Jackson Hole Summer Travel & River Trip Blog

Woke up this morning a little groggier than usual- could be the allergies, could be the fact that I’ve been watching a dog that loves to get me up at 5:30 am.  Thanks, Hoback.  In any event, my magic elixir (tea and honey) couldn’t quite snap me out of it.  I continued to stumble through my morning until customers started showing up for a 10 am scenic…and I got to meet “the ninja”.  Let’s call him Frankie.  Pre-Pre-Tween Frankie rolled up into the office to rock it.  After informing us that he was actually probably most likely over eighteen, we agreed to settle on a still exorbitantly high seventeen (Frankie actually did have a rockin’ scab under his bottom lip that, in the shadowy morning light, did look oddly like a goatee- which I guess could make him look like a very very short seventeen-year-old).

 

After convincing him that even though he was born in a cold state and probably has excellent frigid waters tolerance, we got Frankie into a mini man wetsuit.  In which he looked like a superhero.  Or a ninja.  As I suited other customers up, I hear Frankie from behind the dressing room door say, “I’m like a ninja.  Ninja’s are deadly and silent.” [pause] And then ominously, “And also unspeakably violent”. 

 

I have one word for comments like that coming out of a kid wearing full wetsuit gear:  Awesome.

 

Turns out that they were lyrics from a kids song (did you know Bare Naked Ladies has a whole children’s album???  Look out Rafi!)…whatever.  I’m still impressed with his vocab and the way he easily spliced song lyrics into everyday conversation.  We might have a pop culture genius on our hands.  Interestingly, “The Ninja Song” is not Frankie’s favorite.  It’s actually Track 23, which I encourage you all to check out. 

 

The point of all of this?  It’s awesome how a customer can make your day.  Rock on and Raft on.

 

Sitting in the office having some tasty yogurt trying to decide if I like the crunchy granola I put in it.  The verdict is still out.  Mary and I are listening to some rockin’ tunes on Sirius Radio’s “Soul Town”- its definitely a customer and employee favorite (although if Kyle had his way we’d be listening to Grateful Dead Central or something to that effect).  Ooh!  Hall & Oates just came on…got to love a little blue-eyed soul.

 

 

Needless to say, things are cruising at a pretty slow (though steady) pace in the office since the airport closed down (nice timing, Jackson).  However, the calls are still streaming in with people getting their summer trips together. 

 

We’ve been taking quite a few Jackson locals down the river before our crazy summer starts…let me say that they were looking oh so fine in their wetsuits as they took off.  Hope they got some serious wave hits today! 

 

In other news, Emily has just returned to the office for the summer.  Our blonde office worker count is now up to 2.  The brunettes are still defeating us.  I’m thinking of adding peroxide to Mary’s shampoo.  Fun fact of the day: Emily can speak fifteen (yes, fifteen) dialects.  And she does a mean German accent.  Which I think is the most awesome talent ever.  I might just start calling her Helga. 

 

Ok, I think you’ve heard me ramble enough. 

Rock on and Raft on friends. 

 

Over and out-

LP

The Painted Buffalo inn is located just three short blocks from the historic town square in Jackson, Wy, and is a great place to stay while visiting the greater Yellowstone area. Whether you are looking for a nice mellow vacation filled with shopping and eating at nice restaurants, or a more adventurous vacation filled with rafting, mountain biking, and fly fishing adventures, the painted buffalo has a nice comfortable place for you to stay. The Painted Buffalo is more than just a place to lay your head, with daily maid service, luggage hold, babysitting, traveler’s checks cashed, secretarial SVC, a gift shop, an on-site beautician, pet friendly, free parking, laundry service, and a swimming pool, not to mention a wonderfully helpful staff, you can be sure that all your needs are met. To top it all off, the painted buffalo is a short walk from the Dave Hansen Whitewater office in town, or we can arrange a pickup for any of our whitewater or scenic river trips.