Grand Indeed

We rose early from a so, so night of sleep at the Walmart in Riverton, WY. The price and location were both great, but the solitude left a little to be desired. Throughout the evening, a number of semi trucks were in and out, dropping off and picking refrigerator trailers right

next to our setup. Needless to say, we never hit REM sleep. A short walk, some breakfast and cup of Joe for the road and it was time to get rolling. We drove highway 26 out of town and headed towards the Absaroka Mountain range where we would get our first test at a mountain pass, with both steep climbs and harry, winding descents. The level of concern was high since we didn’t know how the vehicle would handle the grades, or us for that matter, but it was too late to turn back now.

Regardless of the nerves, it was wonderful to see color beginning to return to the surrounding landscape. Likewise, the imposing granite faces, dusted with fresh snow, that are a Rocky Mountain trade mark began to fill the horizon, while trees and flowers and river valleys nestled up tight against their heavy bases. There is just something about mountains that puts a soul at ease, similar to rushing rivers or crashing waves on a warm beach. They all have a way of slowing us down and reconnecting our spirits with the world we are intended to see. Soon, the bus was struggling against the rising road and our speed decreased and the rpm’s increased. We found ourselves, pedal to the floor, chugging uphill at a whopping 35 mph, hazards flashing and cars piled up behind us. Yeah, I've sworn at those guys too. “Why don’t they just go faster or move over and let us go bye? What the hell is he thinking?" Well, now I’m that guy, one of those damn people, so, please, have a little respect the next time you’re being delayed behind some slow poke on the hills…. It might be us!

Eventually we made it up and over the Togwotee Pass, climbing nearly 5,000 feet to 9,655 feet before beginning the plunge. Fortunately, the route proved easier than either of us expected and we found ourselves beginning to enjoy the stunning views. That is, right up to

point where we nearly crashed into a grizzly bear. Yup, we came precariously close to clipping the big fella while cruising down the road at 60 mph. It probably wasn’t as close as we both remembered, but I had to hit the brakes fairly hard in order to avoid tagging him. The near accident may have been partly due to the fact that I was so busy gawking at the bear, I failed to slow as quickly as I should have. But hey, sometimes it's hard to focus, I mean you’ve got this massive window that you sit behind, with the whole world visible in front of you and there is so much to see…. Anyways, it was over in a matter of seconds and he safely scampered up the hillside, while we we flew bye, neither one worse for wear. We had just just seen our first bear of the trip, so cool (glad it was from the front seat of the bus and not the front door of a tent!).

As we grew closer to the Tetons, anticipation began to build. I’d seen hundreds of photos of the Tetons and been blessed with traveling to many of this country’s most treasured national parks, but the Tetons was still on my bucket list and I was growing anxious. With each ridge we crested and corner we rounded, I’d scan the horizon looking for the famous jagged peaks, but to no avail. Because of the heights of the surrounding mountains we were passing through, the Tetons remained well camouflaged from our site for nearly the entire drive. It wasn't’ until we crossed that final ridge and rolled out onto the Jackson Hole flats that the purple giants revealed themselves with grand fashion. Bright blue skies, not a cloud to be found and these massive mountain spires filled every inch of the windshield. They were everything I'd expected and more. As we drove closer to the park’s entrance we both commented multiple times “I could just pull over right in this field and sit here for days”.

I admit, it was difficult to concentrate with the view that lay in front of me, but we buckled down and made the slow push through the park and towards Colter Bay campground where we would set up camp for the next 3 nights. Strangely, the park was probably half empty, even though we were just 4 days away from Labor Day weekend, but who’s complaining?

The camp was nothing special, in fact it was a bit disappointing. It was clean and convenient and right in the middle of the park, but there were no views from our site. You always envision camping right under the mountain or at the base of a massive waterfall, crashing down all around you, but this wasn't that. We were tucked into a pine forest and the only views were those of the other motorhomes parked right next to ours. Regardless, we spent very little time at the site and in the end it proved to be a good central location for all of our adventures.

That evening, after a quick meal, we headed down to Oxbow Bend overlook to catch the sunset and when we got there the parking lot and sides of the roads were filled with hundreds of others with the same idea. Nonetheless, the vista provided a spectacular show and was well worth the drive and the overflowing crowds.

The next day found us driving to Jenny Lake for some hiking, while Molly would spend the day in the RV (first time alone so we didn’t know how well that would go). We parked on the north side of the lake and hiked 2 miles along the western shore, crossing a few streams

along the way before emerging onto a hillside left treeless from a recent fire. The views were amazing. On our left, the icy blue waters of Jenny Lake, and to our right the imposing peaks of the Grand and Middle Tetons. After two miles of following the shore, we turned away from the lake headed up the mountain valley. We trekked up to Hidden Falls, a 100 foot tall falls, then onto Inspiration Point, before making our way up Cascade Canyon. When we reached the canyon, the forests receded, providing a stunning view of the Park’s name sake while we sat beside the boiling river and we enjoyed a little snack and a quiet moment together. All told, we hiked just under 8 miles and climbed 950 feet. Could not have been a more perfect day for the two of us.

We would spend two more nights at Colter Bay campgrounds before deciding to leave the park on Friday. To my surprise, there were fewer hiking opportunities than I had expected, at least not as many as I had experienced in comparison to Glacier, Cascade and Rocky Mountain parks. But this place was special for certain, a rare combination of dramatic and

powerful peaks set against the tranquil waters of Lake Jackson. It is an uncommon gem, rivaled by few other places on earth. Glorious hikes, towering waterfalls, views fit for royalty and sunsets will all remain cherished memories for us. We even managed to drag our butts out of bed for a sunrise on our last day in the park, which was a perfect way to end our stay.

When we were all packed up, we made the decision to relocate just outside the park and try our hand at boondocking on the National Forest lands east of the park’s entrance. We only had 25 miles to get to our intended destination and we were both glad for the light travel day. The idea of boondocking was still pretty new to us, having only crashed at a few shops along the way and it wasn't a given that there would be any spots available since everything was first come first serve. We also didn’t know how well these locations would be marked because most are simple clearings along the forest roads where you could stay for free for up to 5 nights. Well, the drive proved to be spectacular once again. I found that the most impressive viewing points of the entire park lay outside its borders. The 10 miles stretch of highway 191 from Moran Junction, south to Moose has to be one of the best drives on the planet! If you ever have the opportunity, don’t pass it up. You won't regret it.

After a short stop for more photo opportunities, we took the turn onto Forest Road 30290 and into the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area. 2 miles up the end of a twisty and washed

out gravel road sat the large gravel lot that would be home for the next three nights. The area would have easily held fifty campers, but there was only one other when we arrived, perfect! We pulled in, found a nice spot at the top of the lot overlooking the Teton Range and made ourselves at home. For the next four days and three nights we would spend time watching the sun go down while enjoying a fresh meal or a good book. Teresa found time in the mornings to work out, be it running or a high impact workout app, while I…. I encouraged her. We hiked one day and went into town another to do a bit of laundry and stock up on supplies, but mostly we sat and we enjoyed the quiet beauty of an unspoiled landscape.

After six nights of Teton pleasure, it was time to move on. We had contemplated staying one additional day to avoid driving on Labor Day and bypass the log jam of people scurry back to their homes. But with the forecast calling for temperatures down into the teens and topping

out in the low 40’s, we knew it was time to go. So down to Bear Lake we went, just on the Idaho, Utah boarder. It was another spectacular drive, following the Snake River Gorge through dense pine covered mountains, what's not to love about that? When we arrvied, the waters were brilliant blue and inviting, earning it's nickname, the Caribbean of the Rockies. But the winds were strong and picking up and the temps were starting to drop. Over the course of the night, we weathered 50 mph gusts and plunging temps down into the upper 20's. No sleep that night as the camper was definately rocking, and not in the good way.... This morning we were treated with flurries and snow covered mountains. The road we drove in the night previous was shut down do to heavy snow accumulations and many of the towns in the area were completely shut down due to downed trees and power lines. Two more nights of this and the 115 degree heat of Phoenix will start looking pretty good. Stay tuned.

In the end, this proved to be another great learning experience for us, with many new firsts like mountain passes and boondocking “off the grid”. We learned that the battery system that comes stock with new motorhomes is not meant for the type off grid camping we enjoy. For those in the market for a new RV, make sure you fully understand what your unit can and can't do before signing on that dotted line. Don't ever take a dealers “word” for anything. Double check and make certain that the techs shows you how to use every feature. If it doesn't work when they walk you through, make them fix it before you sign for it. For us, we'll need to change out the stock batteries for new ones in order to sustain the boondocking stays we've come to enjoy. Additionally, we'll need to upgrade our inverter (which powers the coach from the battery system when plug in or generator power isn't available) so that we can run the TV's and outlets along with the refrigerator. This, despite the dealer assuring us that was standard with our unit.

We learned that running out of water will not be a big concern for us while off grid. Over the course of 4 days, we have used less than 25% of our capacity and the likelihood of us

staying out for more than four to five days at a time is minimal. We are also getting pretty comfortable with our kitchen appliances and have learned that the convection micro/oven is not all that different than we had been accustomed to. So far we have enjoyed homemade Chicago style pizza, grilled chicken and pasta with sauteed carrots and fresh parsley, Italian encrusted cod with coconut rice and a number of other dishes we would never have tried camping. Really, we have all the comforts of our old home and have yet to identify a drawback.

And lastly, we have learned that there are so many fascinating people who are genuinely interested in sharing their travel experiences, but also learning about ours. With each stop we've made, we have met folks that just make conversations easy. It's strange, but for the past 12 years Teresa and I have lived in two neighborhoods and only managed to make friends with one or two of our neighbors. We were both beginning to wonder if we had an unusually funky odor about us, or perhaps we just sucked as humans. But apparently it wasn’t us (well, the jury may still be out on that), seems to me it was our circumstances and our environment. We were all so busy in our own messes, being bombarded with electronic interference from the news, or Facebook, or TV, or whatever app was the newest and shiniest that we forgot the fact that real people are living and breathing right next door, literally 50’ away. Our brains become so filled with this digital stimulus that we no longer have time for human interactions, besides, our phones inform us of every little thing happening in every corner of the world that there isn’t possibly anything to be learned by walking across the street to have a conversation with another human…. Well, out here it seems many of those distractions seem to fade. Yes, we still have cell service, but it's spotty and for much of the Teton trip, it was non existent. But beyond that, when you come to places like the Tetons or most National Parks, you find people looking for similar escapes. Looking for ways to reconnect with nature and find quiet places where one can simply sit, be present, and enjoy the wonders of this world with no external distractions.

So thus ends another saga from the Fischer Bus. Oh, by the way we still haven’t named this little girl and we are looking for help. She’s big, brown and loves to wander. We have a few submissions to consider; Molly’s Trolley, Magnus, Fisch Bowl and Further (finally someone with a Dead reference). All good options and thank you, but none of them appear to fit her personality just yet, so keep ‘em coming because all buses deserve a name. Until next time, be good to each other and find time to turn off the world for a little while and park yourself under an old tree with a good book. You might just find a whole new rhythm.