What’s that buzz, tell me what’s happening
Monday – 7/7
After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the Homewood Suites. This was a nice stay and a nice break from the RV, but not sure if all the unpacking and moving was worth it. We are really enjoying our time in the RV. Wendy, the kids and I have gotten into a routine and have found it pretty easy to deal with.
Only downside is that we are all in close quarters and the kids can get on each other (and us) from time to time. The hotel did not change that.
A quick stop downtown for a photo op at the town square. We did not have our camera the last time we were here. I then left Wendy so that she could do some shopping and took the kids back to the alpine slide. We have 1 ride each left, but I am going to sit this one out. Still very sore from the past ride down.
They finished up the rides and we headed downtown to meet up with Wendy. She wanted to show us a shop she had found. Interesting place, they had mounted catch of all sizes and types. A moose head would run you about $10,000. I pointed out the Jack-a-lopes to the kids and asked if they had ever seen one of those in the zoo. Only species that is always in season. You can buy a Jack-a-lope hunting license in most of the gift shops here.
They had bear rugs, mountain lion rugs, stuffed big horn sheep and many stuffed bears. Also had a very large collection of antique guns from the 1800’s.
On to look for t-shirts and then it was time for lunch. Wendy took the kids to Billy’s Burgers while I went over to the Cowboy Bar. Even though they serve lunch, no one under 21 is allowed in to the Cowboy Bar.
I saddled up to the bar and ordered a beer. No really, I saddled up. They have saddles lined up along the bar. Not the most comfortable way to sit at a bar. The stirrups are set up a little long for me and I spend most of the time re-adjusting myself in the saddle. I ordered an elk burger with cheese which was a bit dry but tasty. I was just finishing the last sip of my beer when Charlotte called to say they were done. Great timing.
The kids wanted to go to the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. I had been through the one at Niagara Falls and opted to sit on the bison couch in the front lobby. I made a few phone calls to catch up, but had to keep moving out of my comfortable spot as people would want to use the couch as a photo spot.
Once done here, we hopped back in the car and headed to the grocery store to stock back up on milk, bread, etc. Then loaded everything back in the RV and headed to Moran Junction just east of the Tetons.
This was about a 45 minute ride. We will be staying at the Grand Teton RV Park. One of our few diversions from KOAs.
As we pull in, I immediately know I am in trouble with the wife and kids. This place looks like someone just came in with a dump truck full of gravel and dumped it in a swamp.
When we go to check in, the guy working there is having all kinds of problems with the computer. Seems they have lost my reservation (not a problem as there are tons of open spots). He fidgets with it for about 15 minutes while the phone is ringing and he is putting people on hold. We are interrupted 4 or 5 times by the girls running the register on the store side. Seems they do not speak English and do not know the prices of any of the items in the store (none are marked). 2 or 3 other campers come in to complain about the pool not being heated, not being in the site they wanted, etc. He finally gives up and just hands me a site number and asks me to come back later to settle up. I told him I want the same 10% discount on top of my AAA discount like the guy who was complaining about the pool not working.
We pull around the lot to our site, only to find out there are no hook-ups. We sit in the RV and watch the mosquitoes dive bomb the windshield. I have never seen so many mosquitoes. I feel we are in some Hitchcock movie as these things are about as big as birds. As soon as I walk out to look around, there are literally hundreds swarming around me.
We sit in the RV for 5 minutes discussing our options. We had wanted to be located near the north end of the Tetons, and this was the only option for a campsite since all of the National Park sites with hookups booked up months before we even started planning our dates. The KOA just south of Jackson would have been a nice option, but would have also required a long drive to do some of the hikes we want to do. We sit and laugh about how bad this place really is, and then decide to make the best of it and stay.
I drive back to the office and ask him for the site across the road. Should not be a problem, almost the entire row is empty. I put on long pants, a hooded sweatshirt tied close around my face and sprint out of the RV. I pull out the hookups as fast as I can. You can hear the mosquitoes buzzing all around. It sounds like I am in the middle of a bee hive.
Once hooked up, Wendy cooks some dinner and we settle in for the night.
After a quick breakfast, we checked out of the Homewood Suites. This was a nice stay and a nice break from the RV, but not sure if all the unpacking and moving was worth it. We are really enjoying our time in the RV. Wendy, the kids and I have gotten into a routine and have found it pretty easy to deal with.
Only downside is that we are all in close quarters and the kids can get on each other (and us) from time to time. The hotel did not change that.
A quick stop downtown for a photo op at the town square. We did not have our camera the last time we were here. I then left Wendy so that she could do some shopping and took the kids back to the alpine slide. We have 1 ride each left, but I am going to sit this one out. Still very sore from the past ride down.
They finished up the rides and we headed downtown to meet up with Wendy. She wanted to show us a shop she had found. Interesting place, they had mounted catch of all sizes and types. A moose head would run you about $10,000. I pointed out the Jack-a-lopes to the kids and asked if they had ever seen one of those in the zoo. Only species that is always in season. You can buy a Jack-a-lope hunting license in most of the gift shops here.
They had bear rugs, mountain lion rugs, stuffed big horn sheep and many stuffed bears. Also had a very large collection of antique guns from the 1800’s.
On to look for t-shirts and then it was time for lunch. Wendy took the kids to Billy’s Burgers while I went over to the Cowboy Bar. Even though they serve lunch, no one under 21 is allowed in to the Cowboy Bar.
I saddled up to the bar and ordered a beer. No really, I saddled up. They have saddles lined up along the bar. Not the most comfortable way to sit at a bar. The stirrups are set up a little long for me and I spend most of the time re-adjusting myself in the saddle. I ordered an elk burger with cheese which was a bit dry but tasty. I was just finishing the last sip of my beer when Charlotte called to say they were done. Great timing.
The kids wanted to go to the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. I had been through the one at Niagara Falls and opted to sit on the bison couch in the front lobby. I made a few phone calls to catch up, but had to keep moving out of my comfortable spot as people would want to use the couch as a photo spot.
Once done here, we hopped back in the car and headed to the grocery store to stock back up on milk, bread, etc. Then loaded everything back in the RV and headed to Moran Junction just east of the Tetons.
This was about a 45 minute ride. We will be staying at the Grand Teton RV Park. One of our few diversions from KOAs.
As we pull in, I immediately know I am in trouble with the wife and kids. This place looks like someone just came in with a dump truck full of gravel and dumped it in a swamp.
When we go to check in, the guy working there is having all kinds of problems with the computer. Seems they have lost my reservation (not a problem as there are tons of open spots). He fidgets with it for about 15 minutes while the phone is ringing and he is putting people on hold. We are interrupted 4 or 5 times by the girls running the register on the store side. Seems they do not speak English and do not know the prices of any of the items in the store (none are marked). 2 or 3 other campers come in to complain about the pool not being heated, not being in the site they wanted, etc. He finally gives up and just hands me a site number and asks me to come back later to settle up. I told him I want the same 10% discount on top of my AAA discount like the guy who was complaining about the pool not working.
We pull around the lot to our site, only to find out there are no hook-ups. We sit in the RV and watch the mosquitoes dive bomb the windshield. I have never seen so many mosquitoes. I feel we are in some Hitchcock movie as these things are about as big as birds. As soon as I walk out to look around, there are literally hundreds swarming around me.
We sit in the RV for 5 minutes discussing our options. We had wanted to be located near the north end of the Tetons, and this was the only option for a campsite since all of the National Park sites with hookups booked up months before we even started planning our dates. The KOA just south of Jackson would have been a nice option, but would have also required a long drive to do some of the hikes we want to do. We sit and laugh about how bad this place really is, and then decide to make the best of it and stay.
I drive back to the office and ask him for the site across the road. Should not be a problem, almost the entire row is empty. I put on long pants, a hooded sweatshirt tied close around my face and sprint out of the RV. I pull out the hookups as fast as I can. You can hear the mosquitoes buzzing all around. It sounds like I am in the middle of a bee hive.
Once hooked up, Wendy cooks some dinner and we settle in for the night.