Grand Teton National Park, Adventures in off-roading, and the Elvis dilemma

We made it to the Tetons today!

After camping last night outside of Moran Junction, we headed into the Park around 9am and spent most of the day there, including a nice picnic lunch and a 6-mile hike out to Bradley Lake.

Eventually we headed out of the Park, driving on a paved forest service road (that eventually became dirt) to find a campsite. Along the way we started leapfrogging with another couple, checking out various potential sites. The other couple were in a very nice (and fully decked out) 4-Runner. Eventually though, we came across the driver, who was flagging us down. He asked us if we had traction devices (which we did). Not for himself – he pointed down a steep dirt two-track, to a small Volkswagen that was stuck on the hill.

The 4-Runner couple was Travis and Chelsea, on vacation from the LA area. I never got the woman in the Volkswagen’s name, but the guy was Omar. How long they’d been stuck there, I don’t know, but Omar had shredded his car’s floor mats in his attempts to get out.

We set up the traction devices, and they helped, but in the end it took 2 tow ropes and Travis’s 4-Runner to pull them out. I thought about getting out my camera to document this whole thing. I mean, it was pretty cool for us. But I wondered how Omar would feel about it. Would he think I was documenting his failure? Making fun of him somehow? Guys can be funny if you wound their pride, so I just observed and watched out for the dogs.

After sending Omar and his woman on their way, Travis suggested we share the sweet spot at the bottom of the hill, since we were both eyeing it and it was big enough for both vehicles.

We talked for a while – about California, LA traffic, and Toyotas. What an awesome couple! I turned in around 10:30 or so, ready to sink under my down blanket. It had been a big and I was cashed.

I don’t know what time it started. My watch doesn’t glow in the dark, and it was pitch black outside. But Elvis was freaking out in the back of the truck. I could hear him whining and jumping around. Amazingly, Michael heard it first and went down to check it out. I heard him let both dogs out, and after a few minutes they both went back into the truck and Michael came back up. I thought all was well.

Then the barking began.

I haven’t heard Elvis do this before, and all I could think about was our neighbors, Travis and Chelsea. I mean, they said they have a dog too, but come on. Nobody can sleep through that.

This time I went down to check it out. Elvis was waiting for me as soon as I lifted the topper lid. I put my hand on his chest and he leaned into me, swaying just a little bit, but leaning farther and farther forward. It’s like he was asleep on his feet. Or suffering from dementia. Do dogs get dementia? Anyway – he seemed to calm down, so I went back up to the tent. Before I could even zipper the door closed the barking began again.

Michael suggested bringing him up to the tent with us, but I just could not picture how we’d haul that dog up the ladder. So (I’m pretty sure I let out a long, dramatic sigh and/or said something snarky as) I went down the ladder, opened up the topper, and crawled inside. Commandeering both of the dogs’ sleeping bags, I tried to get comfortable. Yeah, right. Sandwiched between the dogs, the water jugs, the pantry (a Rubbermaid tub), and the cooler, I had sandbags for pillows.

Sandbags are not pillows.

Bailey cuddled up on one side, and Elvis flopped down on my feet and went to sleep immediately. And I mean, slept like the dead. I put my hand on his side to make sure he was still breathing.

At least I wasn’t cold. I was wearing my down jacket, and those sleeping bags weren’t awful. Plus, the dogs wanted to snuggle. At some point, apparently, Michael tried to talk me into going back up into the tent. (He told me later that it was about 4am). I vaguely remember this. What I do know it that he brought me one of the Crazy Creek chairs to put under my butt, which helped with my comfort level enormously. Although my legs were starting to cramp up from sleeping in the fetal position for so long.

At 7am, Michael got up for good – and once he let the dogs out I went back up to the tent and slept for 2 hours. It was so nice to stretch out! And stretch out on something soft.

I woke up to a beautiful sunny day – time to charge all the solar batteries!

I’ll put up a post dedicated to just our solar devices soon. For now though, I would like to give a special shout-out to Revel Gear, who gave us the string of lights (attached to the charger on the left). The LED bulbs are attached to a copper wire, so I can put them up just about anywhere. But I tend to wrap them around the guylines for the tent – it looks cool! When we camp near people, we get lots of compliments on them. But for me, the best part… is that they act as a nightlight when I have to pee in the middle of the night. 😉