Away From Home, On the Range: The Last of My Adventures

I have less than a week left in Wyoming. I have less than a week left of cleaning cabins, serving tables, living with roommate(s), waking up for breakfast at six in the morning, going out at night despite the wake up call, sitting out at bonfires, watching horses, going on adventures, walking around Cody, late night Walmart runs, joking around in the kitchen, spending my free time taking naps, and eating in a dining room with ten or twelve other people.
When everyone told me the summer was going to go by fast, I knew they were right, but I still had trouble believing it. And now the end is in sight after eleven weeks of working hard and playing harder. I have been to Cody, Powell, Red Lodge, Gardiner, Silver Gate, and through Yellowstone, the Tetons, and Beartooth Pass. I have had so many firsts this summer from horseback riding to white water rafting to seeing a rodeo to dressing up and going out at night. I've met so many incredible people that I know I'll stay in touch with for years to come. I've seen so many new things and explored new places that I hope I'm able to come back and visit - on vacation next time! I've learned so much about myself, life, other people, life in Wyoming, life in Maryland, my future, and so much more, which I'm excited to share with all of you when I return. I am in complete denial that I will never work another weekend at Bill Cody Ranch.
I think I've laughed more in the kitchen here than maybe anywhere else. Though it can be slow, grueling, and painful, we have such a great time together in that kitchen. I have laughed so hard and so often here. It's wonderful. Like when I was talking about my short film, "Omniscient," and I said, "Omniscient is badass," and Kate heard, "A mission for that ass." Then David added that it sounded like a porno and the cover would be two guys with guns with a giant butt between them. Call me immature, but it was hilarious at the time. I literally dropped to the floor. Or when everyone was trying to pronounce Les Misérables and we decided to make a parody that takes place in the ghetto called "Lay Miserblay." Or when Erin was reading 50 Shades of Grey out loud in the car and after a page and a half, David asks, "Are they just going to keep eating ice cream? 'He got a spoonful and ate it. Then he got another spoonful and wouldn't let me have any.'" All of these sound so stupid, but I had stomach cramps from laughing at all of them. There were also many, many fits of laughter watching Kate and Chantel biff it outside and at Table.
Turns out I'm pretty good at things I've never done before - shooting a gun, playing pool, playing beer pong (don't worry, adults, we played with water for all us underage folk). Like I said, I've had so many firsts this summer and I LOVE trying new things! I hope I can find something to do back in Maryland with this sharpened sense of adventure.
I know I'm going to miss it here, but I'm excited to get home. It sucks to think I'm going back home to only a few friends again, though. Since I've never been the type to go out at night and party or go on adventures, I've actually found it to be really fun here with this lovely group of folks. Unfortunately, there aren't places at home like there are here - bonfires, mountains, bars that allow a younger crowd, etc. I used to be so against drinking and smoking and what I once thought to be dumb life choices like that, but this summer has continued to teach me about those things. Though I'm still not much into them personally, I always felt bad for being so annoyed with people that did that stuff, which is basically everyone my age. When I was in my early high school years and my older friends went off to college, they all fell into the normal college scene. For so long, I was disgusted and disappointed, which was so dumb, but I couldn't help but feel that way. Fortunately, the people I know who do do this stuff are at least smart and safe about it. I've become a whole lot more accepting of a lot of different lifestyles, which I think is important. I'm glad I know how to have fun without alcohol and drugs and sex, but I'm also glad that I can finally respect and understand those who make those decisions for themselves.

Today another family member leaves us - one of my roommates, Erin. It's weird to think it'll be me very soon. I've been trying to cram in all the experiences I can while I'm still here, living in the moment and taking it one day at a time. I finally got to go back to Yellowstone on Tuesday, this time with Amanda. Artist's Point is my new favorite piece of the park. I stared for much too long. Amanda was very patient with me. Going to Red Lodge and Beartooth on Wednesday with Kate, Erin, and David was probably my favorite day here. Red Lodge is the cutest town ever - lots of cute shops, friendly people, and a DELISH burger at Bogart's. Winding through the Beartooth Mountains was breathtaking. Beartooth Pass is most definitely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen - and may always be. If you ever get the chance to come out to Wyoming or Montana, you HAVE to go! Even though it's a long drive, it was great to have snacks, good company, and fun music to keep us going.
The past couple nights we've gone to Table Mountain and YVI, the bar of choice here, which have been really fun. It was my first time at Table - basically a pit deep in the mountains with a bonfire. It looks like you're in this sunken spot and all the way around you are crazy mountains and trees and stars. It was so incredibly beautiful. I just kept circling, looking around, taking it in. We made a fire and blasted music and danced and played beer pong (with the aforementioned water). Chantz and I won twice in a row! It was just so, so, so much fun, even if I did get to bed at 2AM. Singing karaoke and playing pool at YVI yesterday was also a lot of fun. We had to cut the night short, but I still found out I'm pretty good at pool, and got some appreciated applause for my renditions of Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry songs.

Six days. Barely. More like five and a quarter. How freaking crazysauce is that? The first things I'm doing when I get home? Epson salt bath, PF Chang's, chiropractor, massage, Chipotle, sushi, and of course driving to Fredericksburg to see my recently moved second family! The next blog post will probably be written from the Salt Lake airport. :)