Journeys: Grand Teton National Park

     I woke suddenly at 4 a.m. because a river of snot was flowing from my nose into my mouth. I knew immediately that I was very sick. I worked my jaw and my throat was dry and throbbing with pain. I found a roll of toilet paper in a camping box and steadily blew my nose until the entire roll had been used. I stood outside my truck leaning against the bed trying to sleep vertically. Shortly after 5 a.m. dawn slowly began to illuminate the landscape. The weather over the mountains was quite poor and soon a slight drizzle started over our campsite. I knocked on the Europeans' window and informed them I had a bad head cold and was going to town to buy some medicine. Fortunately the Albertson's in Jackson was open when I got there near 7 a.m. I bought medicine then drove back into the park. I parked at the visitor's center, took my medicine, and fell into a deep slumber in the driver's seat.

It was 11 a.m. when I woke up again. I felt groggy, but the medicine was doing its job and I felt much better. I went into the visitor's center in search of water and found Thomas and Carsten planning a backcountry overnight camping trip. "Charlie! Charlie!" Thomas called out. Thomas directly divulged the details of their plan. After they finished up at the visitor's center they would drive to Leigh Lake and hike a few miles to the west side of the lake and camp. There was a waterfall nearby and Thomas wanted to take some photos since the poor weather and gray skies would not bother the shot. Thomas offered for me to join them and promised he would tell me the best story I had ever heard around the camp fire that night. I accepted.

At the trailhead Thomas and Carsten prepared and set off quickly. I lagged behind sick and groggy preparing my gear at my truck. When I finally got started I was surprised to find a good deal of snow still covering the trail. The snow pack was knee deep in places and although I had my gaiters I wished I had my snowshoes. I caught up with Thomas and Carsten just as they reached the campsite. The Europeans were wearing jeans and tennis shoes and were soaked from the knees down. Building a fire to dry shoes and clothes was top priority. Soon flames were licking awfully close to socks and jeans hung on a line over the fire pit. While Carsten and I continued to scavenge for firewood, Thomas decided to rinse off in the lake since he was already half naked. Fully naked, Thomas danced a jig in three inches of water hooting and hollering at the top of his lungs. Apparently the lake was cold. Carsten and I laughed.

The clothes were drying quickly, but Thomas decided the waterfall was too far from the campsite. Instead we would hike back to the Leigh Lake outlet that dumps into String Lake and take photos. As we reached the outlet the sky cleared just enough to reveal Teewinot Mountain and we took some photos. Next Thomas perched out on a rock in the outlet and took some more photos. We hiked back to camp for dinner and the best story I have heard in a long time. Thomas's 13 year story.

About 15 years ago Thomas Salme decided he wanted to be a pilot. He knew he could not afford to go to flight school so he gained access to an airline flight simulator and snuck in practice sessions over the course of a year. When he felt comfortable that he could safely pilot an airplane he went home and crafted a terrible fake pilot's license out of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of white paper. He applied to an airline and somehow they accepted his fake license. Two years later Thomas was promoted to captain of a 737. He would fly for 11 years as captain passing all concurrent training and maintaining a flawless safety record. He was finally caught in Amsterdam and arrested. He had flown unlicensed for 13 years. His punishment? Grounded for one year and fined $2,500.00. I told Thomas he would still be in jail if he had pulled that stunt in the United States. Thomas confesses that what he did was wrong, but felt he never put anyone in danger. Two years later Thomas is successfully building a photography career focused on fashion and modeling. A book about his illegal pilot's life is titled 13 Years In Heaven and will be released in Sweden at the end of May. I found it hard to believe, but Google confirmed his story. See for yourself.