Mandatory Recess

Leave on a good note

I live in a county of 10,000 people and we have two traffic lights, both of which have gone up in the last sixteen years. But I’ve never been bored here. The weather can be extreme and so are the people. This community is tough and passionate and a little bit crazy. Everywhere I look I see hardcore athletes, artists, and musicians. People who’ve managed to carve a beautiful life in a difficult place through hard work, sacrifice, and flexibility. And the kids here are inspirational, too—stewards of the earth pushing down life’s trails and rivers on skis, boards, bikes, horses, boats, and their own two feet. We get to wake up to the sun rising over the Tetons each morning and live each day above a simmering super caldera. This place isn’t for everybody but it’s the place for me.

– Kathleen Plourde, Victor, Idaho (random Facebook post)