Bidding Adieu to My Home

This summer was a fantastic summer to be in Stanley, Idaho, can we all agree on that? We had sunny days and warm waters. There was also great music and wonderful food. To top it all off, we did not have an early snow or incredibly cold nights until late in the season. Above all else, we had a great summer staff here in Stanley, and the summer I had can only be contributed to them.

Early this summer I encouraged you all to ask questions of some of the seasonal staff in town. Did you take that challenge and run with it? I truly hope you did, because I know that I did. I have created some wonderful friends this summer, and I owe it all to asking questions and listening to what they all had to say. However, I did not limit myself to only asking questions of the staff, but also of the visitors. I learned so much from the hundreds of people I talked to. I learned about new places and heard about new adventures. It was great.

I hope that each and every one of you came to Stanley thinking one thing, maybe about business, or school, or how the kids are driving you insane, but left refreshed and ready for whatever was going to come next. Stanley has the ability to press that reset button for anyone who comes here and simply allows it to happen. We have restaurants in town like The Sluice and The Sawtooth Hotel that allow you to try exquisite and unique foods. There are bars like the Kasino Club and the Stanley Club that allow you to have a beer and listen to music. Turn the corner and we even have those unique little shops like McCoy’s Tackle and Riverwear where you can run in and grab a Stanley trinket.

At first glance, we may seem like your ordinary run of the mill tourist town. But take a closer look. Explore the options that the Stanley Chamber of Commerce can allow for you, and see this town the way the residents and returning workers see it. It is unique, special, and home. If you spend more than a week here then I assure you this place will become your home as well. Although not all of us seasonal workers will be able to come back here next year, we will always hold the Sawtooth Mountains in our hearts and minds.

This summer I pushed myself to go out and try new things. I went on my first solo backpacking trip as I wrote about before. I tried new foods, went to new places, saw new sights, fell in love, and applied for jobs I felt were way out of my league, but you never know until you try. I became a mentor to some, a friend to others. I allowed my mind to grow and see things in a different light. I was able to do all of this because of the people of this town, and their ability to be some of the most caring and kind people I have ever known.

People are more than willing to tell you about their life, as long as you continue to ask questions. That is one thing that I learned this summer as well, never stop asking questions. Never stop pushing yourself to go farther into the backcountry or to dance the night away. Never stop trying to go higher or to try new things. It is important to stop and smell the roses, though, or in the case of Stanley, stop and smell the fresh mountain air.