TWO PEAS AND THE POD: A FINAL WEEKEND IN GRAND TETON N.P. (WY)

THURSDAY - With only a 10-mile move north inside of the park I figured, "What could go wrong"?

The answer is plenty. While leaving the campsite today I heard a "funny noise" coming from somewhere behind me.

It turns out that the new $589 (RAS®) RoadActive Suspension leaf spring helpers I had installed did not help at all. As a matter of fact, ROVER is sagging worse than before. Sagging enough that now our oversized Rock Tamer mudflaps are dragging on the ground, which is the funny noise I heard when pulling out of the campsite.

Add another $122 for the OEM bump stops I had to purchase at FORD because the Timbren product I had on the truck wouldn't fit with the new leaf spring helpers. At least I had the foresight to save the Timbren parts so that I could have them reinstalled in the event the RoadActive Suspension parts didn't work out.

Now all I have to do is locate a nearby mechanic who can remove the RoadActive Suspension kit and replace my Timbren parts, not so easy to do when you're currently in the middle of a 485 sq. mi. National Park and getting ready to move into a 3,472 sq. mi. National Park. There are no auto mechancs "inside" the park, I checked.

My only option is to drive 80-miles south, back into the medium sized town of Jackson next week, which is the earliest any mechanic in the town can "squeeze me in" for an appointment.

This fulltime RV lifestyle isn't always rainbows and unicorns, but we still love it!

Most of the campsites here at Colter Bay, like our #153, are primitive pull-through sites...

with large cleared areas in the woods which makes them better suited for tent camping.

FRIDAY - Today was a good day for wildlife sightings.

We've seen plenty of elk and bison during our first week here in Grand Teton National Park, so today we were excited to add deer and moose to the list.

On Tricia's morning walk she spotted this doe with two fawns, one is hiding in the bushes.

On our way back from grocery shopping we saw a dozen cars pulled off on the roadside.
That always means there's something good to see, like this moose far off in a field of grass.

That only leaves the elusive black bear that we haven't seen. Upon driving into the town of Jackson we found out why we haven't spotted them yet.

It seems they are all off enjoying a whitewater river rafting adventure!

SATURDAY - One thing I don't believe we've talked about is how different Grand Teton National Park appears when looking at it from the east (like we have) and looking at it from the west.

We haven't been over to the west side of the park, so we don't have any photos to share, but trust me when I say this is the side you want to see.

The west side of the park (the Idaho side) is just one big forest that gradually rises up to nearly the same height as the peaks of the Teton Range.

The east side (the Wyoming side) where we are has no "foothills" to speak of. There is a wide flat valley at 6500' elevation which approaches the base of the 12,000+' peaks of the Teton Range. At the base of the mountains is a continuous string of lakes that make up the Snake River.

With 6000' of exposed rockface to observe it's quite a dramatic view. The only thing we've seen so far that even comes close are the Organ Mountains of southern New Mexico.

Something else we found today in the back maintenance yard of the Jackson Lake Lodge is this "American Made" 1960s era Flxible Starliner. No that's not a typo, it is however pronounced "flexible".

SUNDAY - Tricia has been getting up each morning before sunrise and either walking or driving to different locations to catch the first light on the Teton Mountains.

I've selected only the "Best of the Best" to share with you here, in what I like to refer to as: