I was searching through photos and came across one that I took of the Grand Tetons, Wyoming.I really like it. It is a very calm scene, but taken on a journey that much the opposite of calm.
Our children were 9, 5, and 2 (still in diapers). We took all three plus a 15' Field and Stream trailer on a National Park Tour. We were on the road for three weeks. This was many years ago, but the pain lingers on.
I CALL IT THE TRIP FROM HELL!
I started the trip recording my thoughts into a tape recorder every day, and by the end of the trip I was crying into the mike. What were we thinking? Who did we think we were, pioneers? We slept in our cramped "covered wagon" and ate all of our meals outside.
I swear this is true: The kids were sitting at a picnic table under the pines, drinking chicken rice soup. Stuff that looked like big pieces of rice started falling from the trees.....they were maggots. That was when I began to crumble.
In spite of the discomfort, we continued on, undaunted, determined to visit the glorious parks, and introduce our children to the beauty of nature (only the oldest one remembers the trip). The reason I feel comfortable recounting the horrors of the trip, is that it served its purpose.
Of course Howard and I repeated the trip several times over the years, but what pleased us most was that we have been able to share our love for the beauty of this country with the kids as they grew. We tent camped with them in Yosemite year after year. When they reached young adulthood, we all switched to backpacking. It was an adventure I was "dragged" into, but once I got going, I enjoyed it. I have a few stories about backpacking as well, but I'll save them for another day.
2 comments:
That's an amazing photograph. It doesn't look real....a perfect reflection....a sheet of glass.
I've never seen anything like it.
Excellent.
Thanks. My husband wants to take credit for the photo. We both seem to take pictures of the same things. But I took that one. The Grand Tetons are magnificent, as are the animals that hang around that lake. Early in the morning you can see moose and elk in the water with the steam rising from the surface. Quite amazing.
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