Sunday bike ride to church through the Grand Teton National Park

I decided to bike the 9 miles to church through the park this morning and try out my new park pass which I bought yesterday.

I flashed it at the ranger station as I left the ranch, and started peddling. It's 9 miles, 2-3 of which are over dusty dirt roads with pot holes. My new mountain bike, complete with bell and granny basket, handled them well. Car traffic was light on a Sunday morning.

Crossing a creek above...

I didn't see any wildlife during my 18 mile ride, despite the Moose Wilson Road normally being a prime viewing route. The ranger said a moose had been spotted but I didn't see it ;(
I took a leisurely ride and arrived an hour and 10 minutes after leaving the ranch. My first view of the little Episcopal Chapel of the Configuration was worth the trip! No, this isn't a postcard!

The Chapel was built in 1925 on land donated by Maud Noble. It is constructed of lodge pole pine logs with pews made of local aspen wood. It served dude ranchers and tourists at a time when the 12 mile buck board ride into Jackson was time consuming and uncomfortable.




Two Presidents have attended services here, Carter and Clinton, and a Henry Fonda movie featured the Chapel in 1963. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The window behind the altar perfectly frames the Cathedral group of the Teton Mountain peaks. Best part of today's service was that they took up the collection.... in a cowboy hat! ;)

The ride home was beautiful and uneventful, and I crossed a number of streams and small bridges. Great day checking out the local national park for the first time!