At the Colter Bay visitor center in Grand Teton National Park, we met Monte Yellow Bird, Sr., an Arikara/Hidatsa artist whose colorful artwork displays the rich symbolism of Native American traditions (aka Black Pinto Horse: see blackpintohorsefinearts.com). He explained the meanings of various motifs in his ledger art, and also talked with us for some time about the history of various tribes near the continental divide and in the northwestern plains. (Ledger art was drawings on whatever unused paper forms were available on the reservations, such as ledger paper, after the traditional bison hides were unavailable.)
For our Wyoming hike, our choice of the Cascade Canyon trail rewarded us with superb scenery for relatively little effort. We saw a colorful variety of wildflowers, a western tanager, and constantly changing views of the Grand Teton and other rugged peaks towering above us as we hiked through the canyon.
Our bike ride the next day followed a paved trail down and back through open sagebrush meadows in the wide and flat Snake River valley, with great views of the Tetons the whole way. One time when Paul stopped to take a picture, Amy didn’t notice and rode ahead out of sight. Paul rode hard to catch up, but didn’t find her by the time he reached the end of the 19-mile trail. As it turned out, Amy had stopped to wait, but just far enough off the trail that they didn’t see each other as Paul hurried by. We were reunited in the early afternoon, thanks to cell phones and helpful cyclists Amy sent scouting for a rider in a blue helmet and a big moose on his shirt.
It always pays to have unique, easily distinguishable clothing when searching for lost partners…In Malaysia, Dan was the one with the “cowboy” hat.
Paul had his CELL PHONE? REALLY? and although Amy usually has her cell phone on her, IT WAS TURNED ON?? You guys are really entering the wireless era!
I have to admit that I didn’t have my cell phone along. Amy sent bikers looking for me, and when they met me coming back to find Amy, I called using their phone (Amy had turned hers on after we got separated)!