Our local watering hole: The Sand Bar

Last weekend Karen, Becky and I floated from Pacific Creed to Dead Man on the Snake River ... right at the base of the Tetons. Becky and I shared a canoe, while Karen paddled a kayak. We made the trip around dusk ... with hopes of soft evening colors and active animals. We heard lots of elk bugles and saw a golden eagle. We also visited the local "bar" ... a sand bar in the middle of the Snake River where we savored Becky's fabulous picnic of fig dressing and goat cheese sandwiches, homemade french fries, fresh-baked cookies and ... yes ... red wine - did I mention the stunning early evening views of the Tetons? It was one of those "pinch me" moments ... one of those moments when you think "Do I really live here? Can I really just skirt out of town on a Saturday afternoon and wind up here?" ... one of those moments when you stop to soak in just how amazing this life can be and what great people I get to share it with. And the best part: red wine and all, Becky I made it through the semi-technical sections mostly dry and completely upright. "Just keep paddling," I'd shout as our canoe bounded over rocks and waves.

The tremendous trudge

Here's some photos from pacing Mike Weston at the Grand Teton 100 miler ... I wrote a little bit about it in the blog post below ... but in essence I got to witness a brand new meaning for perseverance ... in spectacular country surrounded by spectacular people!

Starting out around 7 p.m. up Fred's Mountain ... didn't seem so steep my first time up, but by the second time up it was practically vertical

The sunset on Saturday

I enjoyed this sign ... since there was barely 20 of us out on the course in the middle of the night

In the vicinity of 5 a.m. on Sunday and still smiling

The sunrise at the top of Fred's

One of the most spectacular sights I've seen in a long time ... sunrise on the Tetons!

Just amazing!

Loved the early morning sunlight

At around noon on Sunday I desperately needed an hour of sleep, so I asked Mike's wife, Connie, if she would pace Mike for a three-mile uphill road portion of the course, and I caught a ride to the next aid station for a quick snooze. I literally collapsed in the woods - a stone's throw from the aid station - and was in dreamland within seconds. When I woke up an hour later I felt like a new person ... refreshed and ready to keep on movin'.

Mike's inspiring finish ... 35 hours, 50 seconds ... 10 minutes before the 36-hour cutoff time. What incredible perseverance!

A kiss from Mike's wife Connie

A hug from race director Lisa

Sunday early evening ... basking in Mike's sweet success

Toughness and tenacity

Last weekend I paced Mike Weston for the last half of the Grand Teton 100 miler ... he showed amazing toughness and tenacity ... finishing in 35 hours, 50 minutes ... 10 minutes before the 36 hour cutoff time ... it literally brought tears to my eyes (and others) to watch him cross the finish line! To view photos of my 20-plus hours out on the trail with him click here.

More on life soon ... and I still haven't forgot about the Leadville race report ... just busy, busy, busy now that I'm back in Jackson Hole ... moving into a new place and working full-time at the newspaper.

- Amy