Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks

Jalil felt better after sleeping for 12 hours but still sneezed occasionally. The weather forecast was for thunderstorms and rain per internet so we thought we needed to make reservations in Yellowstone. After a LONG wait on the phone, we had a choice between a $435 suite or a campsite for $10. Big decision! We decided to sleep in the car.



Grand Teton is close to Jackson. The mountains look craggy like the eastern Sierras. The park is narrow and follows pretty close to the enormous mountains. We drove around Jenny Lake with many beautiful views. A little further is Jackson Lake where we had a picnic lunch next to the water. The weather was pleasant in the 70's.



The same road goes to Yellowstone National Park via John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway - a piece of land that connects the two parks. More roadwork - we were guided by a lead truck after a long wait. I did not know that Yellowstone was the first National Park in the US.

We found our campsite at Grant Village. We were checked in by a very nice man who explained what we should see first, and where the animals might be seen. He told us not to worry about the rain as it does not rain for long. So we set up our tent and drove off 17 miles to Old Faithful.

On the way we saw a lot of people on a bridge so we stopped. There were many elk there and Jalil checked them out in his new binoculars.The male was "bugling" per a man next me. Don't know if that is the right term. They do this in the fall in the mating season.

The geyser was estimated to erupt at 1922 take or leave 10 minutes. While we sat on benches nearby, a ranger spoke about winter in Yellowstone and how animals and plants adjust to the cold. It can be - 60 degrees F!!!! The ranger talks were as informative as they usually are in Yosemite. It is such a great service.

Just when the geyser decided to blow, my cell phone rang. It was my old friend Jean Asay who had just returned to Salt Lake City and got my message that we wanted to see her while we passed through. I did not know what to do - take pictures of the geyser or talk to a friend I had not talked to in years? I am not sure what I said but she hung up.

Next to the Old Faithful was the Old Faithful Inn built in 1904. A 29-year old architect Robert Reamer designed it utilizing local materials to recreate a forest indoors. The lobby was fantastic, built with thick logs. The stairs were built with bent branches. The fireplace was built with rhyolite rocks reaching very high up. It reminded me of Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood, Oregon, but much larger. I felt bad that we had not made reservations to stay there instead. But then I learned that you have to make reservations 1-2 years ahead! We had a cup of tea instead.

Jalil got a call from his niece Homeira and I called Jean back and we had a nice talk while driving back to our camp. She reminded me of when Steven and Scott covered each other with ketchup and threw their bikes in the streets and lay next to them so that the first car that came made a screeching halt, thinking that they were bleeding! I did not remember that. Wonder if Steven does?

It only rained a few drops during the night and we were not cold at all. Jalil slept without his CPAP and felt that he had not slept at all and he was very tired the next day.

During the night I heard strange sounds - either a strange snore or some animal. I later learned that it was elk mating sounds. They kept it up for a long time.