, we went back to the house for lunch. Joe and Rhea went off to explore on their own. Susan, Mary, Rick and I went for a drive through Grand Teton. We drove to the top of Signal Mountain where there are fabulous views of the Tetons and Jackson Hole. We took a bottle of rosé to share at the top.
On the way back down the mountain, a black bear was walking right down the middle of the road. Rick stopped so we could look at it and I took some pictures from inside the car. There are lots of bears in the area (including grizzly bears) so caution is advised. When we got home, Rick cooked a delicious tenderloin for us. Rhea and Joe told us they saw a moose while out driving.
We decided to hike along some glacial lakes below the Tetons the following morning. We drove up to the lakes where there are some well maintained trails. We walked through alpine forest with the lakes in the foreground and the Tetons behind them. There were only a few other people on the trail. Some snow was still on the mountains. It was cool and there were wildflowers blooming.
Rhea noticed a tree that had recently been clawed by a bear. Did I mention the bears? They're a big topic in the Tetons. While we were walking, I heard the unmistakable sound of sleigh bells coming down the path in front of us. I thought to myself "Is Santa on his way?". It turned out to be a lady who thought she could scare away bears with bells. Joe advised us not to try this at home.
Our hike ended up being about 8.2 miles in just over three hours. Considering we stopped for lunch and the altitude, we were all pretty proud of ourselves.
We had worked up an appetite by the time we got home. Rhea and Joe grilled up some fabulous elk burgers for us. Please see the mouthwatering photos!
After eating, we took a short hike around the neighborhood. Mary and Rick's neighbors have a flower garden that's full of different colored columbines. There is an old cabin nearby that is one of the original structures in the area.
Later in the afternoon, we were relaxing on the porch when we saw the neighbor's dog chasing something across the meadow. It turned out to be a coyote. Then a second coyote jumped out and began chasing the dog. Fortunately, the dog was a good runner and made it home safely. The next morning, the neighbors had their dog on a leash.
Sadly, it was also time for us to return to Colorado. Mary and Rick are such wonderful hosts we felt like we could have stayed a week. Thanks again, y'all!!!
We drove back the way we came and it was a beautiful day. There are only a few towns on the way. As we were pulling into a small community in southern Wyoming, Susan noticed a vicious brontosaurus terrorizing the populace. Susan told Joe to pull over so she could deal with it. It only took her a few minutes to bring the beast to heel (photo below).
We were happy to be home that night. We had grilled salmon for dinner. Susan and I went on a hike the next morning on a trail near Joe and Rhea's house. Since Joe and Rhea had to work, we went to downtown Ft Collins to see the sights and had lunch at an Italian restaurant. Rhea and Joe got off work early so we met up at one of Ft. Collins' many breweries. Afterward, they dropped us off at the airport shuttle.
It was great to be able to spend some time with Rhea and Joe. Their house is very comfortable and they have lots of plans for improvements. Thanks for everything!
