6th day: Winter is back

It's pretty cold in my room, and I'm going to stay in bed for a little while longer. You don't have to get up at 6:00 in the morning. When I finally motivate myself to shower, it's already after seven and I plan to drive to Grand Teton National Park at 8:00 a.m.

When I open the door, I see a car covered in snow. Quite surreal at the end of May. But up here it's cooler and the temperature is at freezing point. It takes 15 minutes to clear the snow and I leave at 8:15 a.m. and arrive almost exactly at 9:45 a.m.

Just before the National Park is the small town of Jackson, which I would avoid. Because it's crazy busy here. As a starting point for the two National Parks, Grand Teton and Yellowstone, it's understandable that thousands of tourists flock here. It's too much for me. It takes an eternity to get through with just the car.

The moment I see the sign for the National Park, I realize that this day is taking a not so good turn. Trying to take a picture with the mountain range in the background is a bit difficult to do. Because there is no mountain range in the background. The view of the natural wonder is zero.

I drive to two lookouts, only to realize that today is a futile effort to enjoy the National Park. At least in the way I imagined it. The nature is still impressive, but without the mountains, it's nothing special anymore. I admit defeat and think about what to do.

That's a problem with road tripping. You usually have follow-up bookings waiting for you. And you can't just cancel them. Well, you could, but you don't want to. So skip it. Driving the loop further is pretty pointless.

My weather app gives me a thought that might turn out positive for this natural event. Sunshine is forecast for tomorrow morning. So I decide to drive the 130 km back to my accommodation, take it easy there, and get up at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning to come back here. That's an extra 350 km, but the route to the next destination tomorrow is relatively short at 350 km. What are 700 km in a day?

Assuming, of course, that the weather doesn't change again and it gets hazy again tomorrow morning. Then it's not meant to be. However, today I am compensated by a small herd of elk grazing with their young on the snow-covered area. And the winter landscape is truly beautiful.

After shopping at the local market and buying sushi, fried chicken, and smoked tri-tip, the German owner of my accommodation, Sofia, invites me for an espresso and tells me how she ended up here in the USA 30 years ago coming from Füssen in Allgäu. A remarkable story of quitting a secure job, self-reflection, and finding happiness.

And after she mentions that she drives 100 km to Jackson twice a week for yoga, my hopefully happening trip in the wee hours of the morning doesn't seem so bad anymore. What are distances after all?