Ranger Evan with great Niece & nephew

It is July 20th already. Where has the time gone? My season in the Tetons is over half completed, 10 more weeks and it is back to Flagstaff. After 10 years here as a ranger I have decided to "hang it up." I am far from tired of the place but need to do something else, more specifically, I think I'd like to be able to travel some again in the summers before age catches up with me. In additon, I'd like to vist my daughter and grandsons in the summer time, go to the beach with them, maybe a ball game. Time goes by so fast and you miss the time with family and those grandsons are growing up fast.

The weather here has maintained a normal summer temp in the low to mid 80s. The number of visitors to the park have steadily increased as per usual for this time of year. This inspite of higher gas prices. The parking lot at Jenny Lake is perpetually full by 9am. There are many complaints about that; it is like "Disneyland!

However, I do have a different perspective on park visitation now that I have worked at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center after 9 years at Colter Bay. Even though much smaller than the other two VCs, we get the bulk of the visitors. I think that for time spent in the park visitors spend more time in our area. By the same token, Colter Bay is a very busy area as well. In both cases there are campgrounds, stores, camp talk amphitheaters, and hiking trails associated in each area. The big, new "Discovery Center" at Moose, near headquarters, while having great displays, is just a stopping off point. There is no reason for vistors to "hang out" there for very long. Perhaps it might have been more beneficial to have built new VCs where the people hang-out, but what do I know, I am only a seasonal ranger.

Movie review: I saw the new Batman flick (The Dark Knight) the other day and it was excellent. Again, I say I am not a fan of "Super Hero" movies but this one along with "Iron Man" were the quality of the summer in that genre, although Batman is better. The late Heath Ledger steals the movie as "The Joker." In the past these movies have played as "tongue in cheek" fantasies, but this is a darker view, with some undertones dealing with real issues. It is a continuation of "Batman Begins" by the same director/screen writer. Although I liked Michael Keaton as Batman ( and not others since who have played that role including George Clooney, who I like a lot in other roles) Christian Bale is far and above the best in this character. The cast is phenomenal. I recommend this film.