The Landing

My great leap landed me in Driggs, ID population 1,000, or so says the sign on the way into town.  Driggs is a small community sandwiched between the Tetons and the Big Holes.  In other words, it's absolutely incredibly beautiful.  And full of people who run, and hike, and bike, and ski, and generally spend most all their time outside.  Doing outside things.  So, they too are pretty beautiful.

We have one stop light, which is currently under construction and not even working right now.  One grocery store, a health food store, and only a handful of restaurants.  People don't lock their doors and are generally pleasant salt of the earth kind of people.

It's a great place to land.  Here are some reasons why:

  1. When you go to the bank you can get a sucker AND a dog treat.  And the second time you go in they call you by name.
  2. All my basic needs can be met within a 1/2 mile radius from where I live.  This includes a bar, a health food store, and a hospital.
  3. Cars stop for you to cross the street even when you're not in a cross walk.
  4. People don't lock anything.  Someone I know, who will remain nameless, doesn't even have a key to the front door of their house. 
  5. What's mine is yours.  And they really mean it.  In fact, you can just go in my house and help yourself.  The door's unlocked.
  6. People are genuinely nice.  None of that, "Bless her heart," here.  They either like you or they don't.  Simple.
  7. Everyone has a dog and that dog goes everywhere with them.
  8. When you bring your own bag to the grocery store they hand you a nickel.  A real nickel.
  9. It's perfectly acceptable to blow off work on a beautiful day to do something outside.
  10. It's absolutely amazingly beautiful here.
  11. People do really nice things for you like go to the Farmers' Market for you when you have to work and can't go yourself.  
  12. Going for a solo bike ride often lands you a social invitation.