The necklace is of gold, like most dreams. Tiny and delicate and really no one ever notices it. Not even me. It’s become part of me, connected at its ends by a clasp that has never failed. The clasp must know should it come undone, I would follow.

The pendant falls at the concave curve that lies so neatly below the adam’s apple and in between the clavicle. For 7 years now it’s rested in that place made famous by The English Patient. Such a part of me it’s become, the significance of it faded into obscurity.

In spin class today splatters of sweat displaced by it were felt on the underside of my chin. For the first time, I became aware of it swinging, rhythmically striking that curve. Clarity struck me like the pain in my quads. This necklace hanging so perfectly and beautifully unintrusive at my suprasternal notch represents the current epicenter of my life. And I’d forgotten about it.

During six months that have revolved around long, sweaty workouts, recovery, showers, and trying to make it as a freelance writer, a dream has unfolded.

The necklace is a line engraving of Grand Teton.  It’s been given a nice scrub and polish since the revelation.

There is something to be said for the delicious stride of habit’s familiarity.  Some can’t fathom traveling to the same place twice; there is indeed a great deal to see in the world. But even among those with the most severe case of wanderlust, many have a favorite destination - a place whose familiar embrace is longed for.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming is that place for me. At some point during every year, my thoughts turn to it. A hunger to see it, breathe the mountain air, gaze upon the abundant wildlife, dine at my favorite restaurants, and hike favorite trails, inevitably begins to gnaw.

The wonder and enchantment of the mountains and the valley is constant. It’s the intrigue generated by the continual motion of rotating sensory stimulus that causes me to travel there again and again — it is never the same twice.

In a few days, I head to Jackson Hole to climb the highest mountain in the Teton Range - 13,770 ft. Grand Teton. My life has been consumed by 5 months of training; the intensity of it having gradually increased to the point the blog has taken a backseat. Hell, almost everything’s taken a back seat.

Thoughts have finally turned away from the heads-down training regimen to the fact I’ll be in Jackson Hole soon. While the time there will be devoted to training at altitude until the summit bid, I want to share my list of favorite things to do. And yes, I will manage to fit in a few of these.

Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole overlap (one of only two airports in the United States in a National Park).  But I’ve broken the list down by what’s technically in the Park and what isn’t. With a map and this list, you’ll see some of the best the area has to offer.

A Mormon Row Barn

Just get out and DRIVE

Grand Teton National Park

1. Walk through Jackson Lake Lodge. The wall of windows at the back facing the Teton Mountain Range frame a spectacular view. The wildlife watching at dusk from the outdoor patio at the back is fantastic. Highway 89/191 just north of Jackson Lake Dam.
2. Enjoy a meal on the patio at Signal Mountain Lodge - nachos and the tequila lime chicken quesadilla are a must. For dessert grab one of their palm-sized homemade cookies at the checkout counter.
3. Since you’re already there, drive to the top of Signal Mountain. Teton Park Road south end of    Jackson Lake.
4. Take the boat across Jenny Lake and walk up to Inspiration Point/Hidden Falls (2 miles). Teton Park Road.
5. Take a hike. There are many from which to choose and for all fitness levels. From the Taggart Lake hike of 4 miles to the all day not-for-the-faint-of-heart Amphitheatre Hike (rated very strenuous), there’s something for everyone. Taggart Trailhead - Teton Park Road just north of the Moose Entrance gate; Amphitheatre Trailhead - Teton Park Road, Lupine Meadows, north of Taggart trailhead and south of Jenny Lake.
6. Drive to Antelope Flats for wildlife viewing. Road turns East off of Highway 89/191 just north of Moose Junction. Watch for a sign.
7. See the barns on Mormon Row for a classic view of the Tetons. 13 miles north of Jackson on 89/191, go east at the Gros Ventre Road turnoff, then head north on the first road that junctions. Mormon Row is in the southern area of Antelope Flats.
8. For scenery and wildlife viewing, find Schwabacher’s Landing. It’s a photographer’s dream. Highway 89/191 north of Moose Junction.
9. The same goes for Oxbow Bend. Highway 89/191 north of Moran Entrance Station and south of Jackson Lake Junction.
10. Find the spot where the 1953 Western film, Shane,  was filmed (towards Kelly).
11. See the Gros Ventre (Grow Vaunt) Slide Geological Area. On June 23, 1925, 50 million cubic yards slid off the side of Sheep Mountain damming the Gros Ventre River and creating Lower Slide Lake. Highway 89/191 just north of Jackson and south of the airport, turn East onto the Gros Ventre Road. Follow the paved road past Kelly.
12. Stand in awe at the Snake River overlook made famous by Ansel Adams. Highway 89/191 north of Schwabacher’s Landing, south of Triangle X Ranch (all marked).
13. Locate the Old Patriarch Tree (about a 15 minute walk off the road). 89/191 north of Moose Junction. If you want the GPS coordinates, you’ll have to leave a comment and ask me for those!
14. Stay at a dude ranch. Any dude ranch.
15. Take a horseback ride. Anywhere.

Jackson Hole Area

The sign on Teton Pass

Big smile, tiny fish

16. Get pictures at the top of Teton Pass (8,341 feet), in front of the famous Teton Pass sign with the cowboy pointing towards Jackson Hole (especially fun during the winter when the snow covers most of the sign). Approximately 11 miles west of Jackson on Highway 22 and just up the mountain from Wilson.
17. Speaking of Wilson, eat at Nora’s. Shop at Fish Creek Interiors. Get a soda pop at the General Store. Grab a cappuccino and bagel at Pearl Street Bagels.
18. See the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Just north of Jackson on 89/191.
19. Drive to the Curtis Canyon Overlook. In Jackson behind the hospital, take the Elk Refuge Road. It’s a dirt road that makes a forced turn to the north - after that change of direction, take the first road east. Wind your way into the backcountry until you see the sign and the overlook. Great place. I once photographed an eclipse from there.
20. If you know how to flyfish, then wet a line here. If not, take a lesson or a guided trip. Check out Jack Dennis or several other flyshops for their offerings.
21. Take a drive on the Moose-Wilson road. Make sure you have binoculars for the wildlife. North of the airport on 89/191, take the Moose Junction exit. Before you get to the Grand Teton National Park gate, you’ll see a sign for the road on your left.
22. Wine tasting at Dornan’s; pizza at Dornan’s; cookies at Dornan’s (inside the grocery shop). North of airport on 89/191, take the Moose Junction exit. Dornan’s has a sign just past the turnoff.
23. Raft down the Snake River (through the Canyon). Several outfitters to choose from.
24. Chicken pizza at the Brew Pub (Snake River Brewery - downtown Jackson). Any beer at the Brew Pub - micro brewed on the premises.
25. Latte & Bagels at Pearl Street Bagels (one in downtown Jackson and another location at Wilson)
26. Stay at Wyoming Inn (Red Lion Inn), or the Four Seasons, or the Snake River Lodge & Spa, or the Wort Hotel.
27. Try Pica’s restaurant near Albertsons in downtown Jackson. There’s a florist and a few other shops next to them. They have great Mexican food, terrific margaritas. The fish tacos are my favs.
28. Breakfast at Bubba’s (next to Orvis shop) - biscuits and gravy, pancakes - best I’ve ever had!! Great omelets.
29. Any meal or snack at the Bunnery (downtown Jackson)
30. Have the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer and the lamb shank for an entree att the Blue Lion Inn Restaurant (downtown Jackson).
31. Dinner & oyster shooters at the The Rendezvous Bistro. My husband loves the green oyster shooters, I love the red ones. Try both. (South of downtown Jackson)
32. Massage at the Rusty Parrot (downtown Jackson)
33. Burgers at Billy’s in downtown Jackson (eat them inside the Cadillac Restaurant bar or or at the Billy’s counter is fun too, except in winter unless you enjoy wearing your coat, hat, and gloves while you eat).
34. Lunch at Sweetwater Restaurant, on the patio (downtown Jackson).
35. Shop at Skinny Skis and Teton Mountaineering in downtown Jackson - my two favorite shopping excursions in the world (go up the stairs in Teton Mountaineering and you’ll find their sale items).
36. Check out Cloudveil’s flagship store (they’re headquartered in Jackson). It’s on a corner in downtown Jackson, but off the square.
37. For fun, unique, home interior shopping and small colorful gifts, check out Wild Hands for really neat artsy colorful objects (downtown Jackson), Paradigm Interior Design next to Pearl Street Bagels, and Jackson Lighting.
38. Shop at The Bootlegger in downtown Jackson.
39. Take a sleigh ride on Elk Refuge in winter.
40. Order an Arnold Palmer wherever you eat (it’s a tea/lemonade mix and very Jackson).
41. Tram ride to the top of the Teton Village mountain (Rendezvous Mountain) and hike down, or not.
42. Enjoy lunch or simply a walk through at Teton Village’s Mangy Moose Restaurant. The Idaho trout fish and chips are memorable as is the full sized stuffed moose hitched to a sleigh hanging from the ceiling.
43. Dinner at the Bar J Chuckwagon on Highway 22 (on the way to Teton Village). You’ll get a real chuckwagon meal (fit for a king), a wagon ride, and a cowboy music show.
44. Hike to the top of Snow King (ski mountain in downtown Jackson) and if you can’t do that, take the ski lift - GREAT aerial view of Jackson.
45. Hike up High School Butte and watch the handgliders take off.
46. Find the Sleeping Indian (hint: Sheep Mountain).
47. Find the town square’s live webcam and wave to friends at home.
48. Sit in the town square, admire the elk horn arches (all naturally shed), and people watch.
49. Find an art gallery brochure and take a self-guided tour around the galleries located on the Jackson town square.

Pointed elbows and lowered hat bills greet soda pop aficionados at Arcadia Oklahoma’s POPS Soda Ranch on Route 66. While 2 glass floor-to-ceiling walls of the colorful bottles tempt you to pluck and run in order to escape the furor of the refrigerated section at the back, the library shelves are merely for perusal; the bottles are glued-down samples.

On any given day you can vie for over 500 flavors of soda pop imported from all over the world. Take one and ask for a straw on the spot, or load up the 6-pack containers for a picnic later. Or for gifts. Or to create your own soda pop library - one of my quests in life.

If you get inside and decide you need something for your exotic, imported soda pop to wash down, you’re in luck. The grill is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and offers nostalgic choices such as an old fashioned cheeseburger basket, grilled cheese sandwich, or a substantial chicken fried steak. Sit at the stainless steel counter for a real blast from the past.

See those 6 packs lined up? Yep, they're all mine.

Go at night and be greeted by the 66 foot tall pop bottle sculpture complete with a giant straw. Lit by colorful LED lights pulsing through the structure, it’s the perfect prelude to what you’ll find inside.

Located 15 miles west of the Wellston exit off the Turner Turnpike on Rt. 66, you can’t miss the small shop. A white, steel cantilevered canopy extends 100 feet over the gas tanks. It’s unsupported (by design) so there’s no need to worry about side-swiping the posts.

And you don’t have to be a soda pop aficionado to enjoy POPS. Gawkers are welcome too.

For more fun travel and taste bud ideas, check out Wanderfood Wednesdays at Wanderlust & Lipstick.

A beautiful Oklahoma sunset provided the backdrop for my much needed 3 hour road trip this past weekend.

After 18 years in the financial sector as a CPA and Certified Financial Planner, I asked myself one day who I really wanted to be. Was it the geek carrying the HP 12C, donned in panty hose, respectable pumps, and a conservative suit? Nah. It was the person in this pic. I really like this person. And she seems pretty happy too.

I don’t post pictures of myself mainly because there aren’t many. I’m the one behind the camera, and I like it that way. And pictures of me flyfishing are even more rare as I’m usually by myself or those in my party are downstream somewhere (I like to be the person upstream LOL - I’m blonde not stupid).  The blonde part’s not technically correct after the China backpacking trip but I’m working to recover the blonde locks. It takes a lot of time sitting in the hair salon. I don’t do that well. Sitting still.

The photo above was taken on the 3rd hiking trip into the Wind River Range in Wyoming in 2007. There were 3 of us on this trip - me and 2 guy friends. The first and second trips in 2002 and 2003 included me and 5 guys. My amazing husband sends me off with these guys as they’re all like brothers to me. I’m the only girl that ever gets invited because I’m the only girl they know who can smell as bad as they do at the end of the trip. Well, and I don’t whine. Ever. My backpack always weighs 50+ lbs. My camera gear outranks personal items and therefore there’s not a lot of grooming that takes place. I’m okay with that. More okay than I should be. Furthermore I can eat my weight in cheeseburgers at the Lander Bar & Grill when we come out. And throw back a respectable amount of libations.

The trips are grueling. The last 2 more so than the first as I was living in Jackson Hole for the first go and had the advantage of altitude adjustment. Big advantage. The guys all came from sea level. Big disadvantage. I smoked them to the top of Hell’s Hill, elevation 11,000 feet and a full 8 hours into the second day’s hike. So much so that I had time to cavort at the top, lie back in the sunshine, photograph like a fiend, and then climb back down to help a guy bring his pack on up to the top.

I was a rock star on that mountain. It was the first and last of that glory. And like a HS football star, I still talk about it every chance I get.

Since that glory has faded to the hue of a 1900’s tintype photograph, for my birthday this year, I asked to climb Grand Teton. I’ve been training now for 4 months. There’s lots of hissing going on in my household. Lots of ice packs flying around. Lots of short trips and parties being turned down. Lots of lactic acid pumping through my veins. I’ve done without sweets for weeks upon weeks, chocolate included. My life has been consumed by the preparation. My husband reminds me frequently his life has been indirectly consumed by it.  I gave him permission to say bad things to me the next time I throw out an idea that will so voraciously inhale 5+ months of our lives.

My version of Ansel Adam's famous photo from the Snake River Overlook.

Grand Teton. It stands at 13,770, with an ascent of 6,700 feet which requires a combination of hiking, climbing, and rappelling. It’s the highest mountain in the Teton Range (part of the Rocky Mountains). The most popular route up the mountain is the Exum Ridge (II, 5.5), a 13-pitch exposed route first climbed by Glenn Exum. This route takes the south ridge of the mountain to the summit and the direct start (Lower Exum Ridge, III, 5.7) is considered a mountaineering classic. The North Ridge (IV, 5.8) and North Face with Direct Finish (IV, 5.8) ascend the dramatic northern aspect of the peak, and their inclusion in Steck and Roper’s Fifty Classic Climbs of North America has helped maintain the fame of the peak in the climbing community. Since the first ascent, 38 routes with 58 variations have been established.

The origin of the name is controversial. The most popular explanation is that “Grand Teton” means “large teat” in French, named by either French-Canadian or Iroquois members of an expedition led by Donald McKenzie of the North West Company. However, other historians disagree, and claim the mountain was named after the Teton-Sioux tribe. Personally, the “large teat” origin is my favorite.

I know a lot about the Tetons, from the GROUND. I’ve photographed them for years, gazed at them from all sides and dreamed of being up there. It was the one thing I regret not doing while living there. And I did a lot of things Animal Tracking, Snot Effect and Poop. You chuckled at the “from the ground” part? You know you did. But it’s important because that familiarity means I know the challenge I’m embarking upon. Then again, I always say that and then get into something and promise myself to have my head checked if I manage to exit the situation alive.

From The Ground

From The Ground #2

From The Ground #3

From The Ground #4 Get the picture?!

I’m ordinary. Filled at times with fear, infinitesimally stupid at times, fraught with the same self delusions and insecurities as most everyone else, I may have an above average tolerance for pain. Then again I probably tell myself that in order to stay psyched up for the extremely painful things that seem to happen to me. More on that later. I hate working out. Those 30 minutes on the elliptical are an eternity. Getting to Pilates twice a week is as difficult and unpalatable as mowing 2 acres of grass with a push mower. So this undertaking is a big stretch. I think of this when I recall my 3 year old nephew trying to drink a whole glass of chocolate milk and eat a bowl of ice cream the size of my Dad’s. About as insurmountable.

It’s the task itself, the carrot dangling so enticingly that really gets my blood pumping. After the first Wind River hike I was depressed for months. Lost. Afloat. I know what Lewis felt like when he returned home from the expedition. Driving back to the trailhead after getting everyone else on the road , I wanted to disappear back into that wilderness. Returning to Jackson through distraught tears was as much a struggle as anything I’d done.

Nothing in my life has ever been on the same scale as the Lewis and Clark expedition, but I know what he struggled with even if at a much lesser degree. It took a long time before I felt normal, and to a degree, I’ve never regained the perspective of the world I had before I left for that trip. P.S. That’s a Good thing.

The NEED to have an adventurous goal that will stretch me beyond my recognizable self is ever present. It’s an itch that won’t go away. It’s not been relieved a bit by the aging process, or by injuries sustained on past adventures. I WANT to feel some fear. Not the fear of failure represented by not making it to the top of Grand. If I don’t make it, it’ll be disappointing. But it won’t kill me. NOT making the attempt would kill me. The fear I’m talking about doesn’t come at the hand of others. It comes from the smallness I feel when faced with the elements of nature. Things I can’t control. Things that so radically and without emotion put me in my place. It changes your perspective of the world and your position in it. In my opinion we all need that. Others will argue, but there is but one way to get this attitude adjustment - by pitting yourself against natural elements.

I'm going to be up there in one month. I'm going to be up there in one month. I'm going to be up there in one month.

4 Weeks and Counting!!  Ahhhhh!!……..

P.S. While this technically won’t count as a SOLO trip, it will be just me and an Exum guide.  Actually, getting to the top takes just me.  Sigh.

We resume the regularly scheduled programming - specifically the last part of the series that began with the Rah Rah! article encouraging you to shoot with whatever camera you happen to have: Great Photos from Really Cheap Cameras.

Now What? Part I and Part II were tips and pointers on what to do with that cheap/old/outdated camera to achieve photos you’ll be proud of.

All the tips apply to ANY camera but since we began with a discussion that followed the woefully inaccurate adage of crappy camera = crappy photos, it only makes sense to play this out.

• Stop looking at what everyone else is doing until you’ve figured out WHAT is it YOU like. It’s easy to be pulled in every direction by the latest whim, gadget, or toy without ever learning what pleases your own eye. About the time you’ve invested in the latest, the tide turns to retro. Do you like photos that are a bit soft, out of focus even?  Do highly processed HDR images make your heart pound, your palms sweaty? Or do you prefer tack sharp, head-on realistic?  Figure out what you like and forget about what anyone else thinks - their inclinations don’t matter, and you’ll have a hard time keeping up with all the gadgets. If you like a particular style, find out how to achieve it, then set out to perfect it.

Personally, I like tack sharp, Anseladamsesque realism (and I really liked making that one word).  I enjoy the emotion conveyed by powerful, natural elements and take particular pleasure in viewing images that give the impression that with one step, you could be in that frame.  Menacing clouds with bits of sun peeking through, the appeal of details wedged in by shadow, the raw, hard lines/crevices of rocks or faces - these appeal to my eye. These are what I enjoy capturing. This “style” is what I’ve focused on.

Yellowstone

Wyoming Wonder

Bryce Canyon National Park

Uigher Man

• Experiment.  If you have a camera with interchangeable lenses, put on one lens and shoot EVERYTHING with it for 2 weeks.  If you don’t have interchangeable lenses, shoot EVERYTHING at ONE setting for 2 weeks. IF you’re not shooting a lot, then keep the same lens/setting for longer.
• Learn one basic retouching technique.

Trained in the darkroom, I’m a bit of a purist at heart. Since my first priority with this series is to help you, I must confess - I’ve learned Photoshop.  Sssssssss….. Now that’s out, I feel much better.

However, (surely you expected a “however”?!) my skills are limited to improving what the camera captured as opposed to changing it.  In other words my Photoshop skills are basic.

Actually my Photoshop skills mimic what I can do in the darkroom.  Oh, I know you thought Ansel was a straight-up kind of guy. NEWS FLASH!!! What that man did in the darkroom with chemicals and fingers waving under the enlarger bulb, is no different than a bit of basic Photoshop.  No different at all.

My favorite Photoshop darkroom technique is “levels.”  All my B&W’s get a levels adjustment, and a lot of color shots as well.  Second favorite is the “high pass” filter utilizing the “overlay” choice for the layer. I’ve recently discovered a Photoshop plug-in software, SilverEfex by Nik Software.  It’s almost weaned me from the gnawing lust to lose myself in the red glow of the darkroom lamp.  Almost.

• Don’t be afraid to use flash.  You SHOULD use it for backlit subjects/scenes.  Again, experiment.
• Take a Basic Photography course
• Take a Basic Photoshop course
• Take photos of things you don’t think are photo worthy at the time. No regrets!
• HAVE FUN!

Here’s what happens when you have fun, you don’t take yourself too seriously, and you ummmm occasionally let go of the style you really prefer.

Agave #1. Taken with a point-and-shoot.

Agave #2. Taken with a point-and-shoot.

The only thing French I own -- an antique French gate. NOT taken with a point-and-shoot. LOL