In all honesty, after leaving Missoula, MT it got a little tricky for me. Okay pop quiz, what’s the big event in national history that happened this week? That’s right, the government shut down. And yes, that shut down national parks, such as Yellowstone National Park. Which means I had to reroute my original travel plan, which also cost me an additional 3 hours (thank you government…. you’re so not getting a postcard!).
So, my original goal was to arrive in Jackson’s Hole, WY for sunset, enjoy some dinner in town, and then get a good night’s rest before having to move on the next day. At an original 6.5 hours, this was supposed to be the shortest distance in my route. Au contraire mon frare!
I actually also faced that fear I mentioned before, of driving at night on winding roads with limited (if any) cell service and nothing but darkness ahead. Doesn’t that sound like (insert scary movie here). Oh how I had to train my mind to not go there and to just keep driving.
I did make it to Jackson’s Hole, with enough energy to see the downtown area with all it’s lights and activity, and then get down to the real adventure of exploring the bed! After greeting my AirBNB host, I even refused a glass of wine (I know, right?!). I was so exhausted, I had to sleep.
The following morning I woke up and shared a cup of coffee out on the deck with my host, where we chatted about life, healthcare, travel, and moose sightings. It was good times. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, but knowing the drive ahead and my track record for not getting to places in decent timing, I decided to once again hit the road.
Jess Watson is the CEO & Creative Director of Points North Studio. She's the co-organizer of Baltimore Womxn in Tech, a big believer in Baltimore city, and a pioneer of working remotely while traveling the globe.
