Definitely a “SEIZE THE JOURNEY” kind of day!!  Below are the photos from today and well as a partial Journey Report due to limited laptop battery as well as WiFi access.  My day began in a wonderful hostel in Nampa, Idaho and ended at a wonderful campsite in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, where I'll be spending the next 3 days exploring (mainly on 2 feet)! More later.... AGirl Hostel is located in Nampa, ID even though it is called “Hostel Boise... A Country Place” I've stayed in a lot of hostels and this was a very nice, clean, welcoming, well-run hostel.  After visiting with the owner last night I can see why.  (Thanks, Elsa!!!) I'd certainly recommend staying here.  For more information about this hostel click: HERE My private room at the hostel: Started the day on I-84 eastbound though the interstate thankfully only lasted for less than 60 miles in favor of US 20, a rural, rather scenic, high speed highway as I was en route to Lava Beds National Monument: Hmmm, let's see, you lose your brakes on a 10% grade, then in order to use the “Run Away Truck Ramp” you get to cross over oncoming traffic!!: I spoke with several management and field officers here about the Bear Spray.  They said it was not “required” in their National Forest nor the Grand Teton National Park, but that it is “Highly Recommended”.  All said they wouldn't hike without it.  The district manager was kind enough to give me the scoop on where to pick it up in Jackson at the best price as well as tell me to be sure and “get the larger can and make sure it is oil based, not water based... we all know what happens to water under 32 degrees, right.”  There was some kind of special officer from the city of Jackson in the building as well who added “make sure you absolutely don't store it in direct heat or in an enclosed space, I've seen more results of exploded bear spray cans than I can remember.  It will blow the windows out of a car like a bomb went off.”  So, armed with this info I went to acquire my can of Bear Spray, all the while wondering where the hell I'm going to store it on my motorcycles since the hard cases are out and anything else is in direct exposure to the sun! I went and bought the bear repellent for the bear, and a Grizzly Bar for me: View leaving Jackson Hole: Look how happy Mo is! While riding into the park, Mo (my Alaskan Moose passenger) yells “WHOAAAAAA, AGirl!! There's cousin Manny!!!!”: Jenny lake Campground was full so I headed to Colter Bay Campground, but was met with 30 minute road construction delays – not a welcome sight when you're trying to beat the sun!”: Made it in plenty of time to set up camp.  As a side note, the Coulter Bay Campground allows motorcycles in their “Hiker-Biker Only” sights, which is a completely separate area from the rest of the entire campground (literally it's on it's own road), and is something I've never experienced in all my two wheeled motorized travels.  The “main” campground was packed and noisy, but the Hiker-Biker section (approx 12 sites) was quiet (only had 3 occupants, all on motorbikes), and the campsites were very spread out and private. Everything here is about the bear.  There are warnings every place you turn it seems like: Taking no chances (who knows, maybe Sidi boots smell good to bears??), I locked all my stuff up: Minutes before darkness fell, a solo hiker comes walking down the road.  English wasn't his first language, though he did speak English very well.  I met “Andrew”, a big-time climber and hiker from the Czech Republic: Andrew was here in the Grand Teton to attend the “International Symposium on Fluorine Chemistry” at the main lodge.  He decided to stay and romp around the park after the conference.  Thanks, Andrew, for a GREAT evening (though I stayed up way to late talking!). For the geographically challenged, here is a map of today's route: Copyright © 2006-2012, All Rights Reserved.