18 Comments
User's avatar
Nilima Srikantha's avatar

Love to hear how people from "down South" experience our Out West. I've lived here all my life, cannot do without the mountain air and the blue skies. :)

Good luck with your runs. I'll be able to start in earnest after the end of July when I finally am able to get rid of these cataracts!

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

I can see why! It's hard to leave that kind of incredible natural beauty... though we have our own kind here, too 😃 Hope the cataracts stop bothering you soon, Nilima!

Expand full comment
Nilima Srikantha's avatar

You do! I've seen it on some of the photos of your runs.

Keeping my fingers crossed on the eyes. Everyone I've talked to loves it!. . .sort of like being able to hear again!! :)

Expand full comment
Justin Stanchfield's avatar

Wyoming is beautiful. Of course, I'm a bit more partial to the state just above it. Anyhow, glad you guys had a great trip!

Oh, and FWIW, we do sometimes say "Out West, " such as "Well, here Out West." But usually we just identify as Westerners, though technically Montana and Wyoming are Inter-mountain West.

Thanks for the great posts. Happy miles!

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Right back at you, Justin -- good to know about "out West"! I love learning about the geography of different regions, btw -- I'll definitely remember they're "inter-mountain West" 👍

Expand full comment
edmondmleblanc@gmail.com's avatar

My wife and I and our two dogs (Aussie and Golden Retriever) loaded up the truck last year in late June and made our way to visit friends who had moved to Cheyenne and also bought property 20 miles from the East Gate of Yellowstone. We really had no timeline. We saw everything you mentioned. We stayed with our friends for two weeks. The dogs had a blast. We exercised when we could, we hiked, and did lots of walking. Then we packed up and went to Golden CO and spent a few days with a cousin who I had not seen in many years. Before we knew it, it was time to start heading back to California. Overall it was one of our best trips.

This year’s goal was to get back on the bike. I use to race mountain and road bikes for a team and California but work, family and running became a priority. So with the urging of a few friends I dragged my best friend back out with me and started riding again.

Unfortunately on Monday while doing hill repeats my friend Eric whet down and broke a rib and punctured a lung. He was in the hospital the last couple of days and we hope he will be released tomorrow.

So in an instant things went from great to oh shit!

But I am still going to continue to ride and run every week. It’s all about making it a priority, putting in on a schedule.

Good luck in the 1/2 and in general just enjoy the miles as they go by.

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thanks, Edmond! And oh wow -- I'm soooo sorry about your friend Eric, and I hope he's feeling better now. You just never know what you're going to wake up to, do you? Your trip to Wyoming and Colorado sounds AMAZING, by the way -- what a cool way to see those places. Right back at you, enjoy the miles!

Expand full comment
Jerry's avatar

Travel is always enlightening. And so too the comforts of home. Happy Trails where ever you are.

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thanks so much, Jerry!

Expand full comment
Blue's avatar

Sounds like an amazing vacation so glad you got to go. Yellowstone is definitely on my bucket list. Hope that upside down volcano holds off for a few more thousand years

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Me too!!

Expand full comment
Diana M. Wilson's avatar

That picture is GOLD! Welcome back....

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Thank you, Diana!! It's good to be back 😃

Expand full comment
Dave Weinstock's avatar

Still doing recovery exercises for groin strain … I’m getting there! Wife and I joined a gym, a perk of my company’s retiree medical plan. Headed to Ken West next week for a couple of days. Last but not least … am considering Afhens half and meet-up … depending on recovery.

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

That would be so awesome, Dave! Have a great time in Key West!

Expand full comment
Jeff Calvert's avatar

We spent a week in WY last month - your impression of the place is the same as mine. (But yes, also nice to get home.)

Expand full comment
Terrell Johnson's avatar

Nice! Where did you go/what did you see?

Expand full comment
Jeff Calvert's avatar

It was a combination race and family-vacation trip — I ran Bighorn 100 while we were there, my wife and friend crewed for me, and we all hung out and explored the area before and after. Flew into Denver and drove up to Sheridan (with an overnight in Wheatland on the way north, and Casper on the way back). Six days in an airbnb in Sheridan, which is a wonderful town. I'd highly recommend Bighorn 100, too - spectacular race route and scenery, excellent organization and volunteers, deep ties to the local communities, just a perfect atmosphere and old-school vibe around the whole thing.

Expand full comment