With 2012 flying by it was already July which meant it was time for our family reunion in Idaho. So west I went for almost two weeks, first stopping in Salt Lake City to visit Crystal and Tayt.

Tayter Bug sporting a trendy Maine lobster hairdo.

Turns out Tayt’s quite the lady’s man, here with his friend “Baby” Zylie.

Next stop was for a little lesson in quantum mechanics. My nephew Eric, a physics student at ISU, works at the Idaho Accelerator Center and kindly gave us a tour of the facilities. He and his fiancé Sidney also run the department’s outreach program which gives magic-show-like physics demonstration to Idaho youngsters (and his family on this particular day.)

The Pelatron, an accelerator used for positron annihilation spectroscopy (whatever that means!)

Eric explaining to Mom and Dad how the lab creates medical isotopes of copper from zinc.

An accelerator that was originally developed to rid mail parcels of the Anthrax virus.

Mom stands next to a really big door used to shield the outer areas of the laboratory from radiation.

Eric stands with JACK, one of the accelerators he works on which is used for medical isotope production and photo-activation analysis (I also have no idea what that means, which perhaps indicates that I don’t know JACK!)

One of JACK’s wave guides.

Some of JACK’s plumbing which directs liquid nitrogen to the areas needing extreme cooling.

One of the physics demonstrations used in the outreach program, this one is a magnetic linear accelerator simply made from magnets and ball bearings.

A visit to Idaho wouldn’t be complete without a trip out to my old BLM fire station in Atomic City. Leaving Idaho Falls at 5 AM I was at the station in time for sunrise and a run to Table Legs Butte. At the top in the crisp morning air I could clearly see the Tetons in Wyoming over 100 miles away!

The sun rises over a sea of sagebrush between the East and Middle Buttes.

Morning light on one of the few remaining buildings in Atomic City.

Before heading to the reunion Eric, Sidney and I spent a morning in the country taking their wedding announcement photos. Though quite a change from my usual subject matter of mountains, rocks, rusty vehicles, and flying fish we had a wonderful time. I have to say if their marriage is anything like their jubilation during the photo shoot they’ve got it made! Congratulations guys!

A nice rusty truck. Oh yeah, and there’s Eric and Sid!

What’s so funny guys?

Trolls in love under a bridge.

After months of planning it was finally time for our family reunion. With hours to spare my brother Michael, sister Taryn and I finished the grocery shopping and headed to Island Park, Idaho. It’s held about every four years at our great-grandparents family cabin near Yellowstone National Park and this year more than 50 family members came from far and wide for the three day event. All in all it was a huge success, in no small part thanks to everyone’s help before, during, and after the reunion.

The St. Clair clan gathered on the cabin deck. Seems everyone has a pleasant smile on their face….

….but there’s a joker in every family, looks like in ours it’s my nephew Jace!

Those of us on my Grandma Katie and Grandpa Joe’s side of the family.

James, Grace, Dad, and Mom serenade the cabin with music.

No reunion would be complete without a pie eating contest. Here my nephews Jace and Gage compete with their cousins Will and Carter.

Heading south again I was greeted by a very happy Crystal and even happier Tayt who was finally free after his four month stay in the hospital. Though still restricted to the Salt Lake City area so as to be nearby Primary Children’s Hospital, it means he can finally get back to some semblance of being a kid again!

Happy to be in his car seat. Even happier to be headed to….

…the pool! Tayt – half ladies man, half fish.

At the family reunion in spirit and with T-shirts to prove it.

And now I pack for a 6 AM flight east to prepare to leave the country for several months. The first stop is a wedding on a continent I’ve never visited and then in September (via some yet-unknown means of transportation) I’ll return to one of my favorite places, this time with my folks in tow!