Day 3 and 4: June 3rd and 4th 2014. The Grand Teton's: The Real 'Merica.

Okay, so I'm a little bit behind on my blog.   I'm currently staying in Portland for a day or two after a two night stay in Seattle.  As opposed to the many bison I might have seen in a zoo, seeing bison in Yellowstone is an entirely different experience. Similarly, it's one thing to see a hipster in every day life in Connecticut.   It's another experience to see one in it's natural habitat – Portland, Oregon.  But more to come on Yellowstone and Portland in future posts.   Let's talk about the Grand Tetons.

For the full experience you might want to put on Kenny Loggin's song, “Dangerzone.” Or Team America's “America, Fuck Yeah.”. Here's a sample:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M&feature=kp

I spent my first day in Jackson Hole getting a feel for the town.  I found some yoga and awesome huevos rancheros for breakfast and then drove around the entire day.  There were truly amazing sights all around.  Whereas the Rocky Mountains were seemingly all encompassing and immeasurable, the Grand Teton's were more like it's younger brother. The land around it is relatively flat and then suddenly this huge set of mountains spring up out of no where. Apparently the Tetons are still growing. So maybe one day they will be all growed up.

After speaking with a representative at the visitor center for about 30 minutes I decided on the 'big' thing I wanted to do the next day before leaving for Yellowstone.  As a result of my near death experience the night before, a leisurely rafting trip through the park seemed like a perfect fit for my stay. I highly recommend Barker-Ewing Rafting company.  The views of the Teton's were unforgettable. But probably one of the most amazing experiences was the bald eagle nest I saw. And this is where you might want to turn up the suggested accompanying music.

The guide pointed out a bald eagle nest with a baby eagle in it.  I got excited when the baby eagle got up and spread it's wings.  Perhaps a little too excited.   Especially when compared to the docile 50 or 60 year old people sitting in the boat. Then suddenly a huge black raven swept in. And the mother bald eagle swooped in to fend off the raven. That's when the music started playing in my head. At the same time the raft conveniently got stuck on some rocks.  And a second black raven joined the mid air brawl. And I was babbling like a star stuck teenager watching the whole thing.  In the end the ravens retreated and the mother bald eagle post herself on the tallest tree keeping guard.  The only thing that could have made me feel more patriotic was if we feasted on apple pie with american cheese on it afterwards. Of course the bald eagle would have swept in and claimed a piece of the pie.  Cause, 'merica!