August 3, 2022
Taking a Hike
Early Wednesday morning I drove Mike to Jenny Lake where he would take the ferry across the lake to the trailhead. Our new best friends on the Yellowstone tour had warned us to catch the ferry early to avoid long waits. The trail is popular, as Mike was to discover. I had planned to take the ferry round trip just for fun, but the low-hanging clouds created a dense fog. Since I would see nothing from the boat on the morning ride, I decided to wait until the afternoon when returning to pick up Mike.
There are great bicycle trails from Jackson to Jenny Lake and throughout the parks. Throughout Colorado, we saw bicyclists of all ages on all terrains with hybrids, e-bikes, tour bikes. I was envious; my bicycling days are behind me.
I followed a van back to Headwaters, the gawking driver not understanding the etiquette of pulling over for us natives. Other than coffee and a nap, though, I had no timetable to follow, and the drive was breathtaking. It was an excellent opportunity to practice slow breathing.
While Mike hiked, I wrote and read. Thanks to the construction of a cell tower in the area last year, I could access the internet via my cellphone. I tracked my cousin Nancy and her husband Matt, whose path with their two children has crisscrossed ours. I love social media.
Mike, having texted me the time he expected to return to the Visitor’s Center, I headed out about an hour and a half earlier, hoping to catch the ferry. Because of the ferry and the hiking path on the opposite side of the lake, Jenny Lake is the most popular spot in Grand Teton National Park. I drove past cars parked along the road, a half-mile walk to the center, and cruised the parking lots about four times. I then realized that the ferry would require an hour’s wait. Changing plans, I pulled into the shade next to a restroom, got out my book, and read. Expecting Mike to return shortly, I moved toward the Visitor’s Center when I heard him shout my name. He was about 20’ away, waiting on the curb.
Mike confirmed the path was crowded, especially on his return, encountering hundreds of fellow hikers. The decline at the end of the path challenged him enough to decide to return by ferry rather than walking the two-mile path around the lake. All in all, he was happy to have completed the hike.
Evening at the cabin, watching a downloaded show on Amazon Prime with a supper of leftovers and sandwiches, a short walk to the camp store for ice cream. It was a good day.
