One Last Real Summer
This May, I graduated from university and decided to take the liberty of granting myself one last real summer before an eternity of a full-time job. And this summer included a whole month of no plans, no schedule, and no responsibilities with my best friend and college roommate at her mountain home in Crested Butte, Colorado. Lucky us?!
Crested Butte is a pretty darn charming town. Colorfully painted buses shuttle fun locals and tourists around all day, dogs nap on every street corner, and people are constantly hiking, biking, walking, and just being outside. Hitchhiking is welcomed and safe, dancing freely at the weekly Alpenglow concerts is encouraged, and everyone seems to have figured out how to live a sweet little life that balances work and nature.
We were there while the wildflowers were in full bloom, and wandering through the aspens felt pretty magical to this Southern girl. The town is small, but somehow there was always something to do. We went to the local rodeo, which was honestly so cute—not over the top, just good barbeque and a whole world of 14-year-old cowboys/cowgirls that I didn't know existed. Every Sunday we wandered the farmers market and, every single time, had what felt like the best pizza of our lives at Doughp Pizza. We cooked plenty of good dinners, ate plenty more around town (Yuki Hana is still my favorite), and played more rounds of gin and Mahjong than I can count.
But we didn't stay in our perfect little mountain town forever. We decided to take a road trip.
My Month of Travels
Our first stop was Black Canyon of the Gunnison, only about 40 minutes from Crested Butte. As we drove into the park, we kept wondering what exactly we were supposed to be looking at. Then, out of nowhere, we were driving on the edge of a cliff looking thousands of feet down, as if the earth had just ripped itself apart. Such a cool stop.
Next up was supposed to be Goblin Valley in Utah, but flash floods had other plans, so we drove straight to Park City instead. The drive itself was full of scenery: every few hours it felt like we had landed on a completely different planet—red rocks, wide open desert, rolling hills, strange crater-like landscapes.
The next day we made our way to Sun Valley, Idaho, passing Craters of the Moon on the way, which is a huge stretch of ancient lava fields. Sun Valley was glowing in golden yellows with rolling hills and mountains as far as you could see. There was a newly started wildfire nearby, which wasn't ideal, but we still had the best weekend visiting one of my friends.
Then we packed up one more time and drove to Jackson Hole, where everything changed again. Suddenly it was lush, green, and massive. Every place somehow looked completely different from the last, and that's what made the whole trip so fun. We spent our time taking in the Tetons, catching up with friends from school, and ending the weekend at a country concert at the state fair. It was the perfect last stop before making the 10-hour trek back to Crested Butte.
What's Next?
As someone who is very aware of how fast life is about to start moving, I feel so lucky to have had this month. A month of mountains, wildflowers, long drives, homemade dinners, card games, and days with no real plans. Just nature, good company, and being present.
And now that August is here, I am onboarding as a full-time employee here at Stray Dog Designs. I am excited for a year of taking on a new project and working with the family biz!
