Category Archives: Travel

What’s a Mangy Moose

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Mangy Moose LogoBreakfast At The Mangy Moose

Mangy Moose

The Mangy Moose is casual dining at its finest. Grab a booth, mosey up to the counter and place your order. The staff will bring it out when its ready.  I ordered the French toast. The portion was huge!French Toast At the Mangy Moose It didn’t cost an arm and a leg either! Service was quick. I was happy for that because I was late for my Gaperguide appointment.

 

I’m Late, I’m Late, for a very important date!

Gaperguide

I found Gaperguide online when I was planning my trip. It’s kind of a backward GPS. Instead of  you getting directions to something it tells you what you are seeing when  you get there. It’s perfect for Grand Teton and Yellowstone. It’s definitely a step up from those DVD/tape road trips where you have to stick to their route or it doesn’t match. I figured it was worth a try. I was about an hour late getting to the store but the owner was waiting for me with his dog Indy.

Along with the electronic gadget I got a map of the area. It was pretty clear that the GPS I had rented would not be needed.  There are only a few roads in the area so you really can’t get lost. With my new electronic BFF I would always know where I was.  I couldn’t wait to try it out but with the storm increasing I put my exploring on hold. Instead I continued  to the airport  where I returned my GPS.  They were very gracious about it. They probably knew it was stupid to rent it to me anyway.

Storm on the way to the airport

I’ll tell you more about the Gaperguide when I start exploring. I kept the unit for 3 days. By that time I was pretty familiar with Grand Teton National Park and the Lower Loop of Yellowstone. Once I turned it in the car felt empty. I missed my electronic companion with all its tips, stories and details. I would rent it again and highly recommend it to anyone exploring the area.

 

Airport Cowboy

Is that Snow I See!?

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Is That Tiny Snow Flake?

Jackson Hole Aerial TramThe weather report is for snow.  I’ll break out the winter jacket. At least I packed one. I have an appointment at 10 am to pick up a Gaperguide but I also want to take the tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. They closed it yesterday because of the high winds. With a storm predicted I’m afraid it will get closed again and this is the last day! The concierge says they have a waffle shack at the top. If I go up when it opens at 9 am I can have breakfast at the summit.  As I watched the tram glide down from the top I saw a tiny flake of snow drift slowly down. That’s it. I’m going up. I’ll just be late for my appointment.

Jackson Hole Aerial TramTram at the Bottom

This is really convenient. The tram is right next door! As I lined up I was surrounded by skiers anxious to get to the top for the new snow. They all planned to have a waffle breakfast too. The tram operator had some bad news for us non skiers. The storm had already started at the summit.  The walking was treacherous. It was all ice and the wind was blowing. He strongly advised that we ride up and come right back down. Going up we all watched for animals. Bears and Moose are often seen on the  mountain but not today.

MountainSide

Still ClimbingSeriously Serious Snow

Once the tram docked I stepped out onto the platform and nearly took a header. My feet could not get any traction at all. I didn’t even make it to the path to the waffle house. Safety First, I reluctantly agreed to skip the waffles and returned back down the mountain. The tram operator recommended a restaurant called the Mangy Moose as a substitute. He said it was close to the tram and had excellent breakfast.

 

Pretty Rugged

So This is Wyoming

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Day One Wyoming

Wyoming has certainly made a good first impression. I’ve arrived and settled in. Believe it or not that sandwich at Dornan’s was a long time ago. With no restaurant on premises it was time to figure out dinner. Time to test the concierge. I guess my question was easy. They had no hesitation recommending a nearby restaurant, Spurs. Located in Teton Mountain Lodge, next door, it was an easy walk, even for gimpy old me.

Beef, it’s what’s for DinnerSteak

I asked about a dress code and was assured it was “Resort Casual” and that I looked fine. A hostess greeted me immediately. There’s no waiting line in the “off season”. The menu was not extensive but it was varied. It was also on the pricey side, of course this is a high end resort. I don’t remember the day’s special. I only remember it was $51.00. Not quite ready to try elk meat I selected the SRF American Kobe Butcher Steak. I know what KOBE is but I had to ask about SRF. That stands for Snake River Farm, a local cattle ranch. I ordered rare but what I received was a strange looking lump of meat with an onion reduction. I cautiously took a taste. It was “like butta”. It melted. This was the most tender, flavorful steak I had ever eaten. 

Ruffed GrouseWhy Aren’t you Sleeping?

 It was a good thing I was walking after that meal. I startled a bird of some kind. It didn’t want to fly. It just ran ahead of me. I got a pretty good look. It reminded me of a chunky roadrunner with short legs. I made a guess that it was some kind of grouse. I later confirmed this with some of the locals. They said it sounded like a “Ruffed Grouse”. Doing a little internet search resulted in a picture. It sure looks like the same bird. I’m not sure why it was still awake after dark. Maybe it had a “big night out”?

 

Finally Teton Village Signs

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Teton ClubTeton Village and Resorts

 

Teton Village should be on this road somewhere. I’m just not sure how far. This is the west when, like Maine, everything is “down the road a-piece”. No one has ever been able to tell me how far ” a-piece” is. The nice thing is the speed limit is a leisurely 45 mph. (35 mph at night). As I drove along 390 I saw another moose by the side of the road. I began slowing down when I realized it was a silhouette. I counted 3 fake moose before the speed limit moved up to 55 mph. 

Teton Club

After passing a few more fields and pastures I finally spotted the sign for Teton Village. From there is was just a few more quick turns through the Village and I was pulling under the porte-cochère. A valet came right out to help with my luggage and park my car. Boy That’s service! Check in was a breeze too. The great room has a fire place and comfortable sofa and chairs. It also contains a bar and several rocking chairs in front of the fire.

Your Suite, Madam

Fire Place

Master bedroomMy rooms were really convenient. They were the first set of rooms after the front desk on the first floor. Room 109. And when I say Suite, I mean it. There are two bedrooms, the master bedroom and a 2nd bedroom with twin beds. There are two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a combination living room with gas fireplace and a dining room. There’s a little out door deck but its a bit chilly to be sitting outside. The washer and dryer are late models and tucked away in their own little closet.

2nd bedroom

Dining room

outside deckThe Meal Situation

The one drawback of the resort is that there is no restaurant on premises. They have an exercise room and spa but no place to eat. Other resorts in the Village do have restaurants but not all have convenient hours and they are expensive. Others are closed for the season. Clearly I will need to locate a grocery store.

 

Looking for Teton Village

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Teton Village and the Teton Club

My resort is the Teton Club in Teton Village. I has taken me 3 years to get a reservation here. My first impression as I drove along the road from the airport is that this is cow country. Cattle fill the pastures along the way. Of course where there are cows there must be cowboys. There are almost as many pastures filled with horses as there are with cattle.

Horses in the paddock

National Elk Refuge

There is a fence line along the highway with signs for the National Elk Refuge. Right now I don’t see any elk but the refuge was created in 1912. Early residents from Jackson Hole valued the Elk for their antlers, hide and meat. Elk migrate from as far away as southern Yellowstone National Park. The Sanctuary protects elk habitat. The Boy Scouts collect the antlers that are shed and sell them to pay for feed to help the herd survive the harsh winters. I’m hoping the elk migration will begin while I’m here. Elk are on my bucket list to see.

Town of Jackson

My directions take me into the Town of Jackson. What’s the difference between Jackson and Jackson Hole? A hole is a valley and Jackson is a town. So Jackson Hole is the whole area while Jackson is the principal town in the valley. As I entered Jackson I noticed a beautiful Visitor Center. Once I find the resort I’ll have to stop back here. I’m sure they have lots of information. I passed the town square which seems to be the heart of Jackson. The 4 entrances to the town square are marked by huge elk antler arches. They have similar arches at the airport and in front of several motels. There are animal and western sculptures everywhere.

Antler Arch in Town Sq. Jackson WY

There’s a Moose on the Loose!

As I turned onto RT 390 I spotted cars lining both sides of the road. A moose was calmly wandering through someone’s backyard. All the cars on the side of the road belong to people like me-tourists. They were following the poor moose with cameras snapping. My camera was still packed with my luggage in the trunk so no picture this time. I’m still looking for that resort.