The Light in Dark Times

As Joe so poetically put it- our journey down the West Coast presented us with some soul-wrenching experiences... luckily, those times of introspection and social/political contemplation were contrasted with sunset beaches, crashing waterfalls and family reunions when we needed them most.

HUGE thanks go out to:
-Denise and Hershel for showing us a good time in Portland (CONGRATS on your engagement you two!),
-Ari and Anni for the most delicious meal-out of the trip (check out thehumblebeagle.blogspot.com for their latest culinary endeavors)
-Ben and Buffy for the story-swap (We send our blessings for your coming birth, Baby Lenth)
-Alena for her promise to come and visit us in Whitefish this winter (which we're holding her to),
...and to Alexis for impeccable timing. I love you sister.

Another major highlight of our time in Oregon was the boom town of Bend (now 80,000 people... a burgeoning Boulder). We found rest and some favorite creature comforts there... taking in Where the Wild Things Are (an Ed Psych Major's dream of a movie)... tearing up the miless and miles of SICK mtn biking terrain... and taking care of the rig (i.e. an oil change and thorough vacuum session).

After an epic all-day push, we crossed Eastern Oregon and arrived in the mountains of Idaho (ahhhhhh, mountains again). A plethora of hot spring hippie dips await, and the Sawtooth Range is righteous!

Our BIG NEWS: We've decided to return to Whitefish and hunker down for the winter! Joe has lined up a job on Big Mountain as a snowboard instructor, earning us each ski passes! I will hopefully fulfill my dream of working at a coffee shop (and there is the coolest little version there- check out montanacoffeetraders.com). We plan on arriving there within the week! Whose coming to visit?? Big Mountain is known for it's fluffy pow.....

So with love from Sun Valley,
Zozo