The first morning at the Lodge was glorious. Matthew and I went on a 3 mile run around the base of the mountain, scouting for good trails and enjoying a good conversation about life. I was reminded of the wonder and horror of the teen years, and hope he remembered and understood that there are many rewarding parts of adulthood mixed in amongst the sometime heavy responsibilities and discipline I described.
Breakfast was a bit of a shock. When you are so accustomed to budgeting and penny-pinching to get out of debt and the job market is dismal, it's hard to choke down an $8 bagel half or a $2 sausage link. Fortunately Grandma worked the system and we all ate for next to nothing due to a room credit! Planning ahead is good!
Our first excursion led us to Jenny Lake where we took a boat shuttle to a mountain path. The kids loved being on the boat and peered down into the clear water, looking for fish. All concerns over Norah and Justin handling rough hiking terrain were quickly dismissed- those two are baby mountain goats.
They enjoyed watching a very curious, nearly tame chipmunk that scampered underneath our feet as we sat to take a picture. As long as we kept them away from cliffs and roaring mountain streams, all was good. However we initiated something that never ceased the remainder of the trip when we allowed them to ride on our shoulders, which made us all feel very much like Luke
Skywalker hauling Yoda on his back through
Dagobah. Despite being little, they get very heavy after a while. Fortunately a big family has many backs.
Afterward we drove a circuitous path along scenic mountain roads, enjoying the seemingly endless vistas until we stopped at Lake Jackson where we unsuccessfully sought a pontoon boat to hold the entire family.
Our alternative choice was a pair of motor boats, which divided our group in half. Boat #1 was crewed by Dave, Heather, Jeff, Norah, and Justin, while boat #2 was manned by Debbie, Phillip, Patrick, Alyssa and Matthew. The appearingly equal boats proved to be the unexpected source of high comedy.
Boat #1 proved to be relatively fast, compared to boat #2 who's throttle was unreasonably tight and unable to keep up. That fact is not terribly funny in itself, but the humor lies in that the crew of boat #1 could care less who is going fastest, they are just happy to be on the water, while at least 2 members of boat #2 are driven by an unparalleled competitive streak. Boat #1 glided across the water without a care in the world, while boat #2's crew pushed, crammed, and leaned on the throttle in vain.
We made a lazy loop around the lake spotting deer and a bald eagle along the shoreline, then had fun driving crazy loops and figure 8's until it was time to tie up. Somewhere near the end of the boating adventure Patrick discovered that he could coax full speed out of boat #2 if he leaned on the throttle to the point it felt it would certainly break. But of course Patrick is not the competitive type. Oh the irony.
We ended the day with a stop at the Cunningham Cabin. As we watched the kids run through it, exploring the two open rooms and the space between them, we asked if they thought we should move in. They immediately dismissed the idea, but Heather and I continued to consider it. Yes, it lacked plumbing, air-conditioning, and heating, and obviously needed some updating, but we didn't immediately dismiss the idea due to the awe inspiring view. They always say the most important aspect of property ownership is location, location, location.
The first morning at the Lodge was glorious. Matthew and I went on a 3 mile run around the base of the mountain, scouting for good trails and enjoying a good conversation about life. I was reminded of the wonder and horror of the teen years, and hope he remembered and understood that there are many rewarding parts of adulthood mixed in amongst the sometime heavy responsibilities and discipline I described.
Breakfast was a bit of a shock. When you are so accustomed to budgeting and penny-pinching to get out of debt and the job market is dismal, it's hard to choke down an $8 bagel half or a $2 sausage link. Fortunately Grandma worked the system and we all ate for next to nothing due to a room credit! Planning ahead is good!
Our first excursion led us to Jenny Lake where we took a boat shuttle to a mountain path. The kids loved being on the boat and peered down into the clear water, looking for fish. All concerns over Norah and Justin handling rough hiking terrain were quickly dismissed- those two are baby mountain goats.
They enjoyed watching a very curious, nearly tame chipmunk that scampered underneath our feet as we sat to take a picture. As long as we kept them away from cliffs and roaring mountain streams, all was good. However we initiated something that never ceased the remainder of the trip when we allowed them to ride on our shoulders, which made us all feel very much like Luke Skywalker hauling Yoda on his back through Dagobah. Despite being little, they get very heavy after a while. Fortunately a big family has many backs.
Afterward we drove a circuitous path along scenic mountain roads, enjoying the seemingly endless vistas until we stopped at Lake Jackson where we unsuccessfully sought a pontoon boat to hold the entire family.
Our alternative choice was a pair of motor boats, which divided our group in half. Boat #1 was crewed by Dave, Heather, Jeff, Norah, and Justin, while boat #2 was manned by Debbie, Phillip, Patrick, Alyssa and Matthew. The appearingly equal boats proved to be the unexpected source of high comedy.
Boat #1 proved to be relatively fast, compared to boat #2 who's throttle was unreasonably tight and unable to keep up. That fact is not terribly funny in itself, but the humor lies in that the crew of boat #1 could care less who is going fastest, they are just happy to be on the water, while at least 2 members of boat #2 are driven by an unparalleled competitive streak. Boat #1 glided across the water without a care in the world, while boat #2's crew pushed, crammed, and leaned on the throttle in vain.
We made a lazy loop around the lake spotting deer and a bald eagle along the shoreline, then had fun driving crazy loops and figure 8's until it was time to tie up. Somewhere near the end of the boating adventure Patrick discovered that he could coax full speed out of boat #2 if he leaned on the throttle to the point it felt it would certainly break. But of course Patrick is not the competitive type. Oh the irony.
We ended the day with a stop at the Cunningham Cabin. As we watched the kids run through it, exploring the two open rooms and the space between them, we asked if they thought we should move in. They immediately dismissed the idea, but Heather and I continued to consider it. Yes, it lacked plumbing, air-conditioning, and heating, and obviously needed some updating, but we didn't immediately dismiss the idea due to the awe inspiring view. They always say the most important aspect of property ownership is location, location, location.
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