Bike the Tetons

I can't believe how beautiful it is here! Today we rode bikes on the bike path from the ski area into Wilson. On the way we stopped in front of the Wilderness Ventures office and said hello to Mike and Helen Cottingham. We got ice cream in Wilson and found a park to play in. Some people played tag, but I rested in the shade. I have only been here two days, and I already feel like I know everyone so well. I'm so excited to have new friends from all over the country. There is even one girl, Mariana, who is from Spain! Our leaders Jeff and Alicia are also so nice. Jeff plays guitar and last night we all sang songs around the campfire. After biking, we took the tram up to the top of the ski mountain. We could see all the way to Yellowstone. I can't wait to go!
-Elly

The Boiling River

Today we visited Mammoth Hot Springs. Then on our way to town to take showers, we saw a road sign that pointed to a swimming hole. To get to this place we had to follow a long and beautiful trail. When we got there I jumped in as fast as I could. The water in some parts was hot, but in other places it was freezing. The current was amazingly strong! We had splashing fights and played in the water all afternoon. The warm water and fun current made this part of the trip one of the best!
-Luke

Sea Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake

We had an awesome time sea kayaking on Yellowstone Lake. Sea kayaking was a nice way to get away from the crowds and see the Park.  The views of the mountains were beautiful and we saw tons of wildlife. We watched bald eagles and osprey fly, and saw otters, goldeneye ducks and deer.

For lunch we pulled our kayaks up onto the sand and ate along the shore.  Before getting going again, we tossed around the frisbee Jimmy brings everywhere with him.  Nick, Sarah and Alexander went for a swim.  The water was freezing and we got some really funny pictures of them rushing out of the water. 

In the afternoon the kayaking specialist, Caitlin, designed a race for us.  We had to paddle, and then half way to the finish line make a 360 degree turn in our kayaks and switch paddles with our partners.  Once we reached the finish line, we had to chug our water bottles before being able to win.  Matt and I won, but Lilly and Nick weren't far behind!
-Bess

Happy 4th of July!

We just had the best week in Yellowstone. We were all sad to leave! We got to see a ton of wildlife though on our float trip down the Snake River today. We saw two moose and a bald eagle! Our guide Joseph was impressed by how much we already knew. We made dinner in a park in Jackson Hole. We had hamburgers, cole slaw and water mellon. We all wore red, white and blue, and the leaders gave us party hats and streamers. The leader surprised us by taking us to the rodeo. It was the BEST!!! We got to see real cow boys. Half way through we were allowed to go into the rink and chase a pig. Tommy pulled the tag off its tail and they announced the Wilderness Ventures group to the crowd and everyone cheered. On the way back to the campground we stopped for ice cream and watched the fire works from a feild. Today was my favorite day of the trip.
-Sally

Rafting the Snake

What a way to end our trip! Today we went rafting on the Snake River in Jackson Hole. It was a hot day, so the water was perfect for water fights. We got in a water fight with the other boat, and John fell in when he threw a bucket full of water. It was pretty funny. We all jumped in after John and swam in the cold water. The rapids were awesome! Lunch Counter was definitely the best. The waves were huge! We made it through like pros though. Too bad we leave tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone so much.
- Peter