How was your Memorial Day?

Across the river!

Well it was quite an experience this Memorial Day!  We had about 16-20 inches of snow over the weekend.  Lets just say that the snow is one of the best things about living at the ranch.  Check out all the cool photos from the ranch......

Horse Pasture

Pond

Horses!

Here are a few of the buildings on the ranch!

What a difference a year makes

Jackson Lake ~ Teton National Park

Last year Erin and I couldn't wait to get into the national parks in Wyoming.  The road to yellowstone barely opened by the end of may due to the record setting amount of snow.  This year there is practically no snow and they lakes are already thawed out. Bummer.  Here are a few photos from our trip 2 weekends ago  Check out some of the photos to compare the difference in the years here.  Well im off and running back to finish this gallery hope you like the photos.

Same photo almost as the first one just in color ! Favorites anyone? Color or BW?

Found these cut down trees next to the lake pretty cool!

Push a little Harder

This week I keep reminding myself to push a little harder.  Im tired and have been working for almost two weeks straight.  Its amazing how that little phrase works for just about anything, when your working out, in your relationships, and while at work. Four little words that keeping me going day after day.

Today I conquered the Deer Creek Trail.  It took me only a week and a half to get fully acclimated to hiking the trail.  Its about a four mile round trip hike to the top all switchbacks with a total elevation gain of about 3000 ft over 2 miles.  I can make it up and down in under 50 minutes which is really saying something.  Wonder what my time will be at the end of the season.

Here is another interesting that happened this last week.  On thursday while jumping and ATV I learned just how powerful 12 volts of electricity can be.  Story goes I was starting up some ATV's after their long winter of rest and had particular trouble with one ATV.  I would get it started and disconnect the jumper box just to have the ATV die.  Let me explain that whoever designed the battery compartment for these ATV'S  didn't have big hands in mind.  I reached in this time to connect the positive battery terminal with my left hand and to my surprise took 12 volts right through my wedding ring which them proceed to melt around my finger.  From cold to molten in about 1 second.  Lets just say Im so lucky to still have my finger.  There is a hole in my wedding ring and a serious blister on my ring finger all the way around it. Well its healing but im still pissed about ruining my ring.  

More stories from the ranch to come!

The Slower Pace of Life

Photo from the Deer Creek Meadow down onto the Southfork

Well after 5 months of intense vacationing and traveling,  Erin and I have returned to the Ranch.  We packed all of our stuff into two cars and caravanned from sunny California to snowy Wyoming.  It was a great trip we were like  Snowman and the Bandit from Smokey and the Bandit, however I feel like we had better handles "Gator and Sweet-Pants".  We were talking on our walkie's the whole trip up, blocking traffic for each other,  on the lookout for the Fuzz, and making great time its fun to be part of a convoy.

Back in Cody trying to get used to the slower pace of life.  Its great, no one is in a rush everyone expects your whole life story in the grocery check out lane, that one is a little tough on the ice cream and other frozen goods.  But all in all life is good.  We feel like we are finally home, in our little cabin, a place that we can call our own.  We are both trying to get our bodies back into ranch shape.  With an elevation of about 6500 and walking all over the place all day you can expect to hit 3-5 miles on the pedometer.

Washakie Wilderness sign

I am also trying to get myself ready for the pack trip in August.  Last year I had to hike it out with my horse in tow for about the last 15 miles this year I'm preparing for the worse.  I am hiking up the Deer Creek trail 3-4 times a week to get the legs ready.  The trail is pretty intense about 3 miles of switch back and a total elevation gain of about 2500 feet.  I am only doing about half of the trail to start and then going to work up to the 3 mile part in a week or two.  Right now my lungs burn from the cold and elevation.

Wolf print on the trail :-()

Here is to a good season and more photos from DEER CREEK.