Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Keeping with the domestic theme this year, we decided to take a week and return to Jackson Hole where I had last been 12 years ago and for Jim it had been a lot longer. After 2 months of inactivity due to foot surgery, I was craving an active vacation out of doors so off we went at the end of August. A whole week in Jackson Hole, friends asked? What are you going to do for that long? So here's the list: whitewater raft trip, and there's still plenty of whitewater to get soaking wet at the end of August. Gorgeous hikes - so many trails you could spend weeks just taking day hikes to another pristine lake or waterfall and none would be the same. Driving through Yellowstone to the Lower Falls, breathtaking views. A boat ride on Jenny Lake. A float trip down the Snake River with the Grand Tetons as background. Local rodeo on Saturday night. Finding a fantastic sushi restaurant in downtown Jackson Hole and going back for another meal because it was so damn good. And that's not even mentioning the countless times the car stops - because there's a bear on on the hillside or a moose in the creek by the side of the road, or a herd of elk grazing in the field you pass by on the way back to the hotel - and you don't know what time it is and don't care.

We spent an entire afternoon at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and I highly recommend a visit here. The quality of work is amazing. And they are starting a sculpture installation throughout the grounds, I've got some shots in the photo album. It's a little bit out of town but easy to get to so put it on your list if you ever come this way. So if your budget or your lack of vacation time precludes a world adventure, don't forget about the wealth of possibilites without even leaving the US! I have so many ideas that it would take a whole page to list them all.

Jackson Hole Photo Album

Jackson Hole Aug 2012

Traveling at Home in 2012

It's been a year of domestic traveling - and a big reminder that there is so much to see and do in our OWN country! As we usually do, the first few months of the year are ski trips and even though there was little snow to get excited about this past winter, we did manage to get in about a week in Tahoe. Then it was time to start planning.... I had one of those "decade" birthdays in June this year and wanted to do something to mark it memorably. Had one of those AHA moments while on a long morning walk - what I wanted more than anything (or anything that anyone could afford to buy me) was to spend time with my good friends. And from that came the idea.....rent a house...but where? Somewhere that people could get to easily, not spend a lot to get there, making it accessible to as many as possible. And the answer? Stinson Beach, right over the hill from home but a world away.

So this picture is my "mastercard moment" - having my morning coffee in jammies and watching the surf, does not get much better than that. Every day was spent with the different people who came each day with the luxury of time to linger over long lunches and sunset glasses of wine. It was one of the most relaxing enjoyable weeks that I've had in a long time. And who knew - no long plane trips, jet lag, packing panics, reentry exhaustion. Mastercard moment = priceless. Best.Birthday.Ever.