No U Turns: On the Road With the Steeles: Jackson Hole 2010: the Best of Times, the Worst of Times

Our time in Jackson Hole area is about to come to a close for this season. It’s been both the best of times and the worst of times this year.

The Best of Times:

1) having scrumptious meals at the Stevens, followed by rousing games of Rummikub and Hands and Foot;

2) venturing off the green runs onto the blue at Grand Targhee;

3) spending time in Yellowstone with the Woods and Jeanne Boeke in Yellowstone, where we had some beautiful cross country skis thanks to good snow conditions;

4) skiing and socializing with our friends from Dillon, Colorado, Huey and Sally;

5) joining in on the fun with the Teton International Table Tennis Society (TITTS) on Monday nights at the Wildwood, where we honed our ping pong skills and enjoyed good food prepared by Chef Bill Boney and PBR on tap;

6) enjoying our little cabin, whose magnificent 360-degree views of sunrises over the Tetons and sunsets over the Big Hole Mountains made up for its lack of space and TV/Internet. We also fell in love with its permanent feline residents: Evie and Purry.

7) and most of all--the real icing on the cake—just spending more time with Hannah, including helping Hannah to prepare for Matt’s surprise birthday party; tromping through the snow to cut our own Christmas tree in the national forest; celebrating Christmas Day with her, Matt, and Holly, a college friend of Hannah’s who drove up from Salt Lake City; treks to Idaho Falls to see movies and shop; trying out new recipes together; and taking cross country skis and walks up Darby Canyon and Moose Creek with the dogs.

The Worst of Times?

1) Jim blowing out his ACL at Targhee on February 11, resulting in ACL surgery on Feb.24, which will be followed by several months of physical therapy and rehab;
2) the third driest winter in recorded history for this area.

Now that it’s in black and white, this has indeed been a good winter: the ”Best” certainly outweighs the “Worst”. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end and we are looking forward to hitting the road for home on Easter Sunday. Because when it’s all said and done, there really is “No place like home!”

Hannah and Matt at his surprise birthday party