What I'll Miss:

I leave Jackson this Friday to head on to Colorado before going home, and I have no clue where the time went! It feels like I just made this blog yesterday. Leaving a place as special as Jackson is very bittersweet. While I am excited to see family and friends, listen to more than 3 decent radio stations, start football season (Go Dawgs!), finally eat a Chick Fil A chicken biscuit for breakfast, and of course see my dogs, there's so much more that makes me drag my feet to leave.

1. The sunsets - I have never lived in a place where you can count on having an incredible sunset every single night.

2. Having views like this in my car mirror as opposed to the city buildings of Atlanta.

3. Spending days on a lake with an unbeatable view like this one.

4. Pearl St. Market's "prize winning chili" - I think I lived at that place for lunch this summer. Basically every other food place in Jackson - Calico, Norah's breakfast, Cafe Genevieve, and the Brewpub to name a few. 

5. Going to Chamber mixers/events and meeting new people who do such different things around the community. Everyone I have met has been so kind and fun to talk to, and I will miss the different personalities of Jackson. 

6. All of the outdoor activities: rafting, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and so much more!

             

8. Coming to work at the Chamber every day with an awesome staff. Everyone in Jackson has made me feel right at home, and I have learned so much about my area of study.

9. Wanting to pull over and take a picture literally every second when driving somewhere. 

10. Western dancing. I may not claim to be the best at it but coming from school in Athens where you listen to the latest hits and everyone has zero rhythm or stands like a bump on a log makes the West win on the dancing scene!

11. How late it stays light (in the summer that is). It's amazing to get off at 5 from a day at the Chamber and then have at least 4 more hours to do whatever you want in a town that always has something going on. This kind of weekly routine makes every day a good one. 

I could go on and on about how much I will miss, but I'll make myself stop at 11. The best part about it is Jackson isn't going anywhere. (And all of that is just for summer in Jackson. Don't get me started on the winters in this place!) I guess I will have to come back for yet another ski season or maybe a 2nd summer. Until then, stay tuned for what life is like back in the peach state!

Los Lobos

I attended a concert by Los Lobos for the first outdoor concert in Center Park last night, and it was a lot of fun! It was a great event for families, and Pica's, Firebelly Pizza, Cafe Genevieve, and Snake River Brewery provided food and beverages.

Leigh, Nancy, and Me

Unguided Trail Ride

Mollie and I went to Alpine on Sunday to do a half-day unguided horse rental with Jackson Recreation. We had a blast riding through trails and being on the horses, and rode to a view point that overlooked a lake and mountains.

Tying the horses up at a viewpoint

Hiking to Ski Lake

Last Thursday I hiked part of Phillips pass that leads to Ski Lake. The trail is right off of the pass to Idaho, and its an amazing hike with tons of wildflowers to observe. It also is not too hard, which is good if you want a small challenge with more leisure. I recommend doing it if you have the chance!

View of mountains on the way back down

Back in the Saddle

I grew up riding horses, and it has been on my summer bucket list since I arrived in Jackson. Finally, we went riding at Linn Canyon Ranch in Victor, ID and had an amazing time. It was by far one of my favorite parts of the summer. Linn Canyon Ranch is a great place to ride, and they offer a variety of rides including a ride through Teton Canyon and a sunset dinner ride. 

The view where we stopped to have lunch - the mountain overlooked Victor, ID. 

Reliving childhood with capri sun in our packed lunch (included in the ride)

We got dumped on towards the end of the ride, but it was still fun even being in the rain!

Home Sweet Home

I spent Saturday and Sunday night at my parents' place in Driggs. I had such an amazing weekend relaxing, taking in the views, walking by the creek, and eating in Grand Targhee at the Branding Iron. 

This view will never get old. Sitting outside and talking as the sun goes down can be just as good as good as any adventure in Jackson.

View of Tetons heading up the mountain. 

Dinner at the branding iron in Grand Targhee ski resort. 

 On the way down, a young grizzly bear actually ran in front of our car across the road. That makes grizzly bear sighting number 3 of the summer!

Art Fair

Some kids taking part in free drawing

I worked the art fair on Thursday and Friday, and had a great time seeing all kinds of artwork in the process. Over a hundred artists came to Jackson to display and sell their own unique work, and the weather was perfect most of the time. Many people seemed to be enjoying themselves.