Yellowstone Adventure 2017 - Day 13

   Today I got up about six to get some breakfast and get and early start to the Grand Tetons. I wanted to get in a short hike before it got too warm and before the tourists started to wake up.
   After breakfast I gathered up my hiking gear and my sack lunch and headed south. I decided my first stop would be the overlook around Duck Lake, as I have seen bear and elk from that place before. This time there was nothing to be seen so I got in the car and headed to Colter Bay, where I would take a short hike. I wanted to keep it short just to see how my lungs were doing and not to put too much stress on myself.  On the way I stopped off at a few places to take pictures. I uploaded some to Facebook.
   I reached Colter Bay around 8:30 and was able to get a parking place close to the trailhead, as the tourist weren't up yet. I just used my fanny pack to hold my water, as I planned to only go on the trail for one hour and then walk back out. Before I started on the trail I went to the boat dock and watched a guy put his boat into Colter Bay. The temperature was 55 degrees and great for hiking.  After a few pictures by the boat dock I headed on the trail. It was nice to get back into the woods and the peace and quiet it brings. The trail skirted the bay and the lake. So the views as I walked were fantastic. I could look over the water and see the mountains in the background. A few kayakers were venturing out of Colter Bay and into Jackson Lake. The water sure looked great. After a mile or so of walking close to the lake and some through the woods, I came to where the water entered into a sort of inlet and then ended. Just about to the end of the inlet I looked about 20 yards across and there staring at me was a nice 12 point buck. We just stood there staring at each other for several minutes. He did not seem to mind my presence and I was just taking pictures of him. Eventually we quit staring at each other and went our separate ways.  The trail was very quiet and then I heard the sound of a trumpeter swan. He or she flew right over the woods I was in. That was quite a big bird. A little time later I met a man coming in the opposite direction. I asked him about the wild life and he told me where I could see the swans and what lake they were in. I told him maybe some other time as I was just about to the limit of my hike in.  We bid each other a goodbye and headed in the opposite direction. About a half mile down the trail I look up to see another 10 or 12 point buck just walk out of the woods and go 20 feet in front of me on my trail. Not wanting to startle him, I waited a few seconds and then followed his butt down the trail for another 40 yards. He must have sensed he was being followed because he went left off the trail and headed up a small hill. I have been taking pictures of him since he joined me and he stood at the top of the hill and let me snap a few more before moving over the hill. I thought, well that was neat. I looked at my watch and noticed I hiked for a little over an hour. So it was time to turn back. I proceeded back down the trail I came in until I got to a small fork in the trail. I looked at the trail marker and noted that they both would end back in Colter Bay, so I took the one I did not come up on. I found this to be a mistake in that in about a half mile I caught up with six tourists on horse back. Yep things I have learned. One is you will never see any animals around following a bunch of goober tourist on horse back. Second is you get a lot more exercise walking on the trail after horses, in that you are always dodging horse poop.  After about a half mile I caught up with them. Not because I was fleet footed like an Apache, but because one of those goobers fell off his horse. The horse wrangler/leader was just trying to turn his horse around on the trail when I came up and walked passed the last three horses in the group. As I approached the wrangler he asked me if I was hurt. I told him you got the wrong guy, as I am just a hiker trying to get around your group. He passed me and went to see who fell off. While I walked passed the rest of the rather skittish group of tourists on horse back. You would not believe how I resisted the urge to slap one of those horses in the rump and let out a rebel yell. But I resisted and smiled as the lead horse began to follow me because the wrangler was pretty much leading the group. I guess the lead horse figured I knew where I was going. I turned around and instructed the girl to say whoa and pull back on the reins a little. She smiled back and looked about to puke but the horse finally stayed. I continued on the trail and in no time was back at Colter Bay and the car.  Believe it or not the parking lot was pretty full by that time. The tourists have awakened.
   I left Colter Bay and headed to the Lake Jenny store, where I would be able to see Sandy and Bill. I worked with those two last year and they were a great Christian couple. I got to Jenny Lake and you would not believe the parking issues. Tourists were parked a mile from the store on the highway and walking into the Jenny Lake area. I made three trips around the Jenny lake area looking for a parking space. After about 15 minutes I spotted someone leaving and scooted over to their spot as fast as I could. Once parked I headed to the store that Sandy and Bill worked in. They have a camper they parked at Colter Bay and use their truck to commute to work. I just caught them coming into work and after hugs and handshakes we set down to talk. They both looked great and were very happy working there and seeing the Tetons from the inside. We talked for several minutes and it was sure great to catch up. Before I left them to begin their shift they told me to stop by the visitor's center down the road and say hello to Steve and Loraina and Mike and Kathy. I worked with them last year also.
   I headed out of Jenny Lake and stopped by the visitor center. Sure enough all four were working and I got to say hi to them all. It was sure great seeing them and catching up for a little while.
  After leaving the visitor's center I headed through a very packed Jackson Hole and made my way up to Jackson pass and parked to eat my PB&J. The view of Jackson and the mountains from several thousand feet up was spectacular. After lunch I headed back to the dorm via Idaho and West Yellowstone. I got back to the dorm in time for dinner. That is about all for today. Thanks for reading. Stay well and do good.