Stuck in a hole…..Jackson Hole that is

It is always amazing how days can fly by one after another. We expected to to be in Colter Bay a couple of nights and then move on, well that is not how it ended up. After Jackson we were going to go to Jenny Lake to explore, instead we decided we would stay another day in Colter,wash some clothes, shower and make sure our gear was all in good shape, maybe go swimming. We did do all of this and the swimming was great. It felt good to get into the water, just walking on the rocks was not that easy for us or anyone else you could tell by everyone was doing the rock walk, as we started to call it, that is a stumbling sort of walk.

We sat on a log for a long time watching people as they slowly got into the colder water laughing at their reactions as it hit different parts of their bodies. A little boy only wanting to put in one shoulder at time, but not his head or the girls daring their sisters to go all the way in. After enjoying the warm sun it was time for me to do the rock walk(my feet are no longer as tough as they were when I was a kid swimming in the Trinity river)and dove in as the water got to my stomach, Michelle soon followed me and we enjoyed swimming for awhile. If we had had goggles we would have swam longer though.

On the way back from the water we stopped in town, as we called the general store area for some food to cook. As it had been raining some earlier that day the tarp was still up and table covered which was a good thing, because not long after from getting back weather came again, wind and rain. After we ate and were cleaning up Scotland Jim walked up to offer us each a beer, which was great as a beer would hit the spot. At this point it really started to rain so Jim cooked his dinner under our tarp and we shared stories, Jim and I outside under the tarp and Michelle inside the tent, being the bubble girl protected from the mosquitos. The next day we did pack camp and after saying our fairwells to Jim we left for Jenny lake for a couple hours or at least that was our plan.

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On the way we stopped by Jackson Lodge for a cup of coffee and look at the view of the Tetons from inside. When were ready to leave my back tire once again had a flat or a leak I should say. The fix a flat worked after putting more air in and on our way we went. It was an easy ride and a beautiful one. We found out where to get the boat to take us across the lake so we could go see the hidden falls and after Michelle paid the high price to do so, we got on with a crowd of other people and went for the short ride. While others took pictures of the hundred foot falls, Michelle and I ate our lunch then went went for hike up the rocky hill to inspiration point and past. Instead of taking the boat back we decided to walk the path back to the visitor center. It was well worth it for the views and smells, though it seemed to us to be longer than the two miles that it said it was. By the time we got back we decided to camp there at Jenny and the next day go by Moose to the bike shop there to see about doing something about my back tire. At the campground we were met by Van whom we had met at Wise river some time back as well as a few new riders to us.

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That night lighting and rain came back even though it was a clear night when I went to sleep, Michelle had gone to bed some time before me. It was still raining some when we broke camp and went to the store for coffee and food. After eating and talking to a couple from Oregon the rain stopped and we made our way to Moose which was all paved bike path, so great. The bike shop there was no help to me so off down the path to Jackson we went. The bike store we had went before had different people in it and they sort of annoyed me and were not much help so off to another store we went. This store the person was helpful and I bought a new tire from them. Of course putting on the new tire the valve stem was leaking when I put in air, this did not help my mood so I said the heck with this tubeless tire junk and put in a tube. The new tire worked great, no more wobble as the old one had one for what ever reason, a problem tire from the get go it was.

By the time we left town the rain started again along with a head wind, great. The rain was with us and looking very bad as we made our way back to moose. By the time we got there the rain had stopped and after dinner there we made our way north again. I did lead some, but was happy for Michelle to draft off of most all the way. We looked at camping at one place, but for thirty something bucks we kept on our way to Hatchet campground, stopping at just short of that said place at Hatchet resort to see how much a room would be. My shoulder was killing me and a shower would be nice, the price was not too bad so we got a room thinking the next day we would start up Togwotee pass. Change of plans again, we got a slow start and after breakfast decided to stay another night as my shoulder was feeling better after sleeping in a real bed. So we took a little hike up the hill and mostly relaxed for the day. Tomorrow we do the pass of 9,658 feet. All down hill from there right?

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