Today we woke up to the rain. I could hear it from inside the tent and cringed, feeling warm and cozy in my sleeping bag, reluctant to get packed up and head to our next stop.

By 8 a.m., we knew it was time to leave The Grand Tetons and head toward the Rocky Mountains. With an anticipated drive of over 7 hours, we curtailed it to 5 for a stop in Saratoga, Wyoming.

Hubs had found us a B&B months earlier, and I was so glad for a hot shower and large accommodations that I cried. I actually burst into tears because (1) it wasn’t raining (we packed up the tent in freezing rain, about 34 degrees on the ground) and (2) the proprietor had hot tea available upon our arrival. My tears confused him, but I couldn’t help myself. The freezing rain made everyone cry except for Hubs, who said packing up in freezing rain was inevitable! He meant we’d hit some kind of snag in a three-week vacation, but I was surprised and irritated nonetheless.

After Ryan and Annie (the inn-keepers) showed off their neighbor’s collection of rescue parrots (the parrots came from a rescue center in Denver, CO), they offered a plate of hot snickerdoodle and chocolate chip cookies. I could have cried some more, but opted for eating my feelings—I mean, the cookies.

Next, we headed for the hot springs. They’re local, free, and SUPER FRIGGEN COOL! There were three pools, which connected to a river system, which was not as hot. The temps in the pools were about 119, 109, and 100. They called the hottest pool “The Lobster Pot,” which was telling enough to keep all of us out. The 100 degree pool was perfect for everyone, with outside temps of a perfect 75 and sunshine.

We found dinner in tow at the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort. Everyone was happy with burgers, fish and chips, and salads. Keeping it simple made everyone more than satisfied.

We ended the day with a game of pool in the resort bar, which was very tame and occupied by mostly twenty-somethings, enjoying a summer Monday in this small town of about 1200 people.

We’re pumped to find Rocky Mountain tomorrow. We’ll have dinner at a local rodeo and take in some American culture I’m sure our youngest will be surprised to see. LM2 is on the hunt for a Stetson, and I can’t blame him. Here’s hoping our little cowboy finds what he’s looking for.

Peace today came in the form of a restful retreat in the hot springs. I’ll rest there any day and look forward to another busy day tomorrow.

Share the peace!