Transportation Conference in the Grand Tetons

mt moran.jpgThe last two days I’ve been attending a conference on transportation strategies for the Greater Yellowstone area at the Grand Teton Lodge, sponsored by the Yellowstone Business Partnership. The keynote speaker, Todd Litman, provided some inspirational and thought provoking ideas about our perceptions of transportation—he is the founder and executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. I attended other interesting sessions on transportation in national parks, “smart streets,” and regional trail networks.

The Grand Tetons lent the conference a spectacular setting. The main room at the Grand Teton Lodge has a breathtaking view of Mount Moran in its enormous floor-to-ceiling window. Moose and grizzly bears often wander on the property. Last night I stood outside of my room and watched the first thunderstorm I have seen since leaving California. Lightning danced on the high peaks and the downdraft from the energetic clouds felt wonderful (and not chilly!) on my face.

Mount Moran, pictured at right, stands 12,605 feet high and was named for the famed landscape artist Thomas Moran.