by Fire Girl Jess on November 15, 2012
Traffic in the Hoback Canyon between Pinedale and Jackson, Wyoming.
Ran up to Jackson today to do a few interviews for the newspaper. It was a little odd to climb into the car and realize I had not driven in five days. Being able to walk everywhere in town is a far cry from my 45-minute commute in Austin this spring.
Traffic comes in many different forms. Some of the worst traffic I encountered on today’s trip was in the Hoback Canyon.
Some sheep just can’t stay off of the road.
Greetings.
The weather was beautiful, roads good, and the interviews stellar. I’m honored to be able to step into people’s lives for a day. It’s amazing who you will meet.
Heading to Wyoming’s Red Desert tomorrow… excited to take a look.
by Fire Girl Jess on November 11, 2012
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”
-Ronald Reagan
Nothing brings freedom to mind like the open spaces of the West. A simple thanks doesn’t begin to express what we owe our military men and women for defending these freedoms.
by Fire Girl Jess on November 8, 2012
Elk hunker down during a fall snow storm in Grand Teton National Park.
Winter is on the way! We’ve been having days in the 50’s here, making it hard to believe it’s actually November. I walk to work everyday. Walk back home. Walk to the gym. Walk home. It’s pleasant when the weather is nice and I’m getting used to gas field workers honking and yelling suggestively out their windows.
I think when it’s -25 out it will be a bit less fun.
Just talked to Jake in Bozeman where they are due almost a foot of snow over the coming weekend. He’s stoked and I’m eagerly hoping the storm will move down this way.
We shall see.
It’s been a productive week here. I continue to settle in and learn the ways of a truly small town. I ran into the librarian crew at the grocery store and today at the gym the school principal stopped me and offered me to come use the high school weight room during off hours.
It’s fun.
Had a great discussion with Scott Christy, the Wyoming Trout Unlimited Coordinator and am very, very excited to team up with them on some projects.
I’m exhausted – my mind took over and ran my body too hard at the gym – and have written more in the past few weeks than I have in years.
It feels good.
by Fire Girl Jess on November 3, 2012
I’ve just finished my first week in Pinedale. First week as a full-time newspaper reporter. First week living in Wyoming.
Yesterday marked my first day on the radio. Much to my surprise, I was asked to go live on the local radio station – apparently the only one in the county – and introduce myself. That morphed into reading several pieces on the air, and before I knew it my morning had been spent on live radio. I had expected to go in with sweaty hands and a quavering voice, but much to my own surprise I loved it! Mental note to self – radio could be another direction to move into at some point.
I’m afraid I’ve jumped right into the fray here. Wrote a full compliment of pieces this week that ran in yesterday’s edition. There is something gratifying about photographing or writing a piece and having it appear in print two days later. I’m trying to start some long term projects here and diversify a bit… we’ll see what happens.
I have discovered that my political beliefs differ completely from everyone else at the paper. I’m oh-so-ready for the coming week’s elections to be over… getting into heated political discussions may not be the best way to make friends at the office. I’m finding some allies throughout town, however, and that helps matters quite a bit.
Pinedale has certainly required some adapting. I walk to work every day through downtown Pinedale. I’m living with two guys in an very, very old and somewhat decrepit parsonage. Food costs nearly double what I was paying in Bozeman.
Last Thursday I made the run down to neighboring Big Piney to cover their third annual Pumpkin Launch. This is definitely an event we need to have back home in Montana. Something about watching Carhartt and cowboy boot clad families gather together to launch things out of gigantic compressed-air powered cannons that makes me feel right at home. One cannon, much to my delight, was mounted in a tractor bucket, allowing for maximum maneuverability on the field of battle. A full-size trebuchet also made an appearance, launching the orange missiles high into the stormy skies of Wyoming.
Vastness on one side, mountains on the other.
I’m about to head out to cover three events for today. Hopefully sometime in between I’ll find time to wrap up a freelance piece, hit the gym, and do laundry.
Life is busy.
And I like it.
by Fire Girl Jess on October 28, 2012
A stormy fall day in Hyalite Canyon, southwestern Montana.
Well, this marks two countries and four states that I’ve made residence in thus far in 2012. Pinedale looks to be just as unique as the others.
I had my first day of work on Friday and hope to leap right in this coming week. Pinedale is small, much smaller than anywhere else I’ve lived before (save maybe for the Ponoi) and has a very high ratio of men to women. I’m living with two guys I don’t know in a very old parsonage in the yard of the Bible church in town. There are no stoplights in Sublette county and our grocery store is a market / Ace Hardware / gift shop / pharmacy / clothing shop.
Life’s pretty basic.
I’m hoping this slow pace of life will allow me to settle down and get some writing done this winter. I’ve had several ideas ticking away that need to finally be placed on paper.
I (hopefully!) get real internet tomorrow and will be able to post frequent updates of exploits in Pinedale.
Here’s to a new adventure. I have a feeling there will be many.
by Fire Girl Jess on October 24, 2012
Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park.
The docks pulled in for the season.
I had the chance to dash up to the Flathead Valley in northwestern Montana this past weekend. After a 0400h drive from Bozeman, complete with loud music and hunters everywhere (opening day here in Montana for rifle season), I found myself in the place where I’ve spent the most cumulative time of my life. It was surprisingly refreshing to be back in the ‘Head and I have mentally bookmarked it as a place I may move back to in the future.
Life is weird… you just never know.
Spent a few precious moments at Lake McDonald and was able to catch a very brief break in the cloud cover. Nothing like the beauty of that place… it is truly one of a kind.
In other news, I found out late last week that I’ve landed my first magazine cover – should be out in early November and I’m excited to share.
Now I’m hunkering down for my last day in Bozeman. I find that suddenly I’m leaving for Pinedale in the morning. I’ve moved enough that packing is now a two-hour job and I can fit everything in like a puzzle in the back of the Fire Girl Subaru. There is always uncertainty when starting a new project. New location. New people. New living quarters. New climate. New everything. In its own weird, twisted way, though, moving itself has become a bit of routine and I find I’m pretty familiar with the uncertainty I am feeling today.
So cheers, all. Next post will be from 7500 feet elevation in Wyoming.
by Fire Girl Jess on October 18, 2012
A young cowboy and cowgirl deep in discussion in the Texas brush.
I was digging through the archives the other night looking for images to answer a publisher’s photo call. Came across this image, which was b-roll from an event in Texas this past spring. I turned away from the ruckus of the event and hordes of people to find this young cowboy and cowgirl in deep discussion in the brush.
I love the expression on her face – intent and focused. He’s gesticulating and was very obviously trying to be the suave cowboy.
A somewhat random posting, I admit, but as I find myself out of pocket once again (hey, two countries and four states in the six months) it’s nice to come back to quiet moments like this one.
