Day 9

Today will be the final post for this blog...I want to say goodbye to all the British contingency as they are flying out tomorrow and the Americans who are leaving.  We all had a great time on this journey and I think we all have some new friends on this Earth.  God put us all hear for a reason and I am glad he brought this group together when and where he did!  Safe travels everyone and God Speed.

Here are some pics from Chuck, Lisa, and my drive through Grand Teton and Yellowstone Parks and some picks from my visit to the rodeo tonight...I hope you enjoy.

 Grand Tetons

 Several artists were painting the Tetons

 We took a boat ride across Jenny Lake

 Chuck (with his cranky Old Guys Rule shirt) and Lisa

 Chuck acting goofy as usual

 This waterfall had the fastest rushing water I had every seen

 Oh Yea....I finally saw a bear!

 Let's make it two bears!

 Then we saw a Moose!

 But apparently Chuck and I were boring Lisa!

 I heart Bears!

 Check out the horns on this elk!

 Awwww

Even little fellers where Cowboy apparel round these parts

 What???

Yeeeeehawww!

This morning we left Jackson Resort and headed to the airport to trade vehicles around.  There we saw a Fire Truck spraying water in the trees????

Lisa was in Jackson shopping, Simon was riding his bike the 40 miles into Jackson (he did 500 miles total…wow!) and the rest of us were getting settled into Jackson Hole.

Chuck, Lisa, and Patrick decided to do a rafting trip for the afternoon.  It was pretty tame for those of you who have done the Ocoee…with one exception.  The one rapid that they call Lunch Counter.  We had two rafts…the one that we were on went straight up in the air and when it came down, we had lost our guide and a gentleman in the back of the boat.  The boat behind us was not so lucky… The whole boat flipped and half of them floated down the river.  One guy scrapped up his knee, a lady was trapped for a second under the boat and one girl started hyperventilating!  Sounds like a great day rafting!  You will see a picture below of all 23 of us in one boat before they flipped the other one over.  I can say that I am proud that I went on Lisa Williamson’s LAST rafting trip!

When we got back to Jackson, we ate and strolled into town.  Then we came to find out there was a “shootout” in the middle of the town square.  There is an acting troop that works in Jackson and this is a way they promote their stage show.  They have been doing it for 55 years!  See pictures below.  Jackson really is a kind of artsy community.

Finally, we caught up with the rest of the crew and had dinner.  Still in town are Simon, Chris, Graeme, Norman, Norman’s wife and friend, Tommy, Diane, Chuck, Lisa, and Patrick.

 
Firetruck spraying water in the trees

Lisa timid, but ready to go!

Chuck is determined to make this a good trip

Man do I look like a dork!



Chuck pushed me into 45 degrees water!

 Kayaker going upside down!

 Our rafting crew!

 The other raft

Reconvening after the other raft flipped...23 people in one raft!

 Chuck apologizing to Lisa and asking her to stay married to him for the next 30 years!

 Gun Fight!

 Chuck stole my camera and made me take a picture with this actor!

 Fist Fight!

Day 7 Hatchet Resort to Jackson Hole

Well today was a weird day!  The past six days most everyone stuck together or at least came together at the end of the day.  Today people went their separate ways.  So, I am going to try and share the couple of stories I have heard...

Chuck, Lisa, Laura, and Theresa all went back to Flagg Ranch and started cycling towards Jackson.  Phillip SAG'd for them.  I believe that they said they did about 56 miles today.  This put Theresa and Laura over 200 for their 3 days and Chuck and Lisa about 420 miles for their 7 days.  I heard that they really had a strong head wind but were DETERMINED to make their goal!  We are all proud of them!  We are also saying good bye to Laura, Theresa, and Phillip tomorrow morning.  Good luck to you all and have a safe trip back!

A story they told me was that at one of the turnouts in Grand Teton National Park, they found a wallet.  They searched all through it looking for a number or something.  They found a number for a Doctors office and called it.  The office gave them the man's daughters name and number.  The group touched base with the daughter who explained her parents were in the park for their 50 year anniversary!  Ironically she had touched base with her parents and found out that they were in the same place that the group was and they got a chance to give it to them!  Great Story and very proud of them for working so hard in getting it back.

I believe that Simon, Chris, Tommy, and Diane all relaxed today at the Resort.  The whole group who is still here is heading into Jackson Hole tomorrow.

Graeme, Norman, and their wives went  back into Yellowstone today enjoying the natural beauty.   They saw a Grizzly nursing her young and a pack of wolves stalking some elk!

Myself, I decided to cycle into Jackson Hole this morning.  I had about 40 miles which put me into the 400 mile club as well.  However, the crazy thing that happened was about 5 miles into my ride.  While in college I was a Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Montevallo.  The National Fraternity has a National Philanthropy called PUSH (People Understanding the Severly Handicapped).  Every year the fraternity has a bike ride from the West Coast to the East Coast over the Summer.  About 5 miles in I look up to see a SAG vehicle for the PUSH ride!  Next up came a couple of riders and I got to chat with them and let them know that I also was a Pi Kap.  There are only 60 young men chosen every year and ironically I had a really good friend and Frat brother named Clay White that did the ride in 1995!  This has been an amazing trip and it keeps getting better.

A couple of us are going rafting tomorrow in the Snake River...Til then

Bikers from my fraternity Pi Kappa Phi on their annual cross country bike ride

Tetons

Tetons in the background

Look closely...a rock climber scaling a rock

This antler archways are all through Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole has a bunch of neat artwork

Lisa, Theresa, Chuck and can't really see Laura finishing their journey

Theresa, Phillip, Laura, Chuck, Lisa, and Patrick at an archway after the ride!  We are finished!

Elk

Unfortunately this is the only bear I saw today...Maybe I should hang with Norman and Graeme!