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Several years ago, Mary Lou and I began a plan to travel with our children and grandchildren on a regular basis.  We planned to take all 10 of our children, grandchildren and sons-in-law on a trip together every other year.  In 2022, we all traveled to Boston for a wonderful visit full of history, adventure, food and fun.

The following year, we traveled with our daughter, Catherine, and her family to London and Paris.  The plan is to travel with one daughter’s family on alternative years that we are not doing the entire family trip.  It was a delightful experience for everyone, with memories created that will last forever.

This year, it is once again time for our extended family trip.  As anyone tries to schedule travel with teenagers, it is a real challenge.  There was only one 10 day period in the entire summer that would work for every family member to participate.

So here we are, finally, on a trip planned over a year ago.  All ten of us are currently staying at Jackson Lake Lodge, in the Grand Tetons National Park.  Our view of these majestic mountains rising up 6,000 feet above the valley floor known as Jackson Hole is one of the most spectacular sights I have ever seen.

I first saw the Grand Tetons 56 years ago when I visited them with my grandparents who took me on a cross country trip.  That same trip I visited Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore.  I kept thinking about how much I wanted to show my grandchildren something that I viewed with my own grandparents more than a half century ago.

On our first day, our family headed out to Coulter Bay.  We missed our shuttle from Jackson Lake Lodge, my fault, and were faced with a completely off-kilter schedule for the day.  A young gentleman working at the lodge offered to take us over in a vehicle.

Along the way we discovered that Ty, the young man, had ties to Auburn.  In fact, his father had graduated from college there and Ty had spent many days in Auburn over the years.  In addition, Ty had been duck hunting on Lake Seminole. I love these small world connections.

While walking along the trail at Colter Bay, we came up a bear just off the trail, less than 20 yards from where we were.  Uncertain if it was a cub or a young bear on its on, we decided to backtrack on the trail and find another route.

I had been worried that the abundant wildlife I recalled from trips here decades ago would have diminished.   Thankfully, the wildlife is still very present in this enormous park.  So far, we have seen two bears, a herd of wild bison, a bald eagle, as well as fox, coyote, elk and deer.  There have been numerous other small critters that we are not used to seeing in the deep south.

Day two took us to Jenny Lake.  The mountains are so incredible that words cannot do them justice and pictures sell them short as well.  Just know that they were as stunning as I remembered in my mind from that first visit so long ago.

On day three, we found ourselves on a raft going down the Snake River.  The backdrop of the mountains as we moved downstream was breathtaking.  We saw more eagles and a few ospreys.

Favorite new memories for this trip so far are watching my grandchildren all trying to skip rocks on the mountain lake with mountain peaks soaring up in front of them.

Watching my two oldest grandsons absolutely devour some mountain trout during one of our first meals.

Having Granny and myself eat with all the grands while our daughters and their spouses enjoyed some adult time at another table as everyone enjoyed the views of the mountain range.

Having a rest and snack time in front of Hidden Falls, at the top of a pretty strenuous trail up from the base of Jenny Lake.  It has been exactly two months since my total hip replacement, and I did not miss a beat in climbing up that rocky trail.  Thanks to my physical therapy team for getting me ready for such an adventure in record time.

Tomorrow, we will head for Yellowstone and stay at the Old Faithful Inn.  More adventures to come in the coming week as we explore a part of our nation that our family simply calls “Cowboy Country”.