Day Seven

Day seven, and we were all ready for a little relaxation. A long soak in a therapeutic natural hot spring was just what the doctor ordered. We loaded the van and John's Subaru and headed south for Granite Hot Springs. We followed the Snake River until it intersects with the Hoback River and then headed southeast though the Hoback River Canyon where we spotted a large herd of bighorn sheep. We turned left on the Granite Creek Road and followed it for another 10 miles on a rough dirt road. Along the way, we saw several mule deer and a moose and stopped by Granite Falls to get a closer look. At the springs, a group of us hiked a couple of miles farther up the canyon to see what we could find while others stayed back to soak. The springs run at 93 degrees in the summer, which is just warm enough to soothe aching muscles, but not too hot to be uncomfortable. Some of the students spent close to 3 hours soaking. We all left feeling renewed and a little more relaxed.

The afternoon was spent working in the studio, and then we headed to the Jackson Hole Rodeo for a night of entertainment and shooting. Most of the students had never been to a rodeo before and were impressed with the culture surrounding the sport. Several students had long lenses, and after some brief instruction, they moved closer to the action and started getting some nice shots. Unfortunately, the danger of the sport was made apparent later in the evening as a bronc rider was accidentally crushed under the weight of a bucking horse. Silence fell over the crowd as medics were called in to try and revive the young man's lifeless body. Several of the students were undoubtedly emotional after witnessing the tragic event and had to leave for the cabins. Later that night, John and I spoke with some of the distraught students on our front porch. Talking seemed to ease their minds, and we ended up laughing and carrying on until well after midnight.