SUMMER OF FUN...
I know it has been quite some time since I have updated my blog. A ton has been going on, so I'm just going to dive right in.
Here goes...
Since I've updated last I've taken on a new position with the mountain, welcomed the summer season (a HUGE, WARM welcome), and watched my close friend, whom is one of the main reasons why I was so fortunate to live in this great place, move back to GA.
Just before my off season trip to California, my supervisor announced his leaving. This meant there would be an opening for a full time Front Desk Supervisor/Concierge position. Although a full time job wasn't what I wanted to get into, it would give me the chance to meet new people, make connections with vendors, and give me a change while working for the mountain. After some thought, I decided to take the position. I've shocked many people by telling them I'm on salary and let someone else determine my days off but at the end of the day, I enjoy what I do (for the most part :) ) and the people I work with. That counts for something right?
In the meantime, the warm weather began to come and linger a little longer each day. We all, the town and tourists included, took advantage. We were ready for the new adventures that would come with snow melting and prepared for another BUSY season in the wonderful world of hospitality. When I wasn't working, I was playing. Although the snow hung on a little longer than last summer due to our EPIC/RECORD BREAKING winter, we didn't let that slow us down. We began floating as soon as the water wasn't at hypothermia-causing levels, hiked as far up as we could before we were buried knee deep in snow, cooked out, and did just about anything that would get us outside period. With that said, here a few pictures of our summertime fun....
Here me, Ali, and Tori took advantage of the Teton Park Road still being closed to vehicles and our first bit of warm weather (yes believe it or not, it was warm that day). We took the bikes into the park and completed a 30 mile ride.
In this picture we are standing in front of Jenny Lake. Yes that is a lake....it's just frozen! Did I mention it was a long, cold winter?
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These next few pictures are of the cute baby foxes that started to peak out when the snow finished melting. This is right across the street from our place and began to be a "hot spot" for animal watchers and photographers.
Playful little guys!...
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This is Megan, Rachael, me, Melissa, Granger, and Jennifer grabbing dinner at one of our favorite spots, Teton Thai, for a girls night out. This is a popular place in the summer. It has a great atmosphere, good music, delicious food, and outside seating. There's actually no inside other than the kitchen. Any given night there is a wait, it's just that good!
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Another girls night out.
Since you don't really "dress up" in Jackson (ie: heels, black dresses, etc), Katie (on the left) decided to theme her birthday celebration with the opening of the Sex and the City Movie. We brought "the city" to Jackson....we filled the streets and entire movie theater that night - heels and all!
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Megan and I enjoying an annual Crawfish Broil hosted by some of the Louisiana boys...
...then enjoying a fair that came through town. Still just a little bit chilly!
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On to the hiking!!!!!
This is me, Tori, and Jennifer on a hike in the Teton National Forest. We headed up one of the canyons to see how far we could go before the snow made us turn back. The Grand is in the background but the tip is covered by a cloud.
I know it has been quite some time since I have updated my blog. A ton has been going on, so I'm just going to dive right in.
Here goes...
Since I've updated last I've taken on a new position with the mountain, welcomed the summer season (a HUGE, WARM welcome), and watched my close friend, whom is one of the main reasons why I was so fortunate to live in this great place, move back to GA.
Just before my off season trip to California, my supervisor announced his leaving. This meant there would be an opening for a full time Front Desk Supervisor/Concierge position. Although a full time job wasn't what I wanted to get into, it would give me the chance to meet new people, make connections with vendors, and give me a change while working for the mountain. After some thought, I decided to take the position. I've shocked many people by telling them I'm on salary and let someone else determine my days off but at the end of the day, I enjoy what I do (for the most part :) ) and the people I work with. That counts for something right?
In the meantime, the warm weather began to come and linger a little longer each day. We all, the town and tourists included, took advantage. We were ready for the new adventures that would come with snow melting and prepared for another BUSY season in the wonderful world of hospitality. When I wasn't working, I was playing. Although the snow hung on a little longer than last summer due to our EPIC/RECORD BREAKING winter, we didn't let that slow us down. We began floating as soon as the water wasn't at hypothermia-causing levels, hiked as far up as we could before we were buried knee deep in snow, cooked out, and did just about anything that would get us outside period. With that said, here a few pictures of our summertime fun....
Here me, Ali, and Tori took advantage of the Teton Park Road still being closed to vehicles and our first bit of warm weather (yes believe it or not, it was warm that day). We took the bikes into the park and completed a 30 mile ride. In this picture we are standing in front of Jenny Lake. Yes that is a lake....it's just frozen! Did I mention it was a long, cold winter?
----------------------------------------------
These next few pictures are of the cute baby foxes that started to peak out when the snow finished melting. This is right across the street from our place and began to be a "hot spot" for animal watchers and photographers.
Playful little guys!...----------------------------------
This is Megan, Rachael, me, Melissa, Granger, and Jennifer grabbing dinner at one of our favorite spots, Teton Thai, for a girls night out. This is a popular place in the summer. It has a great atmosphere, good music, delicious food, and outside seating. There's actually no inside other than the kitchen. Any given night there is a wait, it's just that good!
-----------------------------------
Another girls night out.
Since you don't really "dress up" in Jackson (ie: heels, black dresses, etc), Katie (on the left) decided to theme her birthday celebration with the opening of the Sex and the City Movie. We brought "the city" to Jackson....we filled the streets and entire movie theater that night - heels and all!
------------------------------------------------------
Megan and I enjoying an annual Crawfish Broil hosted by some of the Louisiana boys...
...then enjoying a fair that came through town. Still just a little bit chilly!
-----------------------------------------------------------------On to the hiking!!!!!
This is me, Tori, and Jennifer on a hike in the Teton National Forest. We headed up one of the canyons to see how far we could go before the snow made us turn back. The Grand is in the background but the tip is covered by a cloud.
Sitting in the Lupine Meadows covered in snow surrounded by the Tetons. AMAZING!
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This particular trip was to celebrate a good friend of ours birthday. His girlfriend had planned a surprise camping trip for him. Here we are getting ready to head out to meet up with everyone.
This particular trip was to celebrate a good friend of ours birthday. His girlfriend had planned a surprise camping trip for him. Here we are getting ready to head out to meet up with everyone.
We camped inside the Teton National Forest at Leigh Lake.
Our view of Mt. Moran!
Some of the wildlife along the way.-------------------------------------------------------------
This hike coming up had to be one of my favorites, maybe even ever. The wildflowers were amazing! This is on my way to Blue Miner Lake in the Gros Ventre Mountain Range.
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A day at the Jackson Lake in the park.
The water was freezing! I unsuccessfully attempted wake boarding for the millionth time...in a wet suit. The air was nice but the water was cold. You don't see a background like that at Lake Alatoona...or water for that matter.
The water was freezing! I unsuccessfully attempted wake boarding for the millionth time...in a wet suit. The air was nice but the water was cold. You don't see a background like that at Lake Alatoona...or water for that matter.
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Road Trip to Denver for the Mile High Music Festival.
We went down for a weekend full of music!
Tori, Katie, Megan, Jennifer, and I
The only bad thing about this weekend was knowing it was Megan's last one with us. :(
and the fact a rock cracked the windshield of my new car....
oh well, it's pretty much standard for every car out here.
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Saying "bye" to Megan with a bang!
Her last week was filled with cookout's, friends, and adventures. She was running out of time to check stuff off her "To Do In Jackson Before I Leave" List. Her number 1 happened to be paragliding, so, as a gift, a bunch of us pitched in to pay for her go. The only way she would do it was if we would too. Rach decided to wait until her parents got into town and to watch us from below while Tori and I headed up the Gondola with Megan to jump off. It was a neat experience.
My guide was very interesting, he described the "waves" of the wind like the waves of an ocean. Just like surfers read the water, he read the wind. Fascinating.
We hiked down the mountain a little ways then were the only directions we were given was to start running when they said, "Start running". At that moment you run as fast as you can down the mountain until you just aren't touching ground anymore because the wind picked you up. From then on you feel like you are floating....or well, flying. Really incredible.
Her last week was filled with cookout's, friends, and adventures. She was running out of time to check stuff off her "To Do In Jackson Before I Leave" List. Her number 1 happened to be paragliding, so, as a gift, a bunch of us pitched in to pay for her go. The only way she would do it was if we would too. Rach decided to wait until her parents got into town and to watch us from below while Tori and I headed up the Gondola with Megan to jump off. It was a neat experience.
My guide was very interesting, he described the "waves" of the wind like the waves of an ocean. Just like surfers read the water, he read the wind. Fascinating.
We hiked down the mountain a little ways then were the only directions we were given was to start running when they said, "Start running". At that moment you run as fast as you can down the mountain until you just aren't touching ground anymore because the wind picked you up. From then on you feel like you are floating....or well, flying. Really incredible.
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So that's it, or some of it a least, for now.
It has been a summer of fun and a summer of change. Some of it good and some of it challenging. The biggest change and challenge of all was having Megan move back to GA. It was hard losing someone you share so much time and experiences with. Thankfully I still have Tori and Rachael!
All in all I'm still enjoying this amazing place and finding out a lot about me. I miss so much about home but just can't imagine heading back just yet. There is still a few more things I want to accomplish and discover first. I hope that all of you are enjoying these pictures and some of what I've been able to experience. I love and miss you.
It has been a summer of fun and a summer of change. Some of it good and some of it challenging. The biggest change and challenge of all was having Megan move back to GA. It was hard losing someone you share so much time and experiences with. Thankfully I still have Tori and Rachael!
All in all I'm still enjoying this amazing place and finding out a lot about me. I miss so much about home but just can't imagine heading back just yet. There is still a few more things I want to accomplish and discover first. I hope that all of you are enjoying these pictures and some of what I've been able to experience. I love and miss you.
So maybe we were a little upset with the cold weather when we woke up..... we were hoping for something a little warmer!
I decided to get in the water.....
It was FREEZING!!!!!!
Burning as we speak!
and saw Humpback Whales!!! My first whale experience. It was amazing. It was a mother with a baby and they really put on a great show complete with tale flops, flips out of the water, and plenty of shots of them coming up for air.
The most AMAZING taco's EVER!!!! Served straight from this truck in some random parking lot in LA. It was DELICIOUS! It doesn't quit beat the burrito I had in Encintas our first day camping in CA, but it was a good second place!
