Monday, September 12, 2011

Fall 2011

Finding it harder and harder to keep up with blog updates of any regular frequency. I still get out, though this summer season has been slow when compared with past years. Time and money seem to be the big culprits...... I have not enough of either it seems. I love the country around here, but I have been everywhere within 50 miles. Everywhere. I still enjoy this immediate area, though places are getting more and more crowded. Think of the area above Kelly Canyon.....on a huckleberry picking Saturday morning. Holy Crap! Never have I seen that many cars on a dirt road...ever. So bad, the trees and bushes were coated with grey dust for 25 yards each side of the road. Zoom. Zoom. 

DSC06378
Anywhere beyond 50 miles begins to cost dollars... and lots of them.  Seems the 50 miles turns into 100 miles. Then 150 miles - one way. $3.65 per gallon of gas.  These trips start to cost $30 just in gas. So...I have been sticking close to home in order to rationalize the coming winter trips to Targhee and Big Sky.

These trips are worth waiting for. Pre-season Targhee = incredible experiences, never had a bad day at the Ghee. I don't think that that is even possible. A bad day at the Ghee is better than just about any other day of the year. The drive to (and the day at) Big Sky is magical. Island Park, Yellowstone and the upper reaches of the Gallatin River. Incredible country.  Incredible days. Incredible snowy days.


Tate - Targhee

Do you, or do you not agree, that days spent skiing and snowboarding deep powder are the most precious of all days? Those can be "perfect" days. Days you could not improve upon. I live for days like those, where sometimes new snow is measured in feet, rather than miserly inches. It is kin to flying, like in the dreams I sometimes have. The ability to fly. Snowboarding is like that. So much like that. Close your eyes, spread your arms. Fly.

Tate 
To all of you who understand, we will see you on the hill. Soon.

In the meantime, had thoughts about this coming years igloo. Going to try to be a little higher on the mountain. What that means is.....I need to think about packing some of the supplies in early, within the next month. That sounds like fun. I snowboarded that hill close to a dozen times last winter...every run down a blast.

Igloo View
Just some observations from the last few weeks.
Days are definitely shorter. Orion in the morning sky.
Nip in the air. 38f a few mornings a week or so ago.
Skies are really smokey.
Full moon last night was awesome.
I have the best dogs in the world.
Lots of dust in the valley from harvest.
Sunsets this time of year are staggering.
The geese are restless.
The garden has seen better days.
I still love my wife after all these years.
The Zucchini cake doesn't last long around here. 
Sunset - September 7, 2011
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