17 October 2016, Monday

The alarm goes off at 6 am. It is still quite dark. The “super moon” is shining as we repack Jazz. I check the road reports before we leave. We decide to avoid Route 22 over the Tetons and instead drive a bit out of our way southward, to follow the Snake River Valley. Before heading up into the mountains we fortify ourselves with breakfast at a restaurant in Idaho Falls called Abracadabras – as in ‘the chef creates magic.’  O orders Captain Crunch French toast. It sounds strange, but it is two slabs of baguette soaked in “magic” batter and lightly crusted with crushed cereal, then covered with strawberries and a mysterious buttermilk syrup and whipped cream. It is quite yummy. I order bacon-pecan pancakes. I am only served two pancakes, but the cakes cover the entire plate and they are very fluffy. On top is a crunchy concoction of chopped bacon and crispy candied pecans. All is covered with the sweet buttermilk syrup and whipped cream. I cannot even finish half. 

Feeling now as if we could hike over the mountain passes through the snow, O and I get back on the road. Just before our breakfast stop we had driven under the edge of the storm clouds. Now we follow the Snake River around the southern end of the Grand Tetons and then turn north towards Jackson Hole. There is some snow on the ground, but the road itself is only wet. To the west we see the thick clouds over the Tetons and we are convinced we made the right decision in going south. The Tetons are beautiful and we know we will return to explore them in the future.

We turn eastward towards the continental divide and cross at Togwotee Pass at 9658 feet. There is drifted snow up here, but very little snow on the road. We cross without difficulty and head down into the drier, sunnier hills of the Wind River Range. We soon enter the Wind River Indian Reservation and arrive in Riverton, Wyoming before 3 pm. We have plenty of time for dinner and a relaxing evening.