The Perfect Place

June 29th, Sunday

Woke up with a little headache today. I knew we were only going as far as Steamboat Springs, a 3 or 4 hour drive and we'd make it an early day on the road and truly relax and sightsee. 

The drive into Colorado was pretty, and we had a few animal sightings along the way but mostly uneventful. 

Made it to Steamboat Springs about 12:30, tired and hungry. Not a good combo, especially when Joe and I took the same drive into town and I thought it was cute and a great place to stroll around for our early day and Joe thought it was a yuppie shopping trap and not at all in the mountains as he'd pictured. 

These were mountains ( see the ski trails) but not the right kind, I guess.

Sooooo...we hurriedly picked a place on the little creek to have lunch. 

I ordered a Brie and bacon sandwich and Joe the sugared beet salad. I thought the water, good food and great ambience would win him over, but he wanted to move on and I didn't have the energy to make a big deal, but I was disappointed. Could have rented bikes, tubed down the creek or napped till a walk into town for dinner, but Steamboat Springs was not in the cards for me. 

You could tell from our body language we were not sympatico! He wanted out of there!

So, we strolled a bit, got in the car and our route was changed to head to the Rocky Mountains and add on a few more hours driving time to Denver.

Goodbye Steamboat and thoughts of an early night and possible pedicure!!!!  So, I away we went in search of the perfect place!

At about 5:30 pm we rode into a pretty little town at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park called Grand Lake. It was Joe's nirvana and we started looking for a hotel ( again both of us tired and me with my headache), so Joe checked out these little cabins at Lemmon Lodge right on the lake! $120 if a bit off the lake. I liked the sound of Lemmon Lodge.

Poor Joe! I know that by now he was totally frustrated and was trying his best to please and I just wanted to lay my head somewhere!

It was quaint, rustic, but had a bed with a window open to the cool breeze and I put my head on the pillow and was out!

When I woke up, I knew Joe would be sitting down by the lake. I felt much better. Walked down with the wind  and dappled sunlight rippling through the trees to find Joe relaxing in his perfect place.

Had to admit it was gorgeous... A lake a little beach where kids were playing and I let it all go and chilled!

Joe got a cold Stella and we sat and watched the boats coming in for the evening and thought how perfect it would be to bring the kids and grandlids here to stay and play!

We walked into town and had dinner at Sagebrush. Joe had a buffalo burger and I had spicy green chili soup. 

Then we strolled around on their wooden boardwalk to have a "look/see".

Cute little park for the grandkids to play.

Little shopping area and spa here, for adults to play!

Then sauntered home along the lake. By now it was sweatshirt cold and we opened the windows and slept under the Rocky Mountain sky! Tomorrow Denver and Aunt Nette.

Adios, Yellowstone, Hello, Grand Tetons

June 28th

Cloudy with a chance rain. Outlook not great to sight see the lower loop of Yellowstone plus we've already done part of it with Old Faithful. 

We decide to see as much as we can before hitting the southern exit and seeing The Grand Tetons! 

Oh...this is where we want to stay next time! Cute cabins in town!

Ok, back to leaving...look at this animal sighting that I saw first! Joe has such good hunters eyes and he's constantly pointing things out..., "Did you see that mountain goat? Did you see that eagle...that elk, that...." And on and on. I never see them but sometimes say that I do 'cause I am too embarrassed to say I don't. Well, this morning I spied a mule deer buck with a great rack (Joe told me to write that) and I felt like Diana, the mythical Goddess of the Hunt! Not only did I see him first, Joe and I watched him cross from one side of the river to the other!

I know you see this in movies. But such a thrill to see it happen in the wild without a cage between us!

Briefly, the sun....

The Cintinental Divide and a look at Yellowstone Lake before leaving.

You can sail all the way to the Columbia River from here!

And right away after leaving, we were in The Grand Tetons where rain showers were the norm. Saw lots of bikers and felt bad for them in the pouring rain!

The views were spectacular, but hard to capture in the rain with Joe zooming by!

Once in awhile the rain lifted and I got a glimpse oh the wildflowers on the hillsides.

And then we came upon a herd of buffalo! The mothers and their calves on one side of the road and the males on the other! Joe zoomed by until I pouted and said, "When will we ever see such a sight in our lifetime again?" So I guilted him in going back for some of these pics. 

Then, before we knew it, we were leaving The Tetons on Hwy 191 and on to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Ok, this is the town's welcoming feature and everyone must stand under it for a picture! See our new Yellowstone jackets? So warm and it was a windy, sometimes rainy day! Joe felt like this was a yuppie ski town, but so cute!

We were even greeted by the horseback riding sheriff who rode up and down answering questions and directing visitors! Missed a pic of him!

Except for the cars, you might think you stepped back in time.

We had lunch at the new sub shop/deli in town. Great sandwiches. Lolled like bike riders loaded up on meet and cheese for their treks.

Took this of the ski slopes you see from town. 

And a few friends we met along the way!

But this town was not our travel stop for the night. Drove another couple of hours to stay at Rock Springs at a brand new Comfort Inn and ate at a Dickies BBQ! 

Tomorrow we are making our way to Steamboat Springs, Colorado before visiting Aunt Nette in Denver.