Since moving from Santa Barbara, California (my home for 24 years) to a little cabin in Moose – a place tucked under Wyoming’s majestic 13,000 foot high peaks called ‘The Tetons’ – I’ve learned a few things.
During my 30 years of traveling to Africa, I’ve been charged by elephant, and rhino, and been so close to lions I could see the flies on their blood stained whiskers. I’ve hiked in the Amazon rain forest, and on glaciers in the French Alps.
In other words: I haven’t thought of myself as a wimp.
But living here in the Tetons is kicking my butt, and causing me to question my personal wimp evaluation.
I can tell you this place is not for wimps.
Let me explain…
Teton dwellers are the Fittest People I know…
Going for a bicycle ride here means climbing and winding your way up and down a bike path with blind corners and signs warning of the ‘steep grade’ ahead. You know the kind of signs you see for truckers on highway mountain passes across America? Those signs.
Only, unlike on steep graded highways, the bike paths here have no turn-out ramps for out-of-control pedalers (like me).
Hiking in the Tetons isn’t a piece of cake either.
There is no trail where people in tennis shoes walk and talk to each other while they stroll in the woods like they do where I come from in California…
Instead, a hike here is a minimum 1,000 foot climb while post holing in 3 feet of snow with space age flaps on your feet in the winter, and scanning the woods for grizzly bears when you hike in the summer.
Forget about chatting with my hiking buddy… I’m breathing so hard from the 6,200 foot altitude I can barely catch my breath.
And then there’s the weather here in the Tetons…
I grew up in Florida and then spent my adult life in sunny California.
Meaning: Until I moved here, I had no concept of weather.
But living in the Tetons will whip any weather novice (ie wimp) into shape, and fast.
On a given day here in Moose, I’ve woken up to snow, followed by bright sun with temperatures in the 50’s, followed by rain and hail the size of coconuts (really the size of walnuts… no peas), followed by evening winds that rivaled Hurricane speed.
Like I said, that was all in one day.
There are many seasons here in Wyoming besides Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.
There is mud season (you can imagine what that is) and many in-between periods called shoulder seasons.
And then there are those days like an unusually warm one in early June when no one knew if spring had arrived, or we were experiencing a fluke in winter, or maybe we missed spring all together and were already in summer.
Needless to say, it’s a little tricky planning outdoor activities. You have to adopt a seize the moment attitude.
Another thing you need to adopt here in the Tetons is a Hakuna Matata philosophy
What I am telling you is that nothing here in the Tetons is easy.
And, I admit that’s part of the attraction of being here for me.
The way I feel living in the Grand Teton Park reminds me of how I feel in Africa.
Remember Lion King? Africa is where the saying Hakuna matata (no worries) originated.
And for good reason. Nothing there is particularly easy either.
Now can I tell you about the Animal Encounters here in the Tetons?
Almost everyday there are elk, deer, fox, and moose walking around my little cabin. Remember, they call this place America’s Serengeti.
A mountain lion and her two cubs killed and ate a neighbors dog, and last month three grizzly bears were cruising on the other side of the Snake River from my place.
Thank goodness I’m not a wimp when it comes to the wildlife roaming around the Tetons.
But, I’ve stocked up on bear spray just in case, and started chanting Hakuna matata, Hakuna Matata, while hiking and biking in my new home, the Tetons.
P.S. After this mornings bike ride I lay prone on the floor from exhaustion while holding an ice cube on the welt I got from a bee that flew under my helmet and stung my right temple as my bicycle and I ‘flew’ down one of those ‘steep grades.’
🙂
19 Replies to “The Tetons is not a place for wimps!”
Comments are closed.
LOVED IT….LOL but hoping your bee sting is better! THANKS so much for keeping me in the Lori Loop!
PS Loved the article… the Tetons certainly DO NOT sound like a place for wimps!!! Life in SB is good as always… although maybe it is a place for wimps!
Damn Lori. Look how far you’ve come since our neophyte writing days in the park where the wildest thing was a baby hawk listening to our stories. I am just now catching up with your exploits and move to Moose. Your blog is great. You did it! You rock girl. Keep ’em coming. love molly
It sure does seem a fascinating place Lori and I am sure – rarely a dull moment and not for the faint hearted 😉
Yes grasshopper, you must learn the way of mountain folk to survive. Welcome to Wyoming! Grab a rope and start tying knots. FYI a Fiador is used on a bosal hackamore. The Teton’s may turn you into a prairie girl yet!
Consider yourself lucky that you don’t have to hunt and gather for food. It was not that long ago (One generation?)that everyone had to hunt and gather to live. Some still do. Good Luck and try barrel racing. I bet you would love it!
Wow, Lori! You are really living life in the raw….makes me feel like a true wimp,
though my vision questing days in the wilderness aren’t that far behind me and are starting to call to me lately.
I’d love to come and visit sometime and take in the wildlife!
I am exhausted and enchanted simultaneously by your descriptions, dear Lori. Clearly, my visits to Jackson were mild compared to your adventures. Good for you!
Dang! Lori you are a trooper! Touche’ for taking off to the woods in the Grand Tetons to discover this – you rock. Thank you for bringing me a smile (so wide that it filled the page) as I read about your find or should I say findings. So well written and straight from the heart in your heart of woods: American Serengeti
You are such a good writer Lori – I loved the blog today – it is superb! You are an inspiration for me…if I would just start writing!!!
Nice to hear from you Chris. Your comment gave me a wide grin. Thanks for the tips but I’m trying for the wood nymph look rather than the prairie girl thing – so no knot tying and hackamores (what’s that?) for me.
Hi Lori,
You are no wimp, no way! You are experiencing life in the wild like few do….. and getting real wimps like me to laugh while learning what you are up to. I went to Brooks Gallery 27 last night to see photos taken in Kenya recently by Michael Habner and his daughter. They reminded me of you, and of my wonderful trip to Tanzania, even though no one in the photos was kissing a giraffe.
Look both ways before you venture out among the bears.
Mooseless in Montecito.
Wow, Laurie! I sense a memoir in the making! You are amazing!
You go girlfriend, sounds like you are livin large!
I had just read this and was blown away by not only your experiences, but your telling of them.
Your writing style has advanced in Teton leaps & Bounds.
You truly are a terrific writer, Wonder Woman!!!!
Anyone who knows you, certainly recognises that you have never been a WIMP!!!!
Welcome to the Tetons and Jackson Hole 😀
Hey Laurie,
If you have a need for a Santa Barbara fix from time to time, we have an extra bed and bath where you can crash. That is, if you keep telling such exciting stories. We have June weather in August, sorry….
Thank you Ditte, I may just take you up on that kind offer once winter hits because i am afterall still a weather wimp. And thanks Daryl, what a wonderful and challenging welcome I have had to this place.
Ain’t that the truth?
You are an excellent writer. Becky is smart to want to publish you.