Jackson Hole, WY

I now understand the beauty of the Tetons and Jackson Hole.  I had a great mini vacation with Teej (TJ) and got to learn more about him and get to know if family better.  I would love to live in Jackson... A little pricy but I think i can manage it :)... I even looked at job openings at the local hospital.  I would love to come back in the summer time and see it completely different.  I know the snow and cold is magical but -10 below is really only nice in short periods of time. I'm excited for what 2013 brings!

Tetons from a distance

Clouds were beautiful

Great Pic of us 2

Famous Jackson Hole Arches

Buffalo from the largest free-range buffalo herd

Elk Refugue with Snow King in Background

Top of Teton Village Ski Resort

Torch Light Parade on New Years

Allure of the Seas

Yesterday I booked my room for the cruise I'm going on next May for Kristin and Jeff's wedding.  I pretty excited because not only is it going to be a fun vacation but more importantly it will be a great time celebrating 2 of my best friends.  We are going on the Allure of the Sea which is the largest cruise ship in the world. Here is a video, just watch it you'll understand.

A pic of the Allure that I took last December while in Fort Lauderdale, never though I would go on it one day!

The happy couple that is "forcing" me to go on their cruise :)

Yep again I'm pretty excited!

Tiny Tight Spaces

While waiting on the Jewel Cave Discovery Tour to start, there is a small block in the entrance area that represented the tightest portion of the Wild Caving Tour. All participants are required to pass through the 8-1/2 inch by 24-inch crawl space before beginning tour in order to know they can make it. So Jay and I tried to fit through the tiny tight space. Obviously we did not take that tour J (ooh and I probably be really closterphobic) Enjoy!

Becoming More of a Patriotic American

This last weekend Jay and I went to South Dakota. Yep, South Dakota. It was pretty great I feel closer to being a more patriotic American because of it. I have always wanted to see Mount Rushmore and the Devil’s Tower (still in Wyoming on the way to South Dakota). It was a pretty drive this fall and I got to see many of the wonders of the USA.

First we went to the Devil’s Tower in Northern Wyoming. It was pretty spectacular how this column tower just protrudes out of the ground. I guess it was a result of volcanic activity.

The History & Legends of the Devil’s Tower:

Devils Tower is a monolithic igneous intrusion or volcanic neck. It rises dramatically 1,267 feet above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 5,112 feet above sea level. Devils Tower was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt.

There are many different native American legends about the tower but my favorite one is this:

“According to the Native American tribes of the Kiowa and Lakota Sioux, some girls went out to play and were spotted by several giant bears, who began to chase them. In an effort to escape the bears, the girls climbed atop a rock, fell to their knees, and prayed to the Great Spirit to save them. Hearing their prayers, the Great Spirit made the rock rise from the ground towards the heavens so that the bears could not reach the girls. The bears, in an effort to climb the rock, left deep claw marks in the sides, which had become too steep to climb. (Those are the marks which appear today on the sides of Devils Tower.) When the girls reached the sky, they were turned into the star constellation the Pleiades.”

After Devils Tower we headed towards Deadwood, I have always heard so much about Deadwood and how great it is so we’d though it would be nice to stay there for the night. First we got a hotel and the Franklin Silverado which was right downtown. Let me just say it was really nice down stairs but after we got upstairs and we in our $120 a night crap of a room that had multiple alive and dead wasps flying around it we decided to go some place else. Yeah, wasps! So we ended up at the Iron Horse Inn that was just a couple blocks away we had to pay a little more but we didn’t have any wasps here! After we got settled, we went to dinner and then did some gambling. And I mean minimual I think I only spent $30 on gambling. I have too hard of time loosing my hard earned money so we ended up drinking and I got pretty tipsy and tired then we ended up going back to the room and passed out J.

The next morning we headed towards Mount Rushmore, which again was a pretty drive. I feel more of an American now that I have seen Mouth Rushmore. I was kind of surprise how small it was from a distance (except it is Hugh!) As one of Jay’s friends said it was pretty boring but it is something everyone needs to see.

History of Mount Rushmore:

Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents (in order from left to right) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres and is 5,725 feet above sea level.

“South Dakota historian Doane Robinson is credited with conceiving the idea of carving the likenesses of famous people into the Black Hills region of South Dakota in order to promote tourism in the region. Robinson's initial idea was to sculpt the Needles; however, Gutzon Borglum rejected the Needles site and chose the larger Mount Rushmore. Borglum also decided the sculpture should have a more national focus, and chose the four presidents whose likenesses would be carved into the mountain. After securing federal funding, construction on the memorial began in 1927, and the presidents' faces were completed between 1934 and 1939. Upon Gutzon Borglum's death in March 1941, his son Lincoln Borglum took over construction. Although the initial concept called for each president to be depicted from head to waist, lack of funding forced construction to end in October 1941.”

After our brief visit to Mount Rushmore, we headed to the Jewel Cave. Which I guess is the 2^nd longest cave in the world. Yep in South Dakota. I was very pretty in the cave but I must be more closterphobic then I think because I had this pressure on my chest and hard time breathing at times now there.

History of Jewel Cave:

Frank and Albert Michaud, two local prospectors, discovered the cave in 1900, when they felt cold air blowing out of a small hole in a canyon. It is unknown whether any previous inhabitants of the area were aware of the natural cave opening, which was not large enough for a person to enter.

After enlarging the cave entrance with dynamite, the Michauds found a cavern lined with calcite crystals, which led them to name it "Jewel Cave." The brothers tried to capitalize on the discovery, widening the opening, building walkways inside, and opening it to tourists. Although their venture was unsuccessful, news of the discovery eventually reached Washington. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Jewel Cave a National Monument on February 7, 1908.

After the wonders of Jewel Cave we were going to stay in the Black Hills area one more night but then decided to save some money and head home which was only a 4 hour drive back to Casper.

It was a great little mini vacation and got to learn more about American (and Indian) heritage then I knew before. I also got a Passport to the National Parks, where each place you visit you can get a ‘cancelation’ and stamp of each place. So now I’m excited to go other places in the US and fill up my passport.

Things I learned:

Black Hills South Dakota was actually pretty cool and a lot of history.

I am more of an American now J.

I love experiencing time with Jay outside of Casper.

I like going on these mini vacations, which surprising cost more money than they should.

Theodore Roosevelt must love this area of the USA since he made each of these places a memorial, monument or park.

Colorado Trip!

At the beginning of August Jay and I went on a week-long camping, mountain experience in Colorado. I got to see many places in Colorado that I didn’t know existed and go to places that I have always wanted to go. The trip began outside Keystone/Montezuma area and ended in Estes Park. We traveled over high mountain passes, ritz towns, wedding, hotsprings, multiple Starbuck trips, mine/mill adventures and other wonders in Colorado.

I think the highest we gotten was like 13110 in a vehicle and then hiked to about 13200 (got to see mountain goats)… And a day of off-road rough driving we did some fishing and hung out in Breckenridge.

After Breckenridge, then through Fairplay over Weston pass and ended up in Leadville, after spending 2 days in the Leadville area at Turquoise Lake and another day camping at the base of Mt Elbert (Highest Peak in Colorado). We were going to hike a 14er but I didn’t think was in good enough shape. Experiencing the Champion Mill on Colorado... which is one of the largest mines in Colorado that operated up to 1940s.

We then decided that camping every night and sleeping on an air mattress was getting tiring so we decided to go to Glenwood Springs before my cousins wedding. After a long drive over Independence pass and dodging the hundreds of bicyclists that though it was a great idea to drive up the narrow, windy road with vehicles up the pass. After a quick lunch in Aspen (still like I remembered when I was younger) we were on the way to the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs where we got to soak in the hot springs. And were able to take a shower in!!

The next morning, we decided to hike the Hanging Lake Trail. I have always wanted to hike up to this lake and since we were in the area it was good plan. EXCEPT it was the most popular trail I have ever hiked there were people everywhere and there was lots of stopping to let people by. This trail was pretty rough with rocks and large steps and there were lots of people there with little babies that made me a little concerned. Once we actually gotten to the top the small lake was beautiful, I only wished that we were the only ones there not the other 40 people standing around the lake.

Next was my cousins wedding for 2 days that was a fun time spending with my family and seeing people I normally don’t get to see. The wedding was beautiful and was great to spend time with my family J

Afterwards we decided to start to head north and ended up going to Rocky Mountain National Park, in Estes Park. Where again I felt like cattle being herded through out the park. Now it is beautiful…. but it looked just like everywhere else in Colorado. I could understand how people who don’t normally see mountains and the majestic views could find it beautiful but I just didn’t like all the people. Next, we though it would be good to try and stay at the Stanley Hotel, but without making reservations it was booked and a $250 a night rate, hopefully in the future... It must have been a popular weekend because we ended up staying at some dinking hotel that I was afraid was going to give me bedbugs for $110 a night which was totally NOT worth it. The next morning we went back to the Stanley and walked around and took pictures.

Both exhausted from our Colorado trip we decided to go home and rest. Over all I had a great experience and being able to camp and be outside was wonderful. I have learned that Colorado is just too populated especially after living in Wyoming where you can go anywhere and be like the only people around. I also got to get to know Jay more about how he is away from our comforts of home and were able to work out some kinks, which has made me love and care for him much more. J

The Saga of Flying

So right no im in the Dallas Fort Worth Airport Wasted. My 925am flight was cancelled so now I have to resort to the 7pm flight from a different airport to get home. Therefore, $50 and 4 beers later I am wasted! So now I sit here watching old school thinking about how I have 3 hours till I flight out of this place….What is interesting is 3 hrs at work flights by to problem but when you are stuck in an air-conditioned airport with nothing to do but drink and read a book it’s pretty boring. This is the first time this has really happened to me and I was just thinking about it earlier and now I know how much it sucks…..also did I state there is no internet so I’m actually writing this hours earlier on Microsoft office and later posting.

The airport is a good place to people watch…but right now I’m soo drunk I can’t even focus straight… so maybe when I’m in the Denver airport for another 1 ½ hour layover… UGH.!!!! More to come promise.

The saga continues…sober this time…

When I finally got to Denver and to the Casper gate I didn’t have a seat assignment and of course the flight was overbooked by 7 people. I ended bursting out in tears and being pretty emotional about the whole situation. Even after one of the docs who was on the flight with me offered to rent a car and drive back together I declined (very sweet Dr. Thukur, thank you) and had to stay at the Renaissance Hotel for the night anyway.

So now its is 0813 on Tuesday Morning. When I should be at work in a meeting that I’m leading but instead I’m sitting in the Denver International Airport once again trying to get to Casper. I would have been there by now if I just rented a car but really didn’t want to drive home at midnight when I already have problems with falling asleep while driving, especially after a long emotional day. I never though I would have to stay in a hotel in Denver waiting to go back to the airport. My aunt said she’d come get me but then she would have to bring me back in 7 hours so I didn’t want to burden her with driving to the airport. So $400 flight vouchers and $15 food vouchers later I am again at an airport. Not sure how Tom Hanks did it in the Terminal….It’s exhausting.

The boarding time is approaching and of course there is no plane at the terminal. BRING IT ON UNITED! That’s all I have to say.

NEW FEED: I MADE IT HOME FINALLY

More Adventures of Moab

Colorado Mtns-Veiw from Slick Rock

Mineral Point Trail-Green River

Slick Rock Trail

Mineral Point-Green River

Hey Joe Canyon Trail-Green River

Spring Canyon Bottom Trail

Gemini Bridges

Long Canyon Trail-Falled large Rock

Surprise Overlook

Trail to Gemini Bridges