Shirley Temples and Roy Rangerses

July 8, 2002 – Jackson, WY to Old Faithful

We left Jackson this day to go to Old Faithful. In the morning we followed Moose-Wilson Road into Grand Teton National Park. We stopped to hike part of the Granite Canyon Trail. It started out in a beautiful stand of Aspens, but Aaron wasn’t happy with walking so he and I went back to the van while Chrissy and Delaney walked some more. They saw some beautiful scenery, but no moose – except when Delaney put her fingers above her head as antlers.

From Granite Canyon we went on to Jenny Lake. We rode the ferry across the lake and hiked the one-mile trek up to Hidden falls. This was a very busy area and busy trail, but worth it. The falls were beautiful, and we got to watch students from the Exum Mountain School train and practice on the adjacent rocks. This is where we figured out that Aaron would protest that his legs hurt if we hiked on flat trails but that we couldn’t keep up with him on trails that were steep or rocky. We did a little more hiking and Delaney and I went up to Inspiration Point.

We took the ferry back across the lake and when we got to the general store I bought the best bad pre-packaged roast beef sandwich I have ever eaten. Boy was I hungry. We sat on the bench in front of the store to eat and Chrissy snapped a picture that has become part of family lore because I look so angry. I wasn’t angry, I was just hungry and I guess I look angry when I’m hungry. I’m glad the picture still makes us laugh 18 years later.

We made a couple more quick overlook stops on the way north before entering Yellowstone National Park. Once in Yellowstone, we stopped at a bridge just past Grant’s Village and saw several elk. We also stopped for pictures at the continental divide before going on to Old Faithful.

I have been in some beautiful buildings in my life, but I don’t think any compare to the Old Faithful Inn. As I drove my family up to the front and we walked through the door it was the realization of a three-year old dream. When I made a side day trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone from a business trip three years before, I immediately wanted to bring my family back to this place. I had feelings of awe and wonder at the place – thankfulness that I could be there and giddiness that it was happening.

We got to our room and discovered the two best things about it – no TV and no air conditioning! The kids went to the armoire and opened it expecting to find a TV, but there were only hangers for clothes. They weren’t so happy at first, but they realized quickly there was no need for TV.

After settling in the room we wandered around the beautiful old building and ended up on the veranda. As I stood in line at the bar to get drinks a lady suggested a Shirley Temple for Delaney and a Roy Rogers for Aaron, who quickly renamed it “Roy Rangers”. A tradition was born – each of the evenings we were there we had to go to the porch for our Shirley Temples and Roy “Rangerses”.

Dinner that night was at the Snow Lodge next door, and then we went for a walk around Geyser Hill. We had been at the Inn for a few hours now and had missed Old Faithful twice – once while we were checking in and once during dinner. Our walk around the hill was good though. Anemone Geyser erupted while we were there and we got to see several other springs and small geysers. We got back to Old Faithful in time to see it erupt just as it was getting dark. A perfect end to a very good, very full day.