From Cold Nights to Unexpected Beauty

 

Day 9- From Cold Nights to Unexpected Beauty

Night two of camping was a whole new ballgame—nearly 20 degrees warmer than our frigid first night. We actually slept! Well… sort of. The cots still have opinions about comfort, but we’ll take progress where we can.

The morning kicked off with another tasty camp breakfast—nothing beats a hot meal in the woods. Then came the teardown. And here’s where the parenting win comes in: the girls crushed it. What once took hours now only took 45 minutes. Tent down, gear packed, car repacked (again)—we’re basically a traveling roadshow at this point. Everyone chipped in, and dare I say… we made it look easy?

With camp behind us, we made our way to the Old Faithful area. We lucked out—only a 35-minute wait until the next eruption! The girls were impressed, though not exactly transformed. "It was cool, but not like, life-changing.” Thanks, Gen Z. 🤣 


Then came the real twist of the day. We made a game-time decision to veer south through Grand Teton National Park and into Jackson Hole, Wyoming. And WOW. The Tetons absolutely stole the show. Towering peaks that looked like paintings, crystal-clear lakes glistening under the sun—Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake in particular were showstoppers. We stopped for a few passport stamps (of course), but mostly just soaked in the jaw-dropping views. Photos? They don’t even come close.

This detour wasn’t on our original itinerary, but it turned out to be one of the most breathtaking parts of the entire trip. The Tetons are now officially on our "must return" list. And Jackson Hole? Adorable, full of charm, and begging us to come back for a future adventure.


To top it all off—we wrapped up the day by arriving in Salt Lake City around 8:30 PM…hungry, exhausted, and a little cranky. The route down had no real places to stop for food, which didn’t help the mood. Nobody was feeling adventurous enough for In-N-Out Burger, so we went with a crowd-pleaser, The Cheesecake Factory, a safe bet where everyone could find something they liked. It hit the spot, but we didn’t eat until 9:30 at night…way too late for me! 😅 Still, full bellies and soft beds await. We’re all ready for hot showers, real pillows, and—best of all—a chance to sleep in. With just a three-hour drive ahead tomorrow and a noon checkout, we’re calling it a win to end a wild and wonderful Day 9.
 
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