Slow Down: Wyoming Ahead

Life has been overly hectic the last few months, and other than a quick political theory post I slammed out for Bree, I haven't blogged since hockey season.  I was even pretty remiss in my hockey blogging, giving up somewhere during the playoffs as show season overlapped Nashville's deep(er) run.  Yet, even with all the goings-on nothing felt quite blog-worthy...not worthy enough to forgo what little sleep I have been getting to put finger to keyboard, anyway.


Until now.  After a very long, hot show season this summer we finally got to the hottest days of August and our long-awaited vacation.  After driving over 1300 miles to Rapid City where we deposited truck and trailer in advance of the Kool Deadwood Nites show, we hopped in a rental car and took off for 500 more miles, across Wyoming.  Our final destination was Grand Teton National Park. 


The drive across the entire state of Wyoming felt never ending and we were questioning our common sense (and other faculties) for choosing to sandwich this short two-day vacation in between so much other driving and work.  We arrived at our cabin in the middle of the night on Monday, and in the darkness we couldn't see anything at all beyond our headlights. 

Our cabin was "rustic," meaning that it had no TV or other amenities.  It had electricity and heat, but no air conditioning.  It had a bathroom with shower, but no tub.  Everything was very basic and plain but we were so tired it didn't really matter.  The dogs didn't settle in that first night, and their intermittent barking combined with the not-quite-full-size bed meant I didn't sleep very well and after waking up at 6:00am on Tuesday I decided to go ahead and get up for the morning and drive down to the little convenience store for milk to make coffee.

As soon as I turned off the cabin road onto the main road leading to the store I was met with the most amazing view...a snow-capped mountain peeking up above the trees.  It was a chilly 37 degrees and my fingers were frosty but I pulled off to the side of the parking lot just to get a better look.  At that point I was so energized it felt as if I had slept soundly all night.  I rushed back to the cabin and waited for Kirby to wake up, around 8:00.  I couldn't wait for him to see what I had seen.


We had some coffee in the room, and headed to the restaurant for breakfast around 10:00.  He wasn't as excited about the mountain view as I had been, since he lived in Colorado for a few years and had seen actual mountains before.  After breakfast we took a short walk down to the marina and once he laid eyes on the crystal clear lake he was finally feeling some of the same excitement as I was.

Even though we only spent two short days at Colter Bay it felt like much longer.  With nothing to do but enjoy nature and the breathtaking surroundings we were able to slow down to a relaxing pace we haven't experienced in quite some time.  Maybe ever, actually.  The second day we took a lake cruise and a horseback ride, and that night we drove up through the southern part of Yellowstone to Old Faithful and back south.  Around every bend in the road was another unbelievable view.


I can't believe it's taken me this long to venture out to this part of the country, but I hope that it won't be long before I return.  As much as I've always been a beach lover, I was shocked to find I might be more of a mountain person.  Despite being late in the season, the parks were still fairly busy and crowded, but they are also so huge that it's very easy to still feel alone.   What I used to love about the beach as a kid no longer works for me as an adult, and the bottom line on my vacations now is quiet, alone time.  Until I can afford to vacation on a beach that will give me quiet, alone time I think I'm going to stick with the rugged mountain wilderness.

I also can't imagine how the early explorers felt when they first laid eyes on this place, but I have an idea.  No pictures can do it justice, so I was not in the least bit prepared for the stunningly beautiful landscape God placed in this strange corner of the world.  We were not gone five minutes and I already pined to return.  Hell, we hadn't even left at all and I was already despondent that I even had to leave.  It makes perfect sense why Jackson Hole is a favorite vacation spot of celebrities and the rich and famous. It is the only place I've ever been where time seems to come to a complete stop, there is no hustle and bustle--only silence and beauty.  I've never been to Hollywood, but I bet that's a far cry from what you get there.  Probably the farthest from that scene that you can get on this planet.

I highly recommend EVERYONE go there, at least once.  It was beyond worth the additional 1200 miles we racked up on the trip.  I'm plotting my return and planning for a way to buy a cabin there and just run away...