Tuesday's dinner was a barbeque, with most folks hanging close to the smoky grill just to enjoy relief from the mosquitoes.

And, as is typical of these gatherings, maps were brought out, and plans made for this fall's pack trips.

But after dinner, we were on our own. A few brave souls elected to fish the nearby stream, although they probably lost more weight by mosquitoes sucking their blood than had been replenished by the 1-lb burgers. A few wiser ones headed down the valley and up into the next mountain range for their fishing, trading a fierce mosquito problem for a minor deerfly problem.

Still others headed up towards the pass, sneaking peeks at the Tetons.

One other, one of the new, younger biologists, took off by himself for a quick hike up to Lake Louise.

But a sizeable lot of us headed up to the lodge.

With its wonderful view of the Fitzpatrick Wilderness.

To watch DVDs of the PBS specials recently aired about our state's wildlife issues. It was early in the first DVD that we noticed it.

Rain.

Our 20 percent chance had just become 100 percent. I was surprised I was the only one who said the heck with watching TV, and hopped up to go outside.

It was rain!

While savoring the cool breezes and smell of ozone, I saw our lone hiker was probably still in sunlight at Lake Louise.

But I couldn't tarry on the porch long, because soon the wind drove the rain straight in from the west.

As I circled around the lodge, those inside scrambled to close windows. And I settled in on the south and east sides under the eaves. Fighting off the mosquitoes sharing my dry refuge.

For a brief moment we had a light rain, complete with rainbow

and then the deluge began.

And I knew our lone hiker would be soaked when he got back.

It was still pouring when the DVDs ended, and the dozen or so watchers came out to enjoy the last of the storm. Followed soon by a partial double rainbow.

All our wanderers made it back safely. Although one crew had to leave their car a couple miles down the road because of the mud that washed down on our road.

By the time the card playing commenced, the mosquitoes were back in full force.

Just noticeably slower because of the cool air.