Travel & Tourism

Droid Helps Country Bumpkin Find Her Way

August 4, 2010 by Shelli

I love Apple, but I also love Google.

DroidX — My Driod X is the droid I was expecting.For one thing, as we traveled for hours across the wide state of Nebraska, the boys and I voice-commanded topics from which Google queried searches for us.

My family travels a lot. And, our three sons have inquiring minds. As we’re motoring across southwestern Wyoming, we often pass the time by expanding our knowledge, thanks to my “smart” phone.

They want to know things like, have ghosts and/or UFOs have been reported in the vicinity?How much blood is inside a great white shark? They like to confirm things they agree with, such as why broccoli is a “cruciferous” (to bear a cross) vegetable.

My Droid is happy to look these things up for us. It helps pass the time during road trips and we gain new knowledge while logging miles.

One of the most exciting things is when I, a small town girl — a country bumpkin — look to my Droid to navigate and help me find my way to places when I’m in a big city. Recently I was in a big metropolis and needed to find a Walgreen’s. It was rather exciting to hear my Droid voice her commands, left turns and right turns (and even u-turns when I made mistakes) and which exits to take.

And I found my way. The only beef I have is after such lengthy play-by-play navigation, the navigation’s voice should include a huge “Congratulations!” or “Nice Work!” Instead, all I got was “You have successfully arrived at your destination.” No duh. Oh well. Beggars can’t be choosers.

The funny thing is that in all the excitement, by the time I got to Walgreen’s, I totally forgot why I needed to go to Walgreen’s in the first place. So, I just bought some Gingko Biloba and was on my way.

I love my Droid. It is (more than) the droid I was expecting.

The “Gilbert Johnson 1-Mile-a-Day Challenge”

August 3, 2010 by Shelli

My husband’s uncle Gilbert is 82 years old. He has knee problems, glaucoma, and other aches and pains that commonly wreak havoc on people as they age.

GilbertatZooJuly2010 — Uncle Gilbert, 82, ready for a day of walking at the Henry Doorly Zoo.

But he is no ordinary 82-year-old.

Every summer we travel to Omaha, my husband’s home town, to visit his family. Omaha is home to the ever-expanding and awesome Henry Doorly Zoo.

Gilbert is a big fan and supporter of the zoo, and it’s tradition for Uncle Gilbert to take us to there while we visit. It’s a highlight of our trip, as the zoo provides hours of awe-inspiring sights, particularly for our three young sons.

We can hardly keep up with Uncle Gilbert, who with his trekking poles, despite the heat and humidity and hills, leads us all on our trek to explore the animals.

Seven days a week, Gilbert walks one mile, sometimes two. He does this at the zoo, or at Fontenelle Forest, or around one of Omaha’s many lakes.

I’m calling this post the Gilbert Johnson challenge. I am challenging you to walk one mile every day.

Come on, you can do it. Extend your life and improve your quality of life by incorporating some exercise into every one of your days. One mile is only 10-30 minutes out of your day. Walk to the office or the grocery store.

Are you living or dying? Gilbert is living. We should too.

(Thanks, Uncle Gilbert, for your continued inspiration!)

Here are my many other fitness-related posts.

Hiking the Bears Ears Trail

July 24, 2010 by Shelli

P7210024 — Me, on the Bears Ears Trail. You can see by looking at Bears Ears Mountain behind me in this photo where the trail gets its name.

The Bears Ears Trail is one of my favorite trails in all of Wyoming’s Wind River Range. This is due to the nature of the trail and the views it provides.

After a little more than three miles of switchbacks through forest, the trail opens up into alpine tundra and hands out spectacular views as it ascends Adams Pass.

We had set out with plans for a long and epic hike that would include the Bears Ears Trail and the Lizard Head Trail as an out-and-back day hike that would total about 28 miles. Mother Nature had other plans, though. Thunder and rain crashed our party around 11 a.m., which meant we did not get to hike the Lizard Head Trail. It was still a phenomenal adventure I will not forget.

We had a generous winter this year, which meant on our July 21 hike, the trail was still wet in many places. We even hiked over snow a handful of times. But it also meant the wildflowers were amazing.

P7210030 — My husband, Jerry, and friends Holly and Leann hiking Adams Pass on the Bears Ears Trail.

Adams Pass is amazing in its own right. But the hands-down prize is the view hikers are provided after about seven miles of hiking. What hikers get to see seven miles into this hike has got to be one of the best views in and of Wyoming’s southern Wind River Range.

P7210047 — We hiked over some snow in a handful of places along the trail.

What you see is an awesome panorama of rugged country, including Mount Washakie, Washakie Pass, Bernard Peak, Lock Leven Lake, Chess Ridge, Mount Hooker, Mount Bonneville, and Musembeah Peak, which towers over Grave Lake.

We chose our turnaround point to be the area in front of a deep and dramatic cirque that lay directly in the foreground of the aforementioned view. We pulled just off the trail to what looked like a mess of huge boulders that fell out of the sky, leading to a sudden and deep hole/cirque. We all agreed you would not want to walk around this area in the dark!

Well, what more can I say? This was yet another epic day in my back yard. Another reminder of how lucky I am to live here.

P7210066 — My husband, Jerry, standing in front of a sudden cirque and an amazing, panoramic view of the southern Wind River Range.

NOTE: The trailhead is in Dickinson Park, about 37 miles northwest of my hometown of Lander, WY. The trail starts at about 9,300′ elevation and gains about 2,600′. It’s recommended you hike the eight miles to the junction of the Lizard Head Trail, and then scramble approximately 350 feet up to the top of Mt. Chauvenet, via its western slope. We didn’t on this day, but Jerry and I did so about 11 years ago and it’s highly recommended!

HERE ARE 3 SHORT VIDEO CLIPS THAT PROVIDE A GLIMPSE INTO THE BEAUTY OF THIS HIKE. ENJOY!

Blue Ridge Lookout: A Perfect Family Hike

July 22, 2010 by Shelli

P7190861 — Blue Ridge Lookout is a short, but exciting hike for families, especially those who have small children. These are our boys.

I live in Lander, Wyoming, which is an awesome town with about 7,000 people in it, located in the foothills of the spectacular Wind River Range. Those of you who follow me and this blog are well aware of my love of this area and for hiking.

Recently, my husband, Jerry, and I took our three young sons on a favorite local day hike. The hike is only one mile round trip, making it an “easy adventure” for young children with small legs. (The hike starts at 9,600 feet elevation so there could be some effort and huffing and puffing even from the adults in the group.)

P7190890 — Family timer photo on top of the historic Blue Ridge Lookout.

The Blue Ridge Lookout was constructed in 1938. The views from the top are magnificent. Among other sights, you’ll see Wind River Peak and Atlantic Peak, Fiddler Lake and lots of forest. I have fond memories of making this hike with my siblings and parents when I was a kid. It is truly one of the best short hikes and picnic spots for families here in my back yard.

The trailhead is located about 23 miles southwest of Lander, along the Sinks Canyon-Louis Lake Road. The trail, which starts at about 9,600′ elevation gains about 365 feet by the time you reach the top of the lookout.

Note: Keep your young children on a short leash. This could be a dangerous destination for kids left unattended due to the heights of the lookout.

Here’s a short “video journal” of the day’s outing. It will provide visuals for the actual hike, as well as the lookout. Enjoy!

Why I Love Lander, Wyoming

June 29, 2010 by Shelli

Someone once told me, “Happiness is a time, not a place.” I thought that it was a pretty neat way of looking at things. Still, the people in a community also help facilitate happiness. This is true for my community.

And, I certainly find happiness due to the place in which I live. A place called Lander, Wyoming. I’m not a great photographer, but here are many reasons I live in, and love, Lander: