Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Fair and Summer Fun!!

The past couple weeks have absolutely flown by. The 4th of July we played out at the lake and then went to a friends house for a cook-out and fireworks. The week afterwards was Jenny's birthday so we threw our first party at our house and of course it had a Redneck theme. Two weekends ago I drove out to Denver with a carfull of girls for the Mile High Music festival which as two full days of music. We saw Gavin Degraw, Citizen Cope, Steve Winwood, Josh Ritter, O.A.R., Michael Franti, Moe, the Black Crowes, Leftover Salmon, John Mayer, Colbie Caillat, The Roots, Martin Sexton, Tom Petty, and Dave Matthews. Needless to say it was a pretty amazing weekend despite the 100 degree weather and no shade.
This past weekend one of my college roommates who now lives in Salt Lake City drove up to Jackson for a long weekend. As always, it was a ton of fun showing someone around town who has never been here. It never gets old seeing peoples expressions and reactions to seeing the Tetons and the surrounding area for the first time....words just don't do it justice. While Jen was here the Teton County Fair was going on which was a ton of fun. The fair grounds are directly behind my house so we were able to easily walk to everything. I never though that a pig wrestling event could be so big but it was.

At the golf course just south of Alpine, WY....Allen and his dad have been teaching me and I'm actually not half bad. The girls on the 4th of July

Sitting on the lakeshore on the 4th of July

View of the Tetons & Jackson Lake from Signal Mountain

Out on Allen's roommate's boat



Kelly (Allen's roommate) skiing.......The Grand is directly behind him
Becca & me getting ready to go tubing on Jackson Lake



View from Garnet Canyon. The Grand is almost directly behind us and we are facing the valley. What looks like water under the clouds in the distance is actually the neighboring mountain range.

Allen's neice (Cadence) participated in the pig wrestling event at the fair. Supposedly it is really popular to do and it was packed with people watching. There is a drawing to get in because so many people register. Teams of 4 have between 60 and 90 seconds depending on their age to get a greased up pig into a barrel in the center of the arena.
Jen & I on one of the rides at the fair

A car on fire at the Figure 8 Races at the fair

Some strange breed of long horn at the petting zoo at the fair. The spread was over 4 feet wide!!

Video from the figure 8 races at the fair

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Where Has All The Time Gone???

I swear I went to sleep last night and it was May and I woke up this morning and it was July...I have no idea where the time went but I do know that I have had an amazing past couple weeks filled with tons of friends and family visiting. There is so much that has been going on lately that it would take hours to write about so I'll be brief and let the pictures do the talking. It started off with my mom's side of the family coming out to visit. Dinkie, Papa, Tomi, Ross, Mike, and Adam all came out over Memorial Day Weekend. It was cloudy and rainy everyday they were here but it still was a great trip just way too short. After they left I had about a week to try and catch my breath before my mom and her friend Sybil came out to visit. It was snowing the first two days they were here (thankfully that was the last time it has snowed) and then overnight Summer hit and we have had Sunny days and temps from the mid-70's to 90's everyday since. The day my mom and Sybil left I joined them at the airport and flew down to Austin to visit yet more family and finally get a taste of the humidity and 100+ degree temps I had been missing in Jackson. The day I got back to Jackson I started my new job with the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard club as their event manager....oh yeah, did I mention that I got a new job??? Check it out at http://www.jhskiclub.org/bio.php?id=1071
So that is a very very brief summary of what has been going out here in Jackson....doesn't do the past month justice by any means but I'm way to far behind in my blog to write in detail about everything....I'll be better this summer!!
Below are just a few of the wonderful pictures from the past month. If I can figure out how to put them all online I will.

Papa and me looking out over Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park

The whole group at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park


Sybil, mom and me riding the Gondola up IN THE SNOW on their first day in Jackson.


Me, mom and Sybil outside the Church of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park


Church of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park


Horseback riding at the Heart 6 Ranch


Our Intramural kickball team before our first game

Getting ready to head down the Snake River on a scenic booze cruise


Atop Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park


At the start of our 9 mile day hike into Garnet Canyon in Grand Teton National Park


Looking up at the Grand from the meadows near Garnet Canyon
Jenny and I taking our lunch break before turning around to head back to the trailhead.....We are in Garnet Canyon and the Grand is directly behind us (or so we think)