Snake River Rapids

On an evening that threatened big rain drops and loud thunder coupled with bright lightening (one can only hope), we stood in the driveway with our neighbors and loaded up gear and bags of clothes, and coolers of food.

We checked our cell phones for weather reports, not for our city, but for the neighboring state of Wyoming, and with high hopes of the simple partly cloudy skies we were being promised, we piled into the Navi and hit the road.

The heavy rain started and followed us up the canyon and around the lake and through the state border.

And when the sun began to set we saw a show that only God can put on.

We made hotel reservations in Alpine, Wyoming and let them know that we wouldn't be getting there until 11:30 at night.  Details like this are important when dealing with two-horse towns.  There isn't a Holiday Inn Express where the lobby is open 24/7 and the waffle maker is heated up for you in the morning.

It's a bit more simple and quiet than that.

It also means that even though you called and told them you'd be there at 11:30, and even though you pulled in at 11:27, the lobby is still going to be locked.

We didn't worry yet though, we had been told our room numbers and had been told that the doors would be left open with the keys inside for us.  There are no card readers in two-horse towns, just good old fashioned regular keys.

And trusting folk.

Until we go into the hotel and find our room numbers and find the doors tightly locked with no way for us to go in and put our exhausted heads on soft pillows.

The looks of tired women who are ready to just lie down in the hallway for the night:

The Man saw a key hanging out of  the door knob in the room next to ours and wondering if perhaps we had the wrong room number began knocking on the door and jiggling the door handle.

I can only hope that no one was in that room.

We weren't confident enough to enter even with the key in the knob, and I hope that no one inside was given nightmares from us trying to get in their door at midnight.

Our men went down to the lobby one more time and began banging on the lobby door.

What do you know, someone was hiding in there and opened up for them.

We got our soft pillows after all.

The next morning we ate breakfast at the only restaurant in town and headed up to the Snake River.

The day could not have been more perfect.

Brandon's favorite game:

 And it was kind of cold...

The Lunch Counter was pretty big, we felt the raft start to buckle and fold in half and we stalled for a quick second... and then we lunged through it.

We saw an Eagle soaring through the air.

Brian tried a few tricks...

But ended up in the water more often than not.

The Man had his turn "riding the bull" through the Lunch Counter:

Let it be known that I risked my life to let go of my hold to take that picture of him.

We rubbed elbows with greasy food and shakes at Rulon's Burger Barn, oh the cheese fires!

And though West's GPS search told us the drive would take seven hours ("If we have to drive seven hours we had better be in Disneyland!") we were happy to find out that it would only take us four.

If we get to try it again, maybe I'll take my chance riding the bull, but for now I'm just happy to say that I didn't get sunburned.

A HUGE thank you to our friends for inviting us along!  One of the greatest treasures in life is when you can be surrounded by good people doing good things.

Over The River.

Sometimes you get a phone call from Granny Suzzan to meet her in the canyon for a picnic.  You bring the drinks, she'll bring the food.

Sometimes you agree and load up your Circus and drive up to the canyon, and then walk up to the designated spot because the road is still closed to cars, but open for cyclists and hikers.

Sometimes you find the perfect spot on the other side of the low river and sometimes, instead of walking a little farther up the road to find the bridge, you just make your Circus cross the river.

Because it's funner that way.

Sometimes this works out better than you had planned, because now the puppy boys don't realize they can get across the river to chase other dogs and cyclists.

The Circus brought books and walkie talkies and the explored the area and enjoyed being in the canyon.

Sometimes you wait for an hour for Granny to show up with the food and she never does.  So you pack up your cooler of now empty drinks and head back to the car.

But this time you use the bridge.

Crazy Granny.

Next time we'll bring the food.