People with cameras gathered ahead. Our friend, John, pulled the car over to the side of the road. He correctly predicted there must be an animal sighting. Yes, indeed! This was one more delightful surprise in our traveling life.
A very healthy-looking moose munched on grasses at the edge of a small pond. By the way, that piece of skin hanging down from the moose’s neck is called a dewlap. (We learned that from John.)
The moose bore a striking resemblance to the moose back in our hotel room at the historic Mountain View Hotel in Centennial, Wyoming.
How unexpected, and yet… Our visit to hike in the Snowy Range just outside Centennial had been filled with one great sight after another.
Taking relatively easy hikes through high mountains is our idea of fun. Perfection is achieved when glaciers, lakes, wildflowers, animals and butterflies are added.
Each hike we took had some interesting features, like the …
…butterfly (or is it a moth?) we only saw once on our hike near Brooklyn Lake….
…and the gnarled tree….
Still, there was another surprise that took us aback at breakfast one morning. After we finished our meal, the couple at the next table stopped Joe and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another and it turned out he worked with a friend of ours in Iowa. What a small, small world!
Sandy and Wayne (flanking Joe and Beth) were locals, having moved to Centennial years ago. They invited us over to their place for a tour, and we had several meals with them and their friends.
When we started our travels many years ago, we were tentative and timid. With the passing years, we’ve learned by experience to be more confident and open to what’s around us. After all, surprises are just around the corners, and we don’t want to miss them.
August 2018
simpletravelourway 
Love the pic of the gnarled tree and your happy, beaming smile in the photo of you two with your friends. I remember backpacking in the mountains near Butte, Montana years ago and having a bull moose saunter into our camp in the afternoon. What a hugely awesome (and slightly scary) experience it was to see such a magnificent creature up close and personal. You sound like you’re having the time of your lives on your US travel leg! Anita
Fun to follow your “off the beaten track” travels. You visit many places we never even considered in our 36 years of traveling across the US and Canada.
Good thing you taught us about dewlaps. Otherwise I’d never have been able to distinguish pond moose from hotel moose…
How lovely to make new friends along the way.
Wonderful post! The moose, the gnarled tree, great hikes in spectacular country, and making new friends. The joys of travel.