This summer I am lucky to be living with the wonderful Lucy Alexander in Sun Valley, Idaho. We've been having some awesome Idaho training adventures with The Real Braden Becker and the rest of the SVSEF summer training program. I've been spending much of my time learning to mountain bike, reading Hemingway (who spent the last few years of his life here), and working on my internship with Snow Sports Industries, a non-profit based in Park City which focuses on increasing participation in snowsports.
Here are some of the lessons I have learned so far from Sun Valley:
1. Idaho might just be America's best kept secret. Don't tell your friends but there is waaayyy more out here than just potatoes.
A fresh bouquet I gathered for my summer bae Lucy Alexander
2. Mountain biking is both an immensely terrifying and incredibly exhilarating sport.
3. Sun Valley is a low-key a mecca for writers. Lucy and I were lucky enough to be out here during the Sun Valley Writer's Conference, and got to listen to really cool speakers like Lindsey Addario, Abraham Verghese, and BJ. Miller. We also recently listened to author Sherman Alexie give a lecture on Ernest Hemingway!
Lucy and I paid a visit to Hemmingway's grave the other day
4. I now fully understand the phrase "This ain't my first rodeo" after Lucy and I went to our first rodeo...it was quite the experience.
5. Idaho potatoes taste very similar to normal potatoes, but Idaho boysenberries are INCREDIBLE. Also just boysenberries in general, because you expect them to taste like blackberries, but then you are surprised by a truly unique taste experience.
6. Listening to your own body is key to summer training. After jumping into the Sun Valley training program with perhaps a bit too much exuberance, I realized that I was still injured from a certain steeplechase fall this spring. I finally listened to the signs that told me I needed some more recovery time, and and now have a great modified training regimen to get me back and at em'.
7. There is a lot of cool wildlife around here. So far I've seen many snakes, deer, chipmunks (I swear the chipmunks here are a different species than back east, they are so so tiny) and Lucy saw a bear on her run the other day!
Couldn't find a photo of an Idaho chipmunk but honestly there are probably a couple lurking in this photo of a sunset if you look real closely
8. Time apart from the team has made us miss everyone so much.
9. Last but not least, Lucy Shepard Alexander is the absolute best. But you all already knew that ;)
In other news, I have been preparing myself all day for the Game of Thrones Season 7 premiere tonight...winter is finally coming my friends.
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