our trip // lodging

A good thing about all this rain and chilly weather we've been having so far this week is that it's forced me to be inside and tackle all the elements of our trip - going through photos, video, adding up receipts of expenses, etc. The photos have been downloaded and edited, the loads of laundry complete and folded, the camping gear aired out and stored, and the costs/savings totaled. It's a good feeling.

I thought I'd break down our trip into categories so I don't have one huge blast of photos all in one post. Plus, this way, I can look over our photos just a few more times and relive the beauty of the week.

Today's category is...

Our main "home" of the week was our REI Half Dome tent, and while I usually sleep pretty awful on the ground, my bro-in-law was kind enough to lend me one of the poshest Thermarests I've ever seen in my life. We're talking 6 inches of padded, insulated comfort as opposed to the usual 2 inches. Add in a quilt, sleeping bag, and real pillow = I slept like a baby.

One thing of the week that we both loved was getting on nature's schedule. We were usually up with the sun (and the birds) around 5:00am and cozied into our sleeping bags by 9:00pm. It was so wonderful. And the stars....oh, the stars! When I'd wake up in the wee hours of the night thinking my bladder might burst, checking to see what the stars were like was my motivation to crawl out of my warm sleeping bag cocoon.

Our camp site for 2 nights by Mammoth Hot Springs. The camp host told us that if we had to get up in the middle of the night to look around a little first because buffalo frequently hang out in the camp ground. And while I didn't have any midnight run-ins with a buff, there were plenty of cow pies right around our tent.

How cozy is that?

A view of Grand Teton from our camp at Jenny Lake Campground.

Our one night of "luxury" - the Buckrail Lodge in Jackson, WY.