Mood:  energetic

This morning started early.  I ate breakfast in the restaurant at 6:30 AM. 

Afterwards, as I was pedalling back, I noticed a man with a camera and a tripod over by where the foxes were yesterday, so I went over to take a look.  The fox family now were about 25' from the sidewalk, down a slope.  The kits were just like puppies or kittens, rolling all over, play-biting each other, preparing themselves for adulthood.  Mama decided to get some sun so she walked up the slope to lie down in the sun, next to the sidewalk.  She was some 40' away from me.  A crowd was starting to gather.  All went well until a man walking his German Shephard came our direction.  In all fairness, the dog was on a leash and very well trained, but the owner didn't realize why everyone was gathering.  The moment mama fox saw the dog, she sat right up, with her ears pointed to the sky, and made some sort of yip or bark at the dog.  She did this several times.  The owner had the dog lie down, and it was 50-75 ' away, but mama was not satisfied.  Finally the dog owner walked the dog out into the parking lot in a wide semi-circle and mama relaxed.  My one regret is not watching the kits, because they had vanished.  I'm sure that they ran for their den at mama's first yip.

My next-door-neighbor, Chuck Bell, was not going into the Jackson Hole area, but was headed directly over Tougethee Pass.  So, like two ships passing in the night, we probably would not see each other again.  After a short prayer, he took off.  I left 10 minutes later.  It was around 10:30 AM.

I had been told to be sure to stop by and look at the Jackson Lake Lodge.  So when it came up, five miles down the road, I turned in to see what was so special.  Clearly it was a first class facility with doormen, valets--services that , remarkably(!), were missing from the typical lodging of which I had partaken.  Upon entering, there is a very wide staircase going up to the second floor, which appeared to be the main floor of the Lodge.  At the top of the stairs, I stopped in awe.  Looking out through wall-to-wall windows was the most jaw-dropping panorama.  It showed Jackson Lake mirroring the snowy, rugged Teton Range.  Words cannot describe the majesty presented. 

After some photos, I had lunch and left at noon.  At the bottom of the driveway, some people were gathered, so I joined them, and watched a moose lunching on some greenery in a slough by the road. 

The road to Jackson, Wyoming, is considered a spur road by cross country bicyclers, though certainly not by the local populace.  It was a rolling highway with frequent overlooks, and educational displays about the formation of the Teton Range.  The Snake River winds its way through the valley.  From up high it is easy to see the differing plateaus signifying the width of the Snake River eons ago.

Lodging had become, for me, a major concern about the Jackson Hole area.  The previous Sunday, after finding out that favored campgrounds were closed and no lodging available in Yellowstone, I had called my new friends from the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge, Jim and Betty Walton, for advice on inexpensive and available lodging.  To my immense surprise, Jim insisted that I stay at their home.  He and Betty were going to be gone for a few days to a wedding, but he insisted that they wished for me to use their home as lodging in their absence.  It is very, very humbling to do a self-examination of oneself, and ask "Would I display this generosity to a stranger?"  There are a number of lessons that I am learning, and will expand on at a later date, but Jim and Betty have taught me one.

Access was to be provided by Andy Irvine, a young attorney in town.  Years ago, the Waltons lived across the street from Andy's family in the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington, and they have "adopted" him since he has landed in Jackson.  I rode into town to the Town Square, and gave him a call.  Within 5 minutes, we met, and he showed me the way to the Walton's home, a mile or so from downtown.

There are a list of "instructions" in Jim's welcoming letter on the kitchen island.  If the neighboring cat comes by some cat food is under the seat.  The bag of dog bone treats is for "Marty" the dog next door, who won't leave his yard, but will bark, signifying that he would like a dog bone thown his way. 

I almost feel like a voyeur, seeing the interests, hobbies and activities that keep this active retired couple busy.  They personify  how to enjoy Life and living, during retirement.  Andy and I had a fine dinner in a Chop House.  When I hit the sack a little after 10 PM, I slept well.

Will McMahan