2010 & 2011 Trips w/ Mileage

2010
Yellowstone Black Canyon June
Tetons Death Canyon to Devil's Staircase July
Glacier Pine Creek to Two Medicine August
Yellowstone Old Faithful to Bechler Sept

2011
Attempt at Blackmare Lake
Yosemite June
Baron Lakes Mushroom Hunt
Big Smoky Creek Loop
Grandjean Sawtooth Lake Loop Solo
Red Fish to Baron Lakes
Glacier Packer's Roost to Waterton over Stony Indian to Ptarmigan Tunnel August
Yellowstone Sept
Canyonlands Thanksgiving

Writing Down My Dream

I will become obsessed by the following image, every day I will spend time visualizing the elation I feel in the wilderness. Here's my dream:

I will get sponsored to adventure. I will have all the money I need to pay my bills, take care of my animals, have time to do whatever in the hell I want, and most of all, to adventure.

It might sound vague, but that's okay, it's part of the romance. There are millions of destinations to dream of for the setting an adventure, I have no anxiety of where to go, but maybe where to go first.

I will adventure in the Canyonlands, in the hidden parts of Yellowstone and the Wind River Range. I will make peace with the mosquitoe. I will live among the wild animals and observe them, mimic them, and celebrate them.

Tatoo Time

I have it on my mind, I think it's time to make it permanent. I'm in the process of formulating the details for the right underside forearm tatoo honoring the equine spirit and my horse Legs; the spiritual journey horse ownership forces one to take and the presence in which great equus resides make it necessary and prudent!

Trips of 2009

I'm sure I am missing several fabulous adventures, but here is a chronological list of the trips I can remember, taken in 2009 w/ roundtrip mileage listed:
Early June--Tripod Peak Lookout-what should have been 6 miles, turned into 10
Dan's 36th Birthday--Deadwood Hot Springs-6
Just after 4th of July--Lynx Creek Hot Springs-some say 8, some say 14
Mid July--Paintbrush to Cascade Canyon, Teton National Park-20ish, solo
August 21-23--Alice-Toxaway Lake loop via Petit Lake-20ish
Jamie's 32nd Birthday--Stanley Lake to Grandjean-20ish
Labor Day--Hike along Snake river, southern Yellowstone National Park-12
Mid September--Skillern Hot Springs-5
October 25th-International Day of Climate Awareness, Displayed the # 350 at Sawtooth Lake, hiked from the usually crowded Iron Creek Trailhead, saw only two other hikers-12ish

First of Many

It has been my intention to use this as a trip log, but I have hesitated. Much like I do when finishing a book, there's just something in the act of reading I love to preserve, like the taste of delicious chocolate, sight of a life-list animal, and yes, the thought of starting something new.

Tomorrow we embark on a Spring Break hot spring adventure to Stanley. We hope to hit Kirkham, Bonneville, Sacajawea, and finally stay a lux night a the Mountain Village for a private soak in their iconic spring. As of now, Banner Summit is closed and we are unsure of what's to come. One of the best aspects of this trip is the purchase of one long awaited horse trailer at the start of the trip. Which reminds me, I need not only to procure $1000 in cash, but a 2" hitch with which to pull said trailer.

I'm sure we will return with numerous adventures and I look forward to putting them in written memorandum.