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Camping with the Cabradillas

When Tim and I come back to Jackson, there is no better way to spend a weekend then camping in the Gros Ventres.   Devoid of tourists, it’s a peaceful getaway when the Town Square is shoulder to shoulder with summer visitors.

This year Tim, Betsy and Nico Cabradilla  joined us for a June weekend of relaxation, good food, fishing and NO cell service.  Now that’s heaven.

 

Fishing for the Impossible Trout

 

We drove into the hills Friday afternoon to meet up with Tim and Bets who’d gone in the morning.  I dropped Tim B. off about 10 miles from our meet up spot so that he could fit in a bike ride.  As I drove the van in, I ran into Tim C. about 6 miles in.  We decided to switch locations since the creeks weren’t clear where we’d originally planned to camp.

I followed Tim C. into the hidden camp spot to find Betsy and little Nico waiting for us on a beautiful site right on Crystal Creek.  As we drove by, we passed 100 feet from a black bear who was leisurely rambling by right next to the Cabradilla’s trailer.  In all the excitement, it took me a few minutes to get back to the road to post the sign telling biking Tim B. that we’d moved.

As fate would have it, he of course sailed right by in that 90 second window.   With no cell service to communicate, it was 25 miles of riding later before we finally found Tim, searching each and every campsite along the Gros Ventre road.  We herded everyone together and headed back to camp for Pressure Cooker BBQ chicken, Bacon Maple beer and more than a few laughs.

 

Rogue’s Voodoo Doughnut Ale – Bacon Maple deliciousness

 

Saturday it was time to fish.  We drove further into Crystal Creek where Tim C. and Tim B. both caught some nice cutties.  The girls were skunked but that in no way hindered our good moods.  We returned back to camp to stalk the Impossible Trout buried in the trees and have general silliness around camp.

 

Big Girl Little Bike

 

Nico shows us all how it’s done

 

Tim C. wowed us all with yet another gourmet camp creation for dinner – pork schnitzel.  Much discussion was had on our dream of publishing a book and video series, “The Two Burner Cookbook – Leave the Hot Dogs at Home” (Title suggestions are welcome!)

 

Camp Chef Gourmet!

 

Sunday we packed up and returned to cell service to prepare for the the work week.  While Tim and Betsy returned to Jackson, Tim B. and I decided to set up camp at Gros Ventre Campground to clean up the van and get some more water.

We spent Sunday afternoon on a sweaty bike ride up Shadow Mountain, sharing recovery beers under the Tetons on the deck at Dornans and pedaling back to camp.  Once in camp we discovered that the site tenants before us had built a large heart out of stones displaying their initials.  We had to follow the tradition!

 

M + T

 

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