Stayin Alive

Location: Bozeman, Montana

Well I thought I would keep with the musical theme of my posts. It is amazing how much time slows down when you are traveling this way. I am constantly seeking out places to sleep, more efficient and cost effective ways to cook and eat, and orientating myself to new places. Whenever you are living normal life it seems that unfortunately everyday is kind of like the movie Groundhog Day, with little day to day change. This makes time fly by. Out here everyday is different. Every day is a blank canvas that gets painted as the day progresses and not in contrast the same image that you stare at and kind of cross your eyes to see if something pops out at you. (I never could see those images by the way!)

So much has happened since the last post...Moab was a very neat place. I will try to post some pics soon as my laptop crashed day before yesterday. There are all kinds of trails that traverse sand dunes that have hardened into stone that are made for Jeeps and mountain bikes. Perfect! It was a little sketchy in a few spots, but the Jeep, the bike, and myself made it through. I only had one major crash on the bike on the trail called Slick Rock. I didn't need my right shoulder anyway. Canyonlands and Arches National Parks are also right in that vicinity. I spent a couple of days at each. I traveled up to Provo and Parks City next, checking out the Olympic Village along the way. The leaves were changing as I left northern Utah and entered the southern part of Wyoming. It was absolutely beautiful. I followed the Snake River up and into Jackson Hole. I spent a few days in this expensive little town. I stayed one night out in some BLM land in this hunting campsite. Elk season had just started and they were in great spirits! In the center of camp was a big post to hang and bleed the kill. The first morning I was there I saw a guy kill and clean a buffalo. After purchasing an orange hat, I ventured into the wilderness of Wyoming. The fly fishing was awesome. I caught a ton of cut-throat, rainbow, and even some lake trout. Jackson sits right below Grand Teton National Park, which was my next destination. I did a really neat 22 mile hike around the summit of Teton that manufactured some dynamite views. About 2 miles of trail went across a thin ridge that was at an elevation of 12,000 feet. Stellar. I headed north after that to the first established National Park, Yellowstone!

"Pfffsssshhh, snap, snap" This is the repetition of sounds that cascaded through my tent at 6 in the morning. Something was snapping twigs and breathing heavily outside, and it was big. The day before when I had obtained my backpacking permit from the Ranger Station in Yellowstone they were very adamant to the high activity of grizzly bears. I kind of shrugged it off. It was very much on my mind right then. As I opened the zipper on my tent I could here each individual tooth of the zipper perpetuating the sound louder into my tent. The coldness of the air married with the fear and excitement ran through me as I very slowly peered out a peep hole that I had created. Buffalo. A herd of buffalo was walking through my camp. They were so close I could reach out and grab one if I had wanted to.

That was just one of many amazing adventures that this park held in store. It is truly amazing. I did see some grizzlies, but from a safe distance. I also saw a wolf, coyotes, elk, big horn sheep, a black bear, and tons of chipmunks. There is way too much to describe there, I could write an entire book.

So now I am here in Bozeman, doing a little research on the university and scoping the city. Miss you all and love you very much! God Bless! Jarod