June 29-30, 2026 (Mon.-Tue.) – Tiny Mouse, Big Tetons.

/ Critters, Tetons, Wyoming / By

June 29, 2026 (Mon.) - Cold outside...Chaos Inside.

We had no set plans today. The forecast called for another cold, rainy day, so we figured we’d mostly stay tucked inside.

 

Lynn was up early at 5:30 a.m. to a bracing 30°—with a “feels like” of 29°. Under 30 degrees and it’s almost July; Wyoming clearly didn’t get the memo. But at least there was a pretty pink sunrise. Kirk was up at 9:00 a.m., and almost immediately the fireplace quit, the microwave went dark, and the power went out.

 

While Kirk was troubleshooting the power issue, he realized we also had no water pressure. He headed to the office—closed, of course—but managed to reach someone by phone. Apparently the park had shut off both power and water for reasons unknown. Everything came back on within an hour, but not before the bathroom water sensor started shrieking. Thankfully, this time there actually was a small puddle on the floor, so at least the alarm wasn’t being dramatic for no reason. No idea where the water came from, but at least it wasn’t a mystery malfunction.

 

The rest of the day was spent staying warm inside. By noon, outside temps had climbed to 40°, but the weather app insisted it felt like 25°, which didn’t seem physically possible but there it was. Lynn blogged, caught up on chores, and chipped away at her two‑week backlog. Kirk relaxed, watched a movie, and baked cornbread in the air fryer—which turned out surprisingly good for RV cooking.

 

By 10 p.m., Lynn was still typing away, Kirk was in the shower, and out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. A shadow? A trick of the light? She hoped so. But then another flicker… and another… and then the truth scurried right across the floor: a mouse! It darted from one couch to the other, and of course this entire scene unfolded while Kirk was still in the shower. There’s nothing worse than having a critter in your home and not knowing where it is. At one point it was right near her feet, prompting an involuntary (and surprisingly loud) scream. Cute or not, unexpected mouse encounters are never calming.

 

She talked herself down from climbing onto a chair—we’re bigger than it is, it’s more scared of us than we are of it… aren’t those the sayings?—and kept blogging with her feet pulled up, one eye on the keyboard and one eye scanning the floor.

 

At 10:15, Kirk finally emerged and set out three mouse traps—thank goodness we had some on hand. Within thirty minutes, one snapped. The little guy was caught, and Lynn could finally breathe again. Kirk will take care of the “post‑trap duties” tomorrow. Hopefully it was a one‑off visitor who slipped in by accident. Two traps are still out just in case, but at least tonight Lynn can sleep.

 

Her imagination had been running wild with every possible what if: what if there’s mouse poop everywhere… what if there’s more than one… what if it made a nest in her yarn… what if it chewed through the RV wiring… what if it got into the food… what if it gets us sick… and on and on. Now, with the culprit caught, her mind is finally at ease (somewhat).

 

Despite the cold, the power hiccups, and our unexpected late‑night visitor, we ended the day grateful for a warm RV, working traps, and the hope that tomorrow brings fewer surprises. Not many pics today.

 

Weather – High 47*, Low 30*. Winds 2-16 mph with 29 mph gusts. 80% chance of rain. No humidity.

Traffic – None. Didn’t go anywhere.

Food – Kirk made cornbread in the RV Air Fryer – not bad.

Notable – Mouse in the RV!

Screen time – Wolf Man

June 30, 2026 (Tue.) - Grant Teton National Park.

Today’s plan was to drive through Grand Teton National Park. We knew it was peak summer madness, so the strategy was simple: cruise the park, hit the overlooks/turnouts, and mentally prepare for the kind of chaos only July tourism can deliver.

 

Lynn was up at 6:15 a.m. to yet another frosty morning—32°. Wyoming continues to insist it’s winter. Even with the heater and fireplace going full blast, the cold clung to her legs like a determined barnacle. Blogging with a heating pad helped… but only slightly. Kirk rolled out at 9:15, and after a quick breakfast and a few chores—including the glamorous task of dispatching yesterday’s mouse—we hit the road at 10:15.

 

The drive to the Tetons took about an hour and fifteen minutes. We reached the entrance at 11:30, joining a long line of cars. While waiting, we debated the annual pass versus the one‑time fee. The annual pass (America the Beautiful) made sense since we’ll be visiting more parks, but if we wait until October, Kirk can snag the senior lifetime pass for the same price ($80). Before we could decide, the gate staff waved us through—they weren’t processing payments to keep traffic moving and told everyone to buy passes inside the park stores. So we rolled right in… free for now. Unexpected perk.

 

First stop: the Visitor Center. It was packed to the rafters. Lines for rangers, lines for souvenirs, lines for lines. The sticker selection was huge, but impossible to browse with the crowd density of a rock concert. We grabbed a map and escaped.

 

The day was gorgeous, but the traffic was pure summer insanity. We tried Jenny Lake, but parking was a myth—cars and RVs lined the roads for miles. We managed a few overlooks and barn stops for photos. We attempted lunch at Jenny Lake’s restaurant, but the parking attendant informed us they were reservation‑only for the rest of the day… it was only noon! So we kept going.

 

We finally stopped at Signal Mountain and had lunch at The Peak Restaurant, which overlooks the lake. While eating, we watched two water‑scooper planes skim the lake to fight the Kinky Creek Fire—pretty cool to watch. Afterward, we ducked into the gift shop and picked up a mini Trivial Pursuit (America’s Story edition) for the truck —perfect for keeping us awake on those long drives home when we both start getting groggy, plus a monocle for Lynn’s future wildlife spotting.

 

After lunch, we continued the loop, stopping at nearly every overlook, turnout and the famous barns. We now have hundreds of photos—many of them suspiciously similar. The Tetons are gorgeous from every angle, but somehow the camera never quite captures the magic. Between the mountains, lakes, rivers, and wide‑open skies, the Tetons never disappoint. Wildlife sightings were minimal since we didn’t hike or boat (plus we went at mid-day) —just a few marmots (squirrels?) and deer standing roadside, completely unfazed by the parade of cars creeping past.

 

By 6 p.m., we were back at the RV, happily finding no new mouse activity—the remaining traps sat empty with the cheese still untouched. Dinner was simple: chicken wraps. Lynn spent the evening sifting through the mountain of photos, and Kirk did the same. With three cameras between us, the picture pile grows fast.

 

And then came the day’s biggest revelation: Kirk has been battling the truck’s sensors for months. They beep constantly as if something is near the truck—even when nothing is close. He’s taken it to dealerships in multiple states. They’ve blamed the aftermarket grill guard or claimed they fixed it. But today, stuck in Teton traffic with the alarms blaring, Kirk spotted a button on the dash… a mute button for the sensors! Although there’s a button, it still doesn’t resolve the issue but after all those visits, miles, and states—not one Ford mechanic mentioned it. He found it by accident (after a year and a half of owning the truck). Life‑changing. Truly life‑changing.

 

After a day of icy mornings, crowded overlooks/turnouts, endless photos, and one very unexpected/dead RV roommate, we ended the night tired, amused, and grateful for both the Tetons’ grandeur and a mouse‑free home.

 

Weather – High 47*, Low 31*. Winds 0-12 mph with 23 mph gusts. Rain = 90% (.05″). No humidity.

Traffic – Absolutely crazy in Grand Teton National Park.

Food – Nothing notable.

Notable – Grand Teton National Park. A mute button for the truck sensors!