Bull Frog Toes - Adventures and Stories: The Teton Crest Trail - Wyoming - Part 5 - Day 1

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NOTE: Click any picture to enlarge.

As we headed down to our campsite, I am certain we were all starting to contemplate what was going on in our lives. I know I was and I know some other life changing shit was hitting the gang too. I had just started as project manager on a new government contract with the Navy's SPAWAR group. I did not know it at the time but I would be put through many sleepless nights as I tried to make my client happy. It seemed that every turn I made was not the one that they wanted, even if it was the right turn to make for the project. After winning my client a prestigious Navy award for excellence in environment deployment and implementation - they didn't seem to care. The relationship soured further. It was like being in a dysfunctional family (aren't they all really?) and I was trying to please two parents; no matter what you do, it is not good enough. This was my first bad experience with government contracting and it was a tough one. Sometimes you just have to do what the client wants regardless - the customer is always right as they say - even if the jeans do make you look fat. I am happy to have returned to the private sector - dealing with people of reason and compassion.

Anyhow - sorry for the digression again - but that was my frame of mind and that is why it is so important to get away with the real people in your life. I was thrilled to be out with the guys. Whitey, Flyrod and I completed our Lost Coast trip in 2011 and came away bonded. Having "Sugar" on this trip added a nice input to the rhythm of the hike; he was contemplating a move to FL with his company. Whitey had the "miracle" twins on the way, and Flyrod had some personal shit to deal with too. So it was therapy for all.

Got to love these flowers. Spring in July.

The gang heading down the last push to our camp.

We made camp easily and it was early in the afternoon; that was just fine - good first day. It gave us some time to sit around and veg while getting our kit sorted and dinner ready. The campsite was incredible. It was just up from the North Fork of Granite Creek - the outflow of Marion Lake and gave us good water for dinner. Oddly enough, and I will probably mention this on another post, but the next day a guy and his girlfriend hiked past us on the way to Marion Lake where we later observed/caught/spied them swimming naked in the lake. I am really glad our water filter was used for the dinner water that night - just saying.

Can't get enough of these

Camp 1 - Granite Canyon - North Fork. Found nice existing tent sites.

Dinner that night was Orzo pasta with Chicken. It is an easy dish and tastes fantastic. We were all hungry and like our last trip - I personally did not want freeze dried powder crap. Some of you may enjoy that - not me.