TenHeartsToThreeParks

Today was our second full day in Jackson/Teton Village.  White water rafting was at the top of everyone's list, so we went to Jackson White Water outfitters this morning for an excursion on the Snake River.  It was 52 degrees on our drive to Jackson around 8am this morning.  The water temperature may be just a few degrees warmer.  Thankfully, wetsuits were included in our rental to make it bearable. The scenery was amazing.  The water was very swift and a beautiful greenish color and very clear.  We saw a yellow bellied marmot hanging from a tree limb, an osprey, and several bald eagles.  The waves were nice, and the water was deep which posed little danger.  The kids even took turns "riding the bull" on the front of the front of the raft.  The people at the front of the raft, by the way, got soaked.  Hooray for the wetsuits!  Some of the kids even jumped in the water a few times . . . not me.  Unfortunatel...

Taking our time getting up after a day of travel, we had a little trouble getting organized and mobilized today...  Steph, Runcie, and I joked that it's like herding cats.   After a relaxed morning, we enjoyed an outdoor lunch at Mangy Moose, a local favorite at the base of the ski mountain.   All morning and early afternoon we had been gathering information about the different activities we had talked about doing while we are here.   Slowly, with careful planning, decisions were made, and we had a plan!!!   Yay!! After a quick stop back at our place to gather a few necessities, we headed over to Teton Village Sports to rent bikes.  Many people have noted that biking is a fantastic way to view the beauty of the mountains and get a closer perspective on wildlife.  Just for the record, we agree...  we had a wonderful time...   We opted to do the 12 mile bike to Jackson...  Here are some pictures we caught along the way... ...

We checked out of our condo in W Yellowstone this morning and went to the grocery store for lunch supplies knowing that we might be in the Park all day with no food . . . not good for teenage kids. Our plan for the day was to see the Yellowstone Canyon area and drive down by the lake and then on to Jackson Hole through the south exit of the Park. The first part of the drive was back tracking roads that we had driven on our way into W Yellowstone.  We did stop at Gibbons Falls which we had passed by on the way in. At the Canyon area, we veered south.  It was a crowded day in the park, and after watching many cars in front of us turn on North Rim Rd, we just kept driving hoping to get a better glimpse on the other side.  We soon came to another waterfall area on the Yellowstone River.  We had seen a lot of waterfalls in the last few days, but this one was spectacular: We soon came to the South Rim Rd and turned left, but very shortly ca...