*ed. note: my posts are usually quite lame, and I use this platform to write about myself and about my own opinions. If you are looking for some rad action shots, you're probably not going to find them here. I'm not even that good. This post is more about my (mis)adventure through the last vestige of the Wild West, Wyoming (and a little bit of Idaho)
So my girlfriend Taylor's father owns the Jackson Hole Urgent Care center, and we have been trying to visit him for the last few years at a time that would coincide with good snow. A bit self-serving, perhaps, but it gave us an opportunity to see her family, and at the same time ride one of the best mountains in the world, Jackson Hole.
We left early on New Year's day. A 6am flight to connect in SLC means a 3am wake up call. So, when most people were still out celebrating 2008, we were on our way to the airport to wait in line for an hour and 15 minutes to check our bags. Basically, our airline sucked. Not going to name any names, but it rhymed with "Smelta". But, after a pretty pleasant half-day of travel, we arrived in Jackson.
Right off the plane, I knew weren't in California any more, as we were greeted on the tarmac by the sight of secret service agents, Black Suburbans, and Air Force Two. Apparently, Dick Cheney was there on vacation as well. We were informed by people at the gate that this was as close as we were allowed to get to the plane, for "national security reasons". I just hoped he diddnt shoot anyone else.
Well, Taylor just looked over my shoulder as I was typing this and asked if I was writing captions or what, because this looked like it was going to be a "long fucking article" so I'll quit my long-winded typing and get to the pictures. Some people like to hear themselves talk, I have a problem with wanted to see myself write, if that makes sense...
Jackson Hole resort, or "The Village" as everyone seems to call it. The inversion layer is crazy as it was 7 degrees at the base and 34 degrees at the summit.
I put both of these together as they were the only actual riding photos we had for the entire trip. Not very exciting, I know, but I tried to spend more time riding than stopping for shots...
Teton Pass. Yu can't see the hundreds of tracks from people hiking every open face. It was a refreshing change of pace.
We spent a day riding Grand Targhee, a really fun resort on the far side of the Tetons which reminded me a lot of Sugarbowl with it's wide open setup. Unfortunately, we also had a lift break down on us and had to hike out 1/2 mile back to the base of the resort. Needless to say, I was a bit tired after that, although I did have the energy to snap a few photos.
downhill...
...and uphill
Did ride Snowking one day, which has It's base right in town. A small mountain, but I actually had a lot of fun. The chairlift is rad, too, because it looks directly down onto the town of Jackson.
I stopped by ILL23 a few times as well. I figured I could'nt go to Jackson without visiting the shop, and maybe buying some Bluebird Wax. Funny enough, on the way back from the shop, I ran into this bad-boy two blocks from Taylor's dad's house!
...but where is Jethro?
Well, getting home was quite an adventure, with a cancelled flight, Taylor getting into a car accident at 50mph (she's ok), a rental car, a drive to Idaho Falls, a shitty hotel, and a flight out 3 days after we though we were going to fly out... It was nice to get back home to Sacramento, with rain, wind, and the flu that i'm just getting over now. Thanks to Jackson Hole, Taylor's family, and the guy at Ill23 that I spent an hour talking to but now I can't remember his name and I feel like a dick. Cheers!
Idaho was flat
going home...
-Chris
