West again, this time through Dan's old Idaho stomping grounds from NOLS days, then up and over and down again into Wyoming. Jackson Hole hasn't changed much in all these years. Still easy to find a t-shirt or a cup of good coffee but hard to find camping gas. Grand Teton National Park tonight. We're all still waiting on the first bison sighting -- maybe this will be the place.
Kids are excited for yet another opportunity to become Jr. Rangers. Their hats and jackets are decorated with ranger badges and patches from all the national parks and national monuments we've been to so far. Requirements vary, but each park has some sort of written activity book to complete and most require kids to attend a ranger-led hike or education program. Really a brilliant idea -- kids are very engaged, and rangers now have crowds of little ones seeking them out all day. Before we leave anyplace we set aside time to "ranger up" at the visitor center, which is our term for the checking and oath-taking and swearing in that makes it all official. It's usually a fairly serious procedure, but it also usually ends in a public cheer for the new Jr. Rangers and smiles all around.
Excellent ranger program tonight at the campground about the night sky, led by a former astronomy professor with the world's most powerful laser pointer. Everyone wanted one. Now we want a star chart too.
No comments:
Post a Comment