Wilderness Survival

So, Ms Lily and I went on a lightning fast adventure this week.  My sister, heretofore known as Ja, and my dad have gone to the Wind Rivers Wilderness for some camping and fishing for several years now, around my sister's birthday.  This year, Lily and I got to go too.  I debated a little if Lily could handle it, but I knew fishing was involved and that she had hiked a 6.9 mile hike with me a couple of months ago without any real problems, so, throwing caution to the wind, I did invite her to come along.

We drove to Wyoming on Tuesday.  So strange to see familiar places that I haven't been to in many, many years, and to also note the changes that have taken place.  It was fun to point out all sorts of little things to Lily (for me, at least, haha).  The girl had a 1 track mind, wanted to fish, wanted to fish.  It's like young Price blood runs through her veins or something.

We camped that night, dined on delicious tinfoil dinners, the mandatory hot cocoa and smores.  We were above 9000 feet...pretty impressive to me.  The mattress was comfortable, the tween a loud sleeper.  I did have an incident somewhere past midnight where I was a bit concerned as I saw our fire going.  I woke Ja but she seemed unconcerned.  Then I could not go back to sleep.  Most every night I have camped for my whole life, I have awhile where I contemplate bears, other wild creatures, the criminal element, invading my tent/campground.  I get gripped with fear lying in my sleeping bag...and then I work through it and/or fall asleep.  A few hours after my little prayer/self therapy session, Lily asked me to go to the restroom with her...poor teeny bladder.  All in all, it was an entertaining night, and again, the mattress and not freezing made it all ok.  After some pancakes and bacon...oh, memories...we packed up camp and got to hiking.  

We were slow but steady, and long story short probably ended up hiking 6 or so miles in and then 6 or so back out.  No major (?hopefully?) injuries and some wonderful views.  Many cute squirrels and chipmunks.  I love the rock formations up there.  I love memories and thinking of so many good times had as a family.

 When we reached Miller Lake, the fish were catching flies all over the surface.  Poor Lily was itching to try, but we decided to hike the extra 1.5? miles to Sweeney Lake to eat lunch.  Sweeney Lake=not a fishy soul in sight, not the whole time we sat there, ate and stared at the lake.  There was enough of a breeze the lake wasn't smooth, as you can see below.  Ja did teach Lily some casting skills and Lily at least got to practice that.  Then we moved back down to Miller Lake again...where unfortunately the same breeze had killed the fish activity.  Ja got some bites but no luck for Lily.  I was praying she could at least feel 1 little nibble, just 1...nothing.  It had been a beautiful day, but we needed to leave pretty soon.  We worked our way down the lake.  The water looked still toward the inlet....fish were making ripples...gasp.  Was it even possible after so much unluckiness???

Our birthday girl caught the first fish, a Brook trout, a special birthday fish just for her, and that got Lily really desperate, and after a few more tries, she FINALLY caught her first fish.  It was a moment that should have been recorded for posterity, I tell you.  She was so excited, no idea what to do but thrilled to death.  She giggled and kept gleefully, high pitched saying, "I caught a fish.  Finally.  I did it!  I caught a fish!  I CAUGHT A FISH!"  Over and over, so, so excited.  My dad thought she might hyperventilate.  It was the most precious moment.  And then she was thirsty for more and caught one her next cast.  She wanted more but all that mattered was that she got one.  Oh, sweet girl!  It was a fun fishing frenzy for awhile.  I did feel for my dad - 3 girls, none of them with any desire to kill fish or tie on flies or any of it...just the fun fishing part.  He is a great sport.  I realized how much he loved and probably always has loved doing the background work in a situation like this to bring his children so much joy.  Good guy!

Then back out we came, a little mostly obscured moose sighting, a tween breakdown (with actual attempted hyperventilation) when we really only half a mile or so from the trailhead, but with no ambulance or psychotherapist to come get her, we rallied the little lady and out we came.  She was all in all a trooper considering it was a 12-13 mile day without buffet style feasts at every meal time.  Her face when she caught that fish.  Sigh.  These are the days...

Now the right back to Eastern Idaho was wild, in my opinion.  We were dead tired and that included Dad the Driver (Did I mention that our pickup starter gave us grief off and on? -lots of silent prayers, very earnest, full of faith, and we made it home), but he got us home safe.  There were grazing deer right next to the road and sometimes we were maybe a little too left or a little too right but nearly always between the white lines on the edge of either side of the road.  It boggles my mind to think how many times God literally keeps the car on the road when it isn't our time to go.  I think that happened last night a few times at least.  We made it, though, and Lily and I showered after 1 a.m. at Aunt Ja's house, slept until 6 and then we got home where we were missed.

Ah, sweet reunion.  We won't mention the part where after a couple hours of me being home, Daphne erupted like a mini Vesuvius, was placed into a bath for cleanup...and then flung poop out of the tub after she had a little accident in there.

I know without a doubt that there must be opposition in all things.  Lily's excited exclamations wouldn't have been nearly as sweet and grin inducing (and life wouldn't be so amazing sometimes) if I didn't have to clean up barf in my house (and in my life) sometimes, I'm 100% positive.

Thank you Father of Mine and Ja for a wonderful couple of days.  You did the planning, packing, driving, etc., and we surely enjoyed it.  And thanks to Ja for letting us be with her on her birthday in the Wilds of Wyoming, one of the best places to be for sure.