That’s why I wanted to tell y’all that if you humans are any bit like us goats, and are hungry this time of year, I got news to report from the good ol’ mountain town of Stanley, Idaho.

THE SAWTOOTH HOTEL IS OPEN SERVING DINNER FROM 5:30 TILL 9:30.  CLOSED ON TUES. AND WED. NIGHT.

Yeah, yeah..  it’s true.  That old log building on 755 Ace of Diamonds is a happenin’ dinner joint.  Serving up soul food and drinks.

Sawtooth Hotel

Dinner Menu 2010

Open 5:30-9:30

Appetizers

Sweet Potato Fries served with homemade ketchup and chili aioli      $5

Pork Carnita Tacos corn tortillas filled with slow-cooked pork, salsa

rojo and avocado                                                                    3 for $8

Bruschetta of the Day $6.50

Soup of the Day $5

Salads

Grilled Caesar grilled hearts of romaine topped with alici anchovies,

homemade caesar and focaccia croutons & parmesan        $8

Roasted Beet Salad with carrots, green beans, and fresh thyme, tossed

in a sherry vinaigrette                                                                       $8

Curried Quinoa & Spinach Salad with pistachios, golden raisins, and

red bell peppers                                                       $8

Mixed Green Salad with locally raised greens topped with balsamic

vinaigrette                                                                                                 $5

Entrees

Idaho Nicoise Salad olive oil cured rainbow trout, pickled asparagus, new potatoes, olives, eggs, and local greens in a dijon vinaigrette          $15

Pork Schnitzel breaded pork cutlets in a lemon caper sauce served with

mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies                                 $18.50

Polenta Lasagne layers of polenta with beef and pork sausage, spinach, and hearty tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella and parmesan     $15.50

Lamb Tagine aromatic morrocan-style lamb stew with chick peas and sweet

potatoes, served with basmati rice                                              $18.50

Fettuccine with grilled chicken, sautéed vegetables, goat cheese and

fresh herbs                                                                                                            $15

Falafel Plate chick-pea fritters with tahini sauce, cucumber salad, and

tabouleh                                                                                                     $12

Closed for dinner Tuesday and Wednesday

No split checks.  Parties of 6+ 18% gratuity added

Billy Bob the soul goat.

Wanted to give y’all a goat-head’s up on a couple of happenin’s happenin’ at that groovy log hotel at 755 Ace of Diamonds.  The Sawtooth Hotel in May:

Thursday May 6  6:30 pm  “The Central Idaho National Forest and Public Land Act”  (aka CIEDRA) – A Discussion by Celina Moreno on her Montana State University thesis presentation.  Celina is a Stanley local and river guide for The River Company.  Come learn more about the proposed Boulder-White Cloud Wilderness and the future of our public lands.  Any Questions, email celinamoreno@gmail.com.  There will be yummy soup served for dinner (by donation.)

Friday May 14 6 pm  “Pitfalls of Travel- Writing from the Bottom of the Pit.”  Stanley local and writer, John Rember will give an entertaining, funny, and amusing talk on travel and tourism with experiences he gained on a recent trip to Thailand. Dinner begins at 6pm;  Talk  around 7pm.

Friday May 14 7am Stanley Baking Co. & Cafe opens for the summer season.  Yeee Haaa!!!!!   Homemade baked goods, breakfasts and lunches, real-deal espresso return to the Sawtooth Valley for it’s eleventh season.  Spread the word, all you hungry mountain Souls!!

So, that’s what I got from the soul-soapbox today.  I am looking forward to checkin’ in to see that all y’all humans be gettin’ in touch with yo’ inner mountain goat.

Peace & Love & Mountain Livin,

BillyBob

This is meant to serve as the opening ceremony of the Sawtooth Ski Festival weekend.  Saturday poker run at Park Creek, Headwaters/dinner/silent auction at Stanley Community Center Saturday night, and skiing at Alturas on Sunday.

It’s bound to be a fine time.  Come get in touch with your inner soul goat the weekend of March 5-7 in good ol’ Stanley, Idaho.
Peas and Wuv, Billy Bob.

Thanks for checkin’ in with your resident soul goat here…Hope you are all doin’ fine in this new year of 2010.  Got some happenin’s to report comin’ up in the land of the ‘Tooths.

On February 20^th and 21^st, the Sawtooth valley will host its first annual Winter Festival.  This is bound to be an outrageous, madcap weekend in the ol’ town of Stanley.  Check out the events…

On Saturday, February 20, at 2pm, there will be a Snowshoe Drag Race right down the main street – Ace of Diamonds.  When I say “drag race,” I mean racing in drag, cross-dressing on the real.  Men dressed as women, and women dressed as men.  Now, to a goat this ain’t no thing, but to humans, this gets ‘em all crazy.  I guess I could psycho-analyze this and all, but I won’t…

The Stanley Cup Hockey Tournament will take place at the Stanley skating rink- undoubtedly, the most picturesque skating venue in the human world.  Grab your skates and stick, and get on a team.  Or grab a warm coat, a hot chocolate, and be a spectator- of the game and the mountains!  The pond hockey will be happenin’ all weekend long.

There will be dog sleds in town, sledding, and a contest for the best snowman.  On Saturday night, there will be live music at the Mountain Village Lounge to get yo’ hips shakin’.

Sunday, at 2pm, there’s gonna be a relay race- combined snowmachine, ski, and snowshoe.  It’ll be sweet.  More hockey, sledding, and snowman building takin’ place.  That night, Smiley Creek Lodge will be the place to yo’ goove on…

Also, don’t forget about my favorite event of the Stanley winter coming up soon…. the Sawtooth Ski Club’s 8^th Annual Sawtooth Ski Festival.   This will be held on March 6 & 7.  Get yo’ planks waxed up for this one; there’ll be some serious kickin’ and glidin’ goin’ on.  On Saturday night, at the Stanley Community Center, the band Headwaters will be jammin’ some sweet tunes to get the folks swingin’.  More to come on the ski fest….

Book a room now y’all at the Sawtooth Hotel in downtown.  This is one happenin’ place.  My friends will cook you a damn fine breakfast if you stay the night.  There’ll also be home-cooked food and tasty beverages all weekend long there.

That’s all for now…keep spreadin’ the Peace, Love, and Soul.

Yours truly,

Billy Bob

With snow season here, I am inclined to write on an observation I have been making this week on humans and hedonism.  Hedonism is defined as the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good.  When I was a young goat, I was mostly concerned with this pleasure.  I would wake up in the morning and live my day according to what was going to make me baaa the most.  I would walk along the narrow ridgelines in the Sawtooths, with the wind blowing in my beard, skipping from crag to crag.  When I came across a suitable rock, I would kick it off and watch it race down, gaining speed and tumbling and flying until it came to a stop.  What a hoot! (to borrow my friend owl’s expression.)  Besides mating, ridge-walking and rock tumbling made me happiest.

Now, when I watch you humans out there in the Sawtooths in winter, I am reminded of hedonism.  With those funny-lookin’ planks strapped to your feet, you walk through the snow to the top of the hills and peaks.  Then, I watch you speed down through the snowfields, turning back and forth.  I can tell by the noises y’all make that it is exhilarating.  You spend the whole day going up and down.  I do say it looks like a whole lotta fun.

As I get older, (and I am not at all saying I’m an old goat yet,) I tend to think there has to be a way to justify hedonism with a purpose of higher good other that the pure joyful act itself.  For me, I have found my highest good in reaching out to humans to find their mountain soul.  I can still spend my days walking the Sawtooth ridgelines, but instead of focusing on my own happiness, I tend to put my thoughts into turning people on to the splendor of Mom Nature.  Because it’s Her world, after all, and being surrounded by her is what will make humans most happy.

I tend to believe that most of you humans are connecting with your mountain soul when you partake in this snow plank euphoria.  Oh…I wish someday, I could do the same…I could strap those planks to my hooves and feel what it is like to soar down the hillsides like a rollin’ stone, snow flying all over my body, snaking back and forth, ziggin’ and zaggin’, rockin’ and rollin’, creating beautiful artwork in the snowfields of the Sawtooths.

Keepin’ it soulful,

B.B.

I am primarily concerned with mountain soul awareness.  More specifically, the soul of the Sawtooths.  The Sawtooth mountains, that is.  That is where I live.  We mountain goats habitate most of the mountain ranges in south-central Idaho.  Heck, I got close friends in the Boulders, Pios, White Clouds, and Salmon Riv mountains.  But my stompin’ grounds are the Sawtooths, the colossal stretch of mountainous territory that defines this neck of the woods.  High alpine peaks and ridgelines, all jagged and remote, are where I hang out.

Now, whether you realize it or not, most of you humans have felt my presence.  You feel it ‘cause I’m putting it out there for ya.  You may not know it’s coming from me but you know it’s happenin’.

You feel it when you drive those funny-lookin’ cars over Galena and catch your first glimpse of the Sawtooths.  You feel it when you walk (on only two legs- ha!) into the ‘tooths.  You feel it profoundly when you jump into one of my lakes.  You definitely feel it when you climb high into my environment or spend the night in one of those funny-lookin’ shelters.  You feel it when you humans are sliding through the snow with those planks attached to your feet.  I guess if I had to define it, in goat terms, it would be euphoria mixed with a deep sense of connectedness to the natural world. I am here to make sure your life is filled with these experiences.  Come to Stanley, stay with my friends at the Sawtooth Hotel, and get in touch with your own mountain soul.  It is the only way to live.

Peace out,

B.B.