We're currently in Stanley hanging out with a friend and some of the locals that are around. It's very snowy here and it's also very cold at night but during the day it's been a wonderful 30 to 40 degrees. which isn't too bad out here. Of course, Lylah loves it and is constantly running around in the snow burying her head in it. She is in heaven as far as she's concerned and of course, she gets to hang out with her friends and play all day long. It's nice to see her have a break and get to stretch and be free.
As for Gimli, he is not liking the cold. He has trouble starting because of the cold nights but luckily my friend is willing to give a jump if necessary. For Gimli, it seems anything below 8 degrees is unacceptable. So for the next go around we will be adding in a heating coil for the engine so that my engine has an easier time with starting back up when I need it to. Of course, there will be one or two things that I also will be updating along with that addition but for the most part, it's smaller things that will be added in. I feel like Gimli is just on the verge of being perfect.
I also have discovered how much I love it up here in Idaho. I want to explore more North of where we are currently but haven't had the time to do so. Im hoping next go around ill get more North and explore a bit more. If you guys have any suggestions for North Idaho please let me know. I would love to have some recommendations as I did for South Dakota.
Now I did say before that Stanley is a place that may not be for you if your dog is not trained well or if you are unsure of off-leash dogs because they are everywhere, and I still stand by that. The dogs that live up here are 100% free and they are all sweet (from what I have encountered) but if your dog is reactive and has terrible recall then it might be best to not come here during the busy season. In the winter the locals are really the only ones around or people come up from Ketchum for some back-country skiing and that would be a good time to let your dog go crazy out in the snow without too much trouble. Just be aware of the temperatures and the forecast because it can get pretty rough this far North in the mountains.
If you are not a winter person and don't want to risk those factors or hate the cold it would then be best to come here in the fall or spring just because it is gorgeous at that time of the year. And if they had a drier season then the mosquitoes are quite minimal but be aware that it does have more people and dogs around so that is a factor to keep in mind.
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Red Rip 8*12 $50
We have about two months left before I am back in Tennessee. to be honest I'm not sure how to feel. It's a mixed bag of emotions knowing that I've made it this far and I'm still feeling good about this adventure/change. I've always wanted to do this kind of lifestyle and now that is here it's amazing to be living this dream that I've held onto for so many years. I'm sure when I get back home it will all feel like it never really happened. Settling back into a house will be weird and I'm sure there will be plenty to do over the next four or five months. Most of them are appointments that I set up before I left and I am even working on a small trip back to Florida to meet up with my tattoo artist.
While I'm excited to make some changes to the van and to also see my kitty, Cinnamon Spice, I also know that I will miss being in the van for that time. On the other hand, I also know I would not do well over the summer. It's just way too hot for me or Lylah to try and make it through a summer in Gimli.
This change has taught me a lot. A lot about how I want to live my life moving forward and how I want to grow as a person. I have some ideas for the future and I feel light the spark that has been flickering on and off for a few years is finally back to being hot and ready to cast light out in the world. I don't know how these next few plans will go and I have no idea if they will be a success or not but it's always worth a try.
While you wait for these plans to be revealed I will be posting Youtube videos, blog posts, and of course art pieces.
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Speaking of art this piece is looking for a home. Click the buy now and it's yours today!
Somewhere in the Sea 16*20 $150
Storytime with me.
This piece is looking for a new home and would greatly appreciate getting out of the house. Click the buy now button and its yours
Shine Bright 12*12 $100
A little over a week ago I met up with my ol man and we hit the slopes in Wolf Creek. If you are not familiar with this magical place and you like to ride you should get acquainted. It's in the southern part of Colorado and it is beautiful. Cold but beautiful.
For three days we hit the slopes and after three years of not riding a snowboard, I finally got back on one. The first time I rode a snowboard was in uber Gatlinburg and it was a disaster. It was icy, with very little powder, and I just kept falling hard. Every time I tried to get back up I kept falling and hurting myself. Either on my face or my back and I never really got to stand up for long. It was frustrating but I kept trying. I wanted so badly to just love it and I didn't want to give up.
After that experience, I remember being extremely bruised. I had a hard time walking and it was a real struggle. I did my best but sometimes, even when we try out best, it turns out to be terrible. For me it was that way for the first real experience on a board but I never gave up hope.
The second time I was able to get on a board I was in New York and I was actually able to stay standing I worked on being able to stop on my heels and slowly work on how to move back and forth. I hardly fell and I felt confident. Sadly though, my ex-boyfriend at the time was being controlled and didn't want me to go on the slopes without him (and he had zero experience on a board and refused to take classes or be alone) and because of that I never got on the slopes to work on my skills.
This time around that was not the case. Once we got to Wolf Creek I got my rentals and hit the bunny hill to see how it felt after three years. In less than an hour I had the maneuvers back. I was able to stop and move from side to side. With confidence and a little bit of nerves, Dad and I went up the Raven lift and he showed me one of the greens. That first day I only worked on the greens. It was mostly to get the feel back and to try and remember how to do this sport. It's very difficult but so much fun.
On the second day, I tried different variations of greens and worked on my speed, and tried to work on my toe slide since I was feeling a little unsure about it. The heel was perfect and I felt good with that movement but the toe...not so much. After a few hours, my Dad talked me into trying a blue route. I waited till he wasn't around and then went for it. Surprisingly the moment wasn't too difficult and I felt like I was able to actually do that route without much trouble. Sure Im slower than most boarders but I felt good nonetheless.
On the third and final day, I went into the boarding shop and the guy decided to let me try a different board out. He was kind and basically gave me a free upgrade for the regular price. It was a sofun Sims board with a twin shape. I had no idea what I was getting into but I am so glad I said yes. That day we only warmed up on one green route and then the rest was blues. With being able to work on the blue routes I was able to even go up to the espresso bar at the summit and have a delicious warm beverage and that was mostly the goal before I left. I had to get to that bar and be able to make it down without falling on my face and believe it or not...I did just that.
I was able to get up there and get down without any issues and I ran multiple runs and hardly fell. The board from Sims was amazing and I loved it so much that I'm looking to invest. I'm hoping to hit the slopes a lot more next season and try other resorts and work on my skills. Of course, with that being said I will be back in Wolf Creek. This place was fabulous and I can understand why people love it there. The runs are super long, the people are friendly, and the snow is AH-MAZ-ING.
If anybody has any suggestions of good places to board let me know. Ill write them down and next season hopefully I will be able to check them out.
Who knows, maybe ill even see some of you all out on the slopes this next go around.
