Today I flew from Indianapolis to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I have never been to Wyoming, so I was really looking forward to coming here. The Jackson Hole airport is a teeny tiny airport that is really not very exciting. The exciting part about coming to this airport is the flight in because you get to see the really tall, snow-capped Teton Mountains. There was a perfect blue, cloud-free sky, which made them look extra beautiful. We also flew over the Snake River and saw several lakes hidden among the mountains. It was awesome! Unfortunately, I couldn't take any photos because the only camera I had handy was my iPhone, and I wasn't allowed to turn it on. I hope that on the way home I will get a window seat and have a real camera ready so I can capture some pictures.
At this airport, you have to get off the plane using steps and walk into the airport. As you walk to the door, you have to pass under an arch that says "Welcome to Jackson Hole." What's the big deal about that? The arch is made out of antlers! There was a small park in Jackson Hole that had an arch just like it. Here's a photo:
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| An arch made out of antlers...pretty creative! |
I had a long drive that took more than two hours to get from Jackson Hole to the ranch. Most of it was a pretty drive because I had lots of mountains to look at. I even got to see some wildlife: antelope (I think; they were moving pretty quickly) and buffalo.
The ranch is in a very remote location. That means it is all by itself, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The nearest "town" is Dubois, and it is 26 miles away. There's not much in Dubois except for a couple gas stations, a small grocery store, and a couple local restaurants. No Wal-Mart, Target, Marsh, McDonald's, Pizza Hut...you get the idea. I don't think I'll be going to town much because 16 miles of the drive is a dirt road. It felt like it took forever to get down that dirt road today. With absolutely nothing around me, and no other cars on the road, I was wondering, "What in the WORLD have I gotten myself into?!?! What is this place going to be like?" Here is a picture of the road. What would you have been thinking?
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| This is the 16-mile long dirt road. I took this from inside the car so you could see exactly what I was looking at. |
It turns out the ranch is really nice. Rustic, like I said, but it's kind of like being at camp. I'd guess there are about 25 people here. Mostly adults, but there are a few (maybe 5) kids. There are lots of dogs, some sheep, and chickens. I haven't seen or met the horses yet, but I've heard there are about 200 of them at the ranch. We had a barbecue outside tonight and a little campfire right by the river. It was really pretty and peaceful. I sat with some nice people at dinner, and a few of them are going to be in the same clinic (that's another word for class or workshop) that I am taking this week. It starts tomorrow morning. We have class all morning and then a trail ride in the afternoon. It will be a long day, so I am going to get some sleep. Before I go, here are a couple of pictures of the ranch. I will post more as the week goes on.
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| This is the Bitterroot River that runs right behind my cabin. I can watch it and listen to it while I sit on my porch and read or work on my blog. |
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| This building is divided into two cabins. My door is hidden in this picture. I was quite happy to see two nice dogs laying by my cabin! |
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