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Dining, Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, National Parks, Rodeo, Teton National Park, Uncategorized, Wyoming, Yellowstone Park

Courage Displayed Weekly At Jackson Hole Rodeo…

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rodeo1Jackson Hole Wyoming is truly an amazing place to visit, live and work.  Most people when they think about visiting Jackson Hole will tell you that they think about the majesty of the Teton Mountain Range, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone Park, the wildlife plus all of the amazing thermal activity found just north of town.  Whitewater rafting, hiking, tram rides, fishing and of course eating at one of the many fine eateries Jackson has to offer.   Truthfully Jackson Hole Wyoming is a magical place for those who love the outdoors and appreciate the finest that God has to offer.

rodeo2For those of you seeking a little taste of the old west while visiting Jackson Hole, set aside an evening and go to the Jackson Hole Rodeo.  This is a truly an evening event worth spending time with your family.  This is the real deal folks – for more than 100+ years the Jackson Hole Rodeo has been an integral part of Jackson Hole and the old west.  For 2+ hours the Wilson family (5th generations Jackson Hole) will entertain you with brave young men who attempt to master the backs of bulls and broncs,  while mostly the girls take to the backs of their quickest horse for a shot at being the fastest around the barrels.


rodeo6If you have never been to a real rodeo you are in for a treat.  A real piece of Americana that will not only make you proud to be an American but the Jackson Hole Rodeo will keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire evening.  But the real story that I find at the rodeo is not the spectacle that takes place within the arena but what takes place behind the bucking chutes.  Boys and men of all ages getting prepared to take their shot at making the 8 second ride into glory.  And I mean all ages!  There are boys as young as 4 years old getting their first rides all the way up to men in their late 40’s.  And that alone is amazing to me as this is really a young mans sport.

rodeo3Bravery comes in many forms but make no mistake, it takes a man with an incredible constitution to climb on the back of one of these very large and dangerous animals.  Behind the chutes you will find these brave young men going through all kinds of rituals as they get ready for their rides.  Some are jumping up and down trying to shake off their fears, others practice their ride by sitting on their bronc saddles while they lay on the floorboards of the chute area.  Others walk around talking to themselves as if they are trying to convince one half of their other personality everything is ok while the other half is telling them NOT TO GO.  These men, and I mean men, come from long distances and they pay a handsome fee to ride and compete for the best score.  Most of them are clearly friends that come from the many ranches around the states of Idaho, Montana and of coarse, Wyoming.

As you mingle behind the chutes and fade into the background you can watch these men prepare themselves both physically and mentally for their next ride.  You can see the grit and determination, the desire, hunger, fear, concerns, the focus they seek preparing themselves for their upcoming turn in the chutes.  They pat each other on the back, high fives, words of rodeo4encouragement, a nervous chuckle and for some just a simple stare into the eyes of one of their close friends looking for that simple smirk of encouragement and support.  There is only constant support for those who are about to ride.  No, behind these chutes is no place for a weak man.

Contrary to what many might think, these brave souls come in all shapes and sizes.  young men with boyish faces, men with that expected cowboy look, men with scars, casts, slings, limps all giving testimony to earlier events.  Many of them ride at least twice a week at this rodeo alone.  When you are privileged to be part of this behind the chutes environment you gain a new respect for todays cowboys.  They are a breath of fresh air in my opinion as they give testimony and carry on in the tradition of the old west and those men who came before them.

rodeo5Yes I say – go to the rodeo and I promise you that you will enjoy an event that will leave you with a certain sense pride that only comes with being an American.  The rodeo arena is an exciting place to watch all this unfold.  A place where America’s truly most original sport was born and 8 seconds of sheer terror takes place right in front of your eyes.  Watch with amazement as each young man climbs onto the back of their bull, their bronc, their ride that will surely come.  For these men who ride, ride for both themselves as much as they ride for your entertainment.   To do this comes only with a passion that is ingrained in the cowboy tradition that still lives on today right here in Jackson Hole Wyoming.  These young men and women come to this event with the strong need to participate in this American sport.  And yes courage and honor exist right here behind the bucking chutes of American Rodeo.

 

Bozeman Montana, Dining, Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, National Elk Refuge, National Parks, Teton National Park, Uncategorized, Wilson Wyoming, Wyoming, Yellowstone Park

Morning Coffee – Spring Raises Her Head In Jackson…

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Spring Morning In The Tetons
Spring morning looking west at the Grand. Sunshine is on tap for the day!

It has been several weeks since my last post – not sure where all the time has gone but the truth is winters can be long here in the Rockies.  As we move from the depths of winter into the Spring season you can just feel the change happening.  Not only with Mother Nature but with the people of this area.  People attitudes start to change very quickly when Father Sun finally peaks out of the clouds.

So what have we been doing for the past several weeks?  Good question – but I thought I would post just a couple of things that have happened.  One of the sad notes in Jackson has been all the moose that have been killed by cars this winter.  These big beautiful animals just do not understand the dangers of the highways.  This morning after we dropped our daughter off at school in Wilson we headed for the Elevated Grounds coffee shop on the West Bank.  As we approached the coffee shop a mother and her two calves decided to cross the road and as we slowed to a stop we almost witnessed another accident.  Although this is not a good picture you can see the mother walking down the driveway just after crossing in front of our Jeep.  Her two calves followed but almost did not make it across the road.  If you visit this summer please be aware that you can be faced in a heart beat with this kind of interaction with these big beautiful animals.

A few weeks ago we made a visit to the north side of the Elk Refuge during a blustery winter day.  We came upon an entire heard of elk all moving to the east trying to get out of the wind.  This picture does not capture the enormity of this heard but we were really close.  This picture was taken with a 50mm lens and this group was almost 3/4 of mile long.  At one point we just parked on the road side and watched them.  It is really cool to see how the stronger males take charge and keep an eye on you.  To be able to experience this so close to home is really a treat.  It won’t be long before they start to move back up into the high country.  It looks like a warm Spring is about to arrive.

Our son Brock was asked to play a few of his songs at an event at the Jackson Hole Playhouse and Saddle Rock Saloon recently and it was really kind of a cool little event.  For those of you who may be planning a visit here this summer you absolutely need to make time to go to the play this summer.  The plays are really a must see event here in town.  This summer the play is Cat Ballou and the season opens June 1st and runs through September 29th.

One of the cool things about the playhouse is that you can make reservations for dinner prior to the show.  Having dinner at the Saddle Rock Saloon is a really fun family event.  The casts are your waiters and they sing and perform during your meal.  This is a really good way to get to know the cast prior to the show. The playhouse is one of the oldest building in Jackson Hole with a really interesting history.  The cast will share with you all the things that have taken place over the last 100 years at this very location during the Pre-Show event.  If you are looking for an opportunity to do something with your entire family that will stay in your memories for a lifetime then you must put the Play House on your bucket list.

Since our last post we had one of the better winter storms roll through the region leaving a solid blanket of snow.  On these mornings when we wake up to heavy snow we like to cruise the town as it turns into a winter wonderland.  The heavy snow creates such a beautiful atmosphere and one of our favorite things to do is just park and take a walk.  If you have never taken a walk in the middle of heavy snowfall then make sure you make the effort to do it at least once in your life.  Yes its cold but it is almost hard to put into words what the experience is like.

Finally I wanted to share with you that there are wonderful things to do outside of our valley.  It is a good thing when you can take even a day trip to another place.  Winters can be long and it helps if you can get away even if for just a few hours. One of our favorite day trips is to head to Bozeman Montana for the day.  On this day which was just a week ago we found the town of Bozeman to be free of snow and almost 70 degrees.  Brynn and her friend told us it was summer in Bozeman and how happy they were to see the sun.  We stopped by the Museum of the Rockies which a very cool place to visit.  The girls wanted to take a picture next to this big horse and just get out of the Jeep and run around.  Look for more Morning Coffee Posts now that Spring has arrived and as we venture from our homes into God’s country this summer.

Dining, Jackson Hole, Uncategorized, Wyoming

Wyoming Beef! Grass Fed and Delicious…

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As we all know the cost of food is growing at a rapid pace and putting a strain on individuals and their families pocket books. Just like the cost of health insurance good quality food costs are reaching an all time high. Because we live in Wyoming we are blessed with many really good ranches that raise beef for their living. In Jackson Hole we are also blessed with quite a selection of boutique markets with top-notch butcher counters. We do not have markets like Whole Foods, or Bristol Farms but what we do have in terms of markets is quite nice!

Today’s post is about one small market which sits on the west bank of the Snake River called the Aspens Market. Recently they remodeled and put in a first class meat section. The guys that work behind the counter are skilled butchers and almost all of the beef they sell comes from ranches right here in Wyoming. Grass fed beef – perfect!

Grass Fed Wyoming Beef
Grass Fed Wyoming Beef

They hang and age their own beef and then cut it to either your specifications or to what they know to be the best cut for a particular part of the animal. Now I am sure not everyone who reads this post are meat eaters but if you are you will appreciate what I am saying. These animals are raised on large ranches, roam freely and eat the natural grasses available.

As you can see from the picture these two steaks were very large cuts and well over 1 1/2 inches thick. Fortunately for us our son Brock was here to prepare them as steaks like these take some real skill to prepare and cook to perfection. Brock did just that! In our family we are not huge meat eaters so we usually have smaller portions which we know is better for your overall health and we always pair our servings with salads, fresh vegetables and sometimes potatoes, which by the way come from over the hill in Idaho.

These two steaks provided enough of a bounty to allow us to enjoy this meat for many meals that followed. We had enough steak left over for sandwiches, steak for quesadillas, and even enough left over to make some tacos. Yes the cost for these two steaks was expensive when you compare them to other options in your local markets but when you consider the health benefits of meat of this quality and the fact we had several other meals from them the overall cost was more than reasonable.

Bottom line, good quality food is expensive, but then again so is the cost of being sick. One of the biggest things we face as a nation is a growing problem with obesity which directly affect ones overall health, the cost of insurance, the cost of healthcare and more importantly the quality of life. The next time you shop try to find a butcher who provides grass-fed beef products – I think you will be surprised at the overall value and not to mention just how good they will taste.