Enlightenment Begins Where The Pavement Ends

For my first official day off from work my friends and I drove to Grand Teton National Park and did an 8-mile hike around Jenny Lake at the base of the Tetons. The group consisted of Rachel the geologist from New Jersey, Katie my new best friend from Oregon, Stuart the guy from Ohio who hikes 8 miles barefoot, and of course myself.

We left Grant Village that morning and drove to GTNP where we stopped by the visitor center and chose the best hike. From there we went to Jenny Lake where we ate our sack lunches by the water and fought off hungry ground hogs. We then set out on our four-hour hike. Along the way we took pictures of the Tetons, Jenny Lake, rivers, and waterfalls. The weather was beautiful and the setting was perfect. As I glanced up at the magnificent Teton Mountains I realized that it doesn’t get any better than this. What better atmosphere could you spend your entire summer break in?

After we finished our hike we all piled in the car and made our way to Jackson. Pulling into Jackson you could hear our stomachs growling. We decided to eat dinner at a burger place called Billy’s. It was another memorable experience. We each ordered the “Giant Billy Cheeseburger.” It was not only “giant”, but it was also the BEST cheeseburger I’ve ever eaten. So if you’re ever in Jackson Hole and looking for a good place to eat I recommend you stop by Billy’s. Before heading back to Grant we walked around Jackson and shopped for a while. So as you can see it was an eventful day and one full of new and exciting experiences.

I Am Delaware North

After I dropped my parents off at the Jackson Hole airport, I’d made it about a mile down the road before I had a brief moment of panic and I realized I was completely on my own for the summer. A wave of terror set in for just a moment. Then like it never happened at all I calmed down and realized just how much fun I was going to have and all that I was going to experience this summer.

Today was my first actual day of work. I’ve been going through training programs for the last two days, but now I’m an official working employee. I just want to say that I tip my hat to anyone who has ever worked in the food industry. This is my first experience and so far I love it, but it’s a lot of work. The lunch rush can be terrifying, but I enjoy the high energy and fast pace environment. It definitely keeps things interesting and the time goes by quickly. Running the cash register was a little nerve racking, but I learned quickly and had a great time in the process. All of my coworkers are super nice and always ready to step in and offer a hand. Gale is my angel. She keeps me on my toes and fills up all the drinks for me as I take peoples order. Without her I wouldn’t make it. It’s also a comfort that she reminds me of both my grandmothers. I think my first day went pretty well, but there’s always room for improvement. I look forward to learning more and getting more experience under my belt.

Buffalo District

Being out here is almost like living in a different world. Unlike in the city, where you have to watch out for pedestrians crossing the street, here you have to yield for buffalo. I think my mom experienced her first panic attack when my dad let one get a little too close to our car.

The two days my parents and I got to spend in Yellowstone together before I started work were nothing short of amazing. Who knew I’d have so much fun traveling with my parents? We spent the whole two days making the entire figure eight around Yellowstone Park and stopping at all the popular spots. Along the way we saw elk, buffalo, antelope, big horn sheep, and even a few grizzlies! As soon as I spotted my first bear jam I practically jumped from the car while it was still moving to get a good look at my first bear of the summer. While I snapped shots of a grizzly off in the distance my dad continued driving causing me to have to chase down the car in front of two very amused park rangers.

Among our many stops we went and watched Old Faithful erupt while we sat on the lodge’s porch and ate pretzels the size of our heads. We drove up to the Beartooth Highway and got to experience snow in June and stop at the Top Of The World Store. We hiked along the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and took pictures of the upper and lower falls. We also stopped and walked around Mammoth Hot Springs. Needless to say our two days in Yellowstone were jam-packed.

Wyoming! Forever West...

So we FINALLY made it to Wyoming! Of course before we could actually enter the great state we had to stop and document it all on film. A kind family from Ohio even offered to take a family photo for us! And just to prove what a small world it really is we ran into the SAME family that night in a restaurant in Cody on the other end of the state!

The first attraction we visited was the overwhelming Devil's Tower. After a small hike up to it's base and quick photography session we decided to make a pit stop at a small convenience store for some of our favorite snacks and head on to Cody. We took a long, but beautiful scenic drive through Wyoming and arrived at Cody that evening for dinner. We then got back in the car and finished the final leg of our trip into West Yellowstone.

Our drive through Yellowstone turned out to be a little more dramatic than we expected. We hadn't been in the park an hour before my "lead-foot" father got pulled over for speeding. Luckily he was spared and the ranger let it slide. How ironic that my dad had just given me a lecture on watching your speed in the park? So if you're only allowed one warning, I guess my dad just used mine...

On the road again...

On June 8, 2010, my parents and I bid farewell to our home in North Carolina and set out for the Wild West in our fully packed Honda Accord. We drove thirty straight hours stopping at numerous rest areas and popular attractions across the country.

Our first big stop was the St. Louis Arch. It was my first time witnessing the spectacular monument at night. It was difficult to get decent pictures, but the experience and sight wasn’t anything less than breathtaking. We then proceeded to find our way out of St. Louis and drove by the Cardinals brand new stadium in the process. We knew then that Hayden would be jealous to find out he missed it. From there we drove all through the night and stopped in South Dakota for breakfast. After crossing the Missouri River and getting my first glimpse of the Black Hills I finally felt like I was in the West. That afternoon we drove into Keystone, SD and visited the famous Mount Rushmore. From there we continued our trek through beautiful South Dakota.

Our next destination was Deadwood. On our way there we drove through Custer National Park and stopped at a local’s house and purchased some homemade Bison Jerky and Bison Hot Sticks. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive at first to sample some random Bison Jerky being sold out of some stranger’s garage, but once I got over my fear and tried it I fell in love. My parents have had constantly to pry it out of my fingers ever since.

Driving into Deadwood was definitely an experience. It was my first time and I was excited to see what all the hype was about. Deadwood is famous for it’s hit HBO show “Deadwood” and it’s many casinos. Since none of us had showered in some time, we checked into a hotel and freshened up before we hit the legendary town. Deadwood is also known for its outlaws that took up residence there at one time. The most famous goes by the name of “Wild” Bill Hickok. Hickok was shot in the back by a fellow outlaw in the infamous Saloon No. 10 during a dangerous card game. After dinner we toured the cobblestone streets of Deadwood and visited the Saloon No. 10 that Hickok took his last breaths in. We then went and watched a play put on by some local actors that told the story of the trial of the man who shot “Wild” Bill. From there we drove up to the Mt. Moriah Cemetery where Hickok was laid to rest. We then realized we could barely keep our eyes open from lack of sleep so we all agreed to call it a night and returned to our hotel for the evening.

The Guide Master

Did you know that Yellowstone National Park was the first national park to open in the United States? Did you know that Yellowstone has over 67 species of just mammals? Well if you didn't know that or you don't know me, my name is Alex Hughes and I'm going to be your teacher/tour guide throughout this blog.

Now for a little bit about me, like I said my name is Alex and I'm from Murphy, North Carolina. I'm an upcoming sophomore at North Carolina State and majoring in Elementary Education with a focus in Science. I'm the middle child in my family. I have an older sister named Lindsay Hughes who also attended NC State for her undergrads and is now a grad student at Western Carolina University. I also have a younger brother named Hayden Hughes who attends Murphy Middle School and whose life is consumed with sports and athletic statistics. Both of my parents were raised in Murphy and both attended Appalachian State University. And just like my parents I love to travel, which is why I'm going to be moving to Yellowstone to work this summer.

As for my job I was offered a position through Delaware North Parks and Resorts, to work at Grant Village in Yellowstone National Park for the entire summer. Grant Village is located on Lake Yellowstone on the southern end of the park. I'll be working as a "food server associate" in the Grant Village General Store. I'll be there from June 14th to August 8th. I'm hoping to experience and see all that I can and keep you guys updated on my adventures in the mean time. Wish me good luck and feel free to contact me about any questions or just comments.

-Alex