July, 2016- Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Day 2

Mr. Bullington woke bright and early to go retrieve the rental car. And, all our people and all our luggage fit! Whoot! This had been a great source of anxiety for me, prompting me to do dry-runs in my friend’s mid-sized SUVs before we left. We were hoping for an Enclave, but an Explorer fit like a glove! A victorian lady-glove on gigantic man hands. 

Mile 1968- Antelope Island- Island time, mon!  This Island was not quite what I was used to. There were no steel drums or umbrella drinks, in fact there probably isn’t anything that even resembles an umbrella drink or any drink for miles. #bookofmormon

Buffalos Roaming

We walked a quarter mile through the sand to dip our toes into The Great Salt Lake!  It was refreshing and John and the girls tested their buoyancy.  Our salt encrusted selves walked back to the public showers and paid a dollar for 4 minutes.  Mmmm. Public showers…..

 

Mile 2161- Blackfoot, Idaho- Idaho Potato Museum and Potato Stop Café!  And HOME OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST POTATO CHIP!!  And Mr. Potato Head Collection, and Potato Masher Collection and don’t get me started on that feat of modern technology that is the Potato peeler! They had a whole display of those babies too! 

  

Tater Sack Haute Couture! I must have that bedazzled vest! #saidnooneever

Props to my favorite potato product!

And, I hope you’re hungry because they have baked potatoes, fries, chocolate dipped potato chips, potato cupcakes and “Fish and Fries”! 

French fries mysteriously affixed to fish that's then affixed to a stick, fried,  and then dipped in malt vinegar! Mr. Bullington said it was the next big fair food. You heard it here first!

My girl loves some baked potatoes, she said it wasn't as good as Mama K's!

  

The young lady who worked there must have had higher aspirations for herself because when Mr. Bullington joked, “Do you have any potatoes?” she rolled her eyes at him and muttered something under her breath.  The lady in the gift shop was sweet though and she happily sold me a potato Christmas tree ornament!

Mile 2165- We had to hit the Wal-Marts before we left Blackfoot to procure all of the camping supplies we would need for the next two days, camp stoves, and chairs, and little mats for in front of the tent, a hot pad so I wouldn’t burn my hand on the coffee pot, ice, etc. We had to unpack the entire car in the parking lot  just to get it all to fit!

“Sarah”, you might say. “Why in the seven layers of hell are you camping?”

Gather ‘round my petticoat children, let me tell you some backstory….

  

This trip has been in the works since the day after we returned from our last summer excursion. I had heard, and I knew to be true, that you must book National park lodging a year in advance. And, since we have our state itineraries planned through state #50, I knew that summer 2016 would take much advanced planning. And, planning these trips is my jam.  Many a morning Mr. Bullington will clear the sleep from his eyes and ask me what time I went to bed. 2:45 am, 3:15 am, 1:15 am….”What the Holy Mother of Gosh Almighty were you doing up at that hour?” He exclaims. (paraphrased). Trip research is often my reply. With a solid side-order of Facebook (said to myself in my head where he can’t hear me.)

So anywhooo, John lived in Glacier as a strapping young buck and he fancies himself quite the expert on that part of the country.  Thus, he had many an opinion to impart upon my travel planning. I might not have mentioned that I’m not always amiable to input.

Knowing is half the battle, y’all.

When trip preparation started in the fall for this trip, I fully intended to let Mr. Bullington own the road.  I cared not but for one thing. I wanted to sit in on the Thursday night choir rehearsal of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It’s free and open to the public and choir is my love language.  I painstakingly began making 12-month, in advance hotel reservations in such quaint National Park locales for bathroom-not- included “cabins” because that is all that was left. lowercase yay.  All of this so The Family Bullington could be firmly planted in SLC on a Thursday night.  Months passed and I decided to confirm a few things.  First stop, obviously, was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir schedule. Those little tweedy birds decided to embark on a European tour for most of July. WITHOUT TELLING ME! Traitors.  I think I’ll stick with John Wesley….Mr. Bullington suggested that since there was really no reason to stick around SLC now that the choir was going to be off galavanting in some chic European city not drinking caffeine, We should just move in our NORTHERN TRAJECTORY towards Jackson/Grand Tetons!

‘Member when I mentioned that National Park lodging reservations must be made many months in advance? You shouldn’t be shocked to learn that there was nothing available in the national park on such short notice after our last minute itinerary change.

I saw the idea light bulb flicker ‘bout the same time Mr. Bullington exclaimed, We could always camp.

.......crickets…..

I tried to change the subject. Hillary or Trump,  should we opt out or write in Thunder Tumlin?

Wow, gas prices have really surged like 4 cents this week...

Do you think this mole looks weird?....

"No, Camping would be an awesome experience for the kids, we could wake up and see the mountains”, he said. I pretended to check email and then I peeked up at him and then his little twinkling eyes sparkled at me…..I am a sucker for Mr. Bullington, y’all. 

In the next few moments he straight-up convinced me that camping was a viable option. (it’s not) I shop at the Aldi and the Wal-marts so he hooked me on the price discrepancy between a $25 campground Vs. a  Motel 6 @ $400  in Jackson, Wy.  (okay, that was actually the cost for two nights and I read it wrong, but whateves) What Mr. Doe-Eyes failed to mention were the coins he intended to spend on Schweet new camping equipment that we could conveniently haul all over tarnation for 2 weeks! Such the adventurer, that Mr. Bullington. 

Our story picks up at Mile 2291- Gros Ventre Campground…So campgrounds don’t let you reserve spots, and since I knew we’d be getting in late in the day according to my painstakingly thought out itinerary, we chose this one because “It hardly ever fills up”.

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Life is what happens when you have other plans… I kept it cool for the kids, but I thought I might lose it! The campground manager actually suggested that we just find some public land, pull off the road and hike into the forest a bit until we found a camp sight. 

Whilst, I pride myself on being a groundhog-fed country girl from Talking Rock, Georgia, city living has softened me a bit and I know enough to know we weren’t prepared for forest camping. We left the campground as darkness fell and started to call hotels on both of our phones. The first 5 were totally booked.  I laughed to myself and thought, I should try the Motel 6 just for giggles.  Guess who had just had a cancellation….. They left the light on for us…

Mile 2299-After dropping our stuff at our sweet new digs we headed into Jackson Hole! It was so cute! We had some great pizza at Pinky G’s and yummy ice cream at Moo’s (Thanks for the rec, Allison Gruehn!)

Jesus loves me, this I know.  Look where we ended up after dinner?  Whimsically posed taxidermy! My Fav!  FOR SALE!  I would’ve loved the one with the chipmunks, but we hardly have room for ourselves with all of this GOD FORSAKEN CAMPING GEAR!! 

Safety First!

Like a teeny-tiny Lewis and Clark!

I mean, who doesn't love Cracker Jacks?

Look, Ma! No Hands!

Just got real. 

Oar on the other side, Bro! We're going in circles!

And then there was this window display.... For the couple who has everything...

Tomorrow is another day!!! 

And in the meantime I leave you this. I think I will call it, Brother Sandwich at the Motel 6!