Star Valley Vacation

After the mountain bike ride and race, and the family time in Jackson, it was back to Star Valley. Sunday we slept in a bit then Jolene and I made a pancake breakfast for everyone (our family and Jolene's sister-in-law and her kids). We just hung out and took it easy at the ranch house.

Okay, I should explain a bit about the ranch house and our connection with Star Valley (Wyoming). Jolene's father was born and raised there but all his children grew up in Provo. Jolene's uncle lives in Star Valley (Afton, to be more precise). Jolene's grandmother (her father's mother) lived in a little house in Afton near her uncle until she passed away. The family decided to keep the house as a sort of family cabin. They call it the ranch house. As we get close everyone strains to spot the distinctive white walls and red roof.



The ranch house interior is covered with all manner of kitschy decorations (The owl clock is my favorite, and it still keeps time).


It's got character.


This is the view out the window.


A cat gave birth to these six kittens in the barn near the ranch house and the kids made numerous visits to see and hold them.


In the evening we hiked to Intermittent Spring. Unfortunately too much water is flowing now so the spring doesn't do it's on and off flow cycle (which I have seen on previous trips), but it's still worth seeing. Here's a shot from the stream.


Me and the kids hiking up to the spring.


A sign by the stream explains the theory of how it works.


A flower shot (Fireweed - thanks for the ID, Alex).


Monday morning Jolene and I went out for a ride - the first real road bike ride for Jolene since we bought a road bike for her in back in May. She did well and we had a good time. The farm roads of Star Valley are nice for road riding.


Riding in style in matching FatCyclist jerseys.


After the ride we cleaned up the ranch house, loaded the van and wandered downtown Afton browsing books, looking at toys, and eating ice cream.


On the drive home we stopped at Evanston to pay a visit to Porters - purveyors of the volatile combination of fireworks and liquor, which oddly works for Wyoming. My 6-year-old boy was in paradise. His eyes had a crazed look as he darted excitedly from one cool explosive to the next. We walked out with only modest pyrotechnics. Anyone interested in a roman candle duel?

Driving down I-80 in Utah the traffic slowed and I wondered if it was a police search up ahead and I'd finally be a misdemean like all the cool kids. But it was just construction.

And thus the Summer family vacation came to and end.