19th May 2025

Today was another driving day to complete the final leg of our long journey to reach the Grand Tetons in Jackson.

The day started with a delicious breakfast provided by the Best Western Plus, Cotton Tree Inn in North Salt Lake. We’ve stayed there a few times and they never disappoint.

Before departing we filled up with petrol (gasoline) and it’s certainly more expensive here than it used to be (well, what isn’t I hear you cry?!) 🤷‍♀️ but still a lot cheaper than in the UK.We paid $3.66 (£2.81) a gallon compared to £5.18 per gallon in the UK!

The drive today was just 4.5 hours, 283 miles. It was a lot more pleasant than yesterday and the traffic much lighter. The temperature at one point dropped to 37ºF (3ºC ) but we had come prepared and dressed accordingly.

 

 

 

 

The first part of the journey was undertaken once again on Interstate 15 but then we found ourselves on much smaller roads, similar to back home and for a large part it was just us speeding along, singing a song or two to pass the time.

At one point we had to drive across railroad tracks. It was like something from a film! 🎥

 

 

 

 

Every time we travel to Jackson we pass through a small town called Soda Springs in Idaho (population 3,204). As well as being part of the pioneering Oregon Trail it is also famous for its mineral springs and for having the only Captive Geyser in the world. That is a geyser controlled by human intervention. Rather than naturally erupting it operates by means of an electric motor that opens and closes a valve, mimicking a natural geyser’s eruption. This was necessary because the initial, uncontrolled geyser, discovered in 1937, threatened to flood the town. It is now capped, controlled by a timer and erupts every hour on the hour. The geyser reaches heights of 100 feet, 365 days a year.

We have noticed active mining sites together with evidence of mining activity from the past and we thought they were coal mines, so were surprised to learn that in fact it is phosphate rock being mined and what we have seen is what’s left over after mining the rock. The area is a major phosphate producing region in the US.

We arrived early at Dornans, our home for the next ten days, and received a very warm welcome from Zoya, who we have known for some time and is ‘in charge’. Although check-in was at 4.00 pm we were pleased to find our cabin was ready for us and after a long trip that was very welcome.

Before we arrived, we popped into the Visitor’s Centre to buy the essential bear spray. Zoya was telling us that two weeks ago two men were hiking round an area called Jenny Lake (it was our intention to do that this year too) when they turned a corner and out of the trees came a grizzly bear. He was startled by them and lunged. Luckily, they had bear spray to hand and so was able to get away unharmed.

I think we may take the boat across Jenny Lake instead of hiking round. 😱With our luck at the moment, one of us could become a meal!! 😂

She also told us a story about her husband, Geoff Barnard, a professional photographer here in the Tetons. They were out walking a dog they were dog-sitting when a bear suddenly appeared and started running towards them. Zoya picked up the dog and started to run but Geoff, being a photographer, started videoing the event!! Thankfully he was okay. Photographers, what they will do for a good photo opportunity!! 🤷‍♀️

After settling in we went for dinner at one of the three eateries on site, the Pizza & Pasta Company. It overlooks the mountains and the food is fabulous. It’s very popular, but we were still amazed to find it heaving at 3.00 p.m. I had the lobster ravioli and Si had garlic chicken pasta.

The service is excellent and when I asked Si to order me my favourite Amaretto Sour he was doubtful they would know how to make one but the barmen came up trumps and it was so good I had two! That’s probably why I’m having trouble typing this post! 🍹🥴😂

Please join us tomorrow to see what our first full day has in store.

A very good evening to you all! 🥴