A Traveling TrioBy: Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker /Out & AboutIf Ben Franklin was alive today, he’d probablybe on a book tour hyping “Poor Richard’sAlmanac”, an annual pamphlet he printed for almost 25 years. Witha yearly print run of 10,000 copies,Franklin was certainly a literary guruin colonial America, where he wasknown to share many of his words ofwisdom with his cronies in Boston andPhiladelphia.Amazingly, much of his advice is stillpertinent, and one of his most famouslines, “A penny saved is a pennyearned’, is just as appropriate todayas it ever was - especially if you’re talking about all the great travelbargains now offered by almost every company in the travel industry.Everything from luxury cruising to domestic land tours is currentlyoffered at once-in-a-lifetime rates.Plus, in the mid-1800s, Horace Greeley, a very influentialnewspaperman is credited for writing, “Go West, Young Man”, whichcaptured the imagination of the nation. That was great advice thenBy: Kathy Manney / Around Our WorldWyoming, famous for Yellowstone NationalPark is also known as the “Cowboy”state. It’s celebrated for its outdoor ethic cultureand Jackson Hole (originally called Jackson’s Hole) is located in aremarkable valley flanked by the Teton Mountain Range and the GrosVentre Range.“Hole” was a term for the great mountain valley with close rivers andstreams once inhabited by early fur trappers; men who lived hard lives,relying entirely on their abilities for survival. The valley however wasn’tdeveloped solely by trappers, mountain men and cowboys, but uponwit, will and works of courageous men and women with characteristicfreedom of spirit and mind.Jackson’s Town Square features arches made of shed antlers from thenearby National Elk Refuge. The National Museum of Wildlife Art hasworks by Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe.Nearby are three ski areas: Jackson Hole Mountain, Snow KingMountain and Grand Targhee. Old time chuck wagon dinners can stillbe enjoyed by taking a covered wagon ride to a local ranch.Jackson is clean with plenty of sky overhead, attracting touristsworldwide who enjoy walking the streets, shopping and dining. Allwhile soaking up the western culture.North of Jackson are the peaks of Grand Teton National Park, as wellas Yellowstone National Park where at dusk we spotted a doe and twofawns drinking from a stream. Soon they capered silently away.40Historic Jackson HoleSeptember 2020and it still is.Only now, both men and women can choose from almost unlimitedvacation and travel destinations. Que bella!And if Mark Twain was still walking among us, there’s little doubthe would have remarked that reports of the travel industry’s “demiseare greatly exaggerated.” After all, in his lifetime he was exposed toeverything from Western uprisings toworldwide influenzas.His fascination with travel inspiredhim, and his adventures wereimmortalized in many of his mostfamous writings. Mark Twain may nothave realized it at the time, but he wasactually one of our earliest and mostinfluential travel writers.So, if you’re even a little bit inspired by this trio, it’s comforting toknow there are still extraordinary travel opportunities. And this justmight be the right time for you to fill out your bucket list and call us at702/463-0966. We’ll be happy to help!Crystal Merryman-Sarbacker is a travel agent and the owner ofVegas Vacationers Inc. She can be reached at:Merryman2@aol.comWhile there ismuch to do andsee, the JacksonTown Councilwants you safe.They passed aresolution inJune requiringface masks inpublic.After a lull,Teton Countybegan seeingconfirmedCOVID-19 casesrise. To remainopen to tourism, they decided to make masks mandatory.People are often surprised to learn the mixture of individual andcooperation that underwrites Jackson Hole culture and residents wantto preserve it. Jackson is a capsule of history, in a place where localsliken their state to “a small town with really long streets.”So, while visiting Jackson in 2020, wear a face mask.Kathy Manney enjoys visiting interesting places and being anAdventure Diva. Her “Must See” travel journeys continue - alwayswith enthusiasm.
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