DAY 18 – Vernal to Jackson (286 miles driven, 3.70 miles walked)
It was another long drive today – five hours from Vernal, UT to Jackson, WY. We’d been told that the first and last segments of the drive were the most attractive. The first hour or so was following a winding road through tree lined hills. There was definite evidence of autumn fall here now with the leaves looking very attractive as we headed north to Wyoming.
We made a couple of stops before swapping drivers and reaching the boring section of the drive. The first was at Flaming Gorge Dam with another vomit inducing drop over one side and a very attractive lake on the other.
The second stop was at Rock Springs Walmart to pick up some bits and pieces. It’s nowhere near as cheap to shop here as it has been in previous visits but it is possible to pick up things that just aren’t available at home. So if, for example, you receive a Paw Patrol gift for Christmas this year you’ll know where it came from. I also bought a bandana in a vain attempt to make myself look more like Willy Nelson but for some reason I don’t seem to be able to pull the look off!
In the change from Walmart’s self checkout was a dollar bill that looked like it had been defaced. IT HAD BEEN DEFACED but the result was actually rather cool as it allowed you to trace where you bill had previously been. This does rely on people bothering to go to the website and enter the details but being a public spirited fellow I did so. Turns out the first entry for my bill was on a cruise ship so it has travelled far.
We arrived in Jackson late afternoon and dropped our stuff off at the place we are staying before we walked downtown. Jackson is a year round town catering to visitors to the nearby Grand Teton (pronounced Tee-ton) park in the summer and skiers in the winter and the shops reflected this clientele. It was another attractive place and we will no doubt explore it more tomorrow after returning from the park.
