Dad’s Vacation
Dean stated, “I always thought Dad took us camping because it was an inexpensive vacation for a large family. I now know that it was his favorite vacation. He loved being in God’s mountain country. He loved to hike, photograph, fish, and hunt. He loved to share that love with his Children.”
Some of my earliest and favorite memories were camping. As I was little, we often hiked into Ironbog Lake, because the trail was fairly short, just over 3.5 miles. As we matured, we progressed to Copper Basin, where our most visited area was Lake Creek. I knew nearly every fishing hole on Long and Big lakes. We also hiked beyond the beautiful lakes to find crystals. We loved seeing antelope on the way in & out and deer in the meadow by the lake. We even experienced bear, cougars, and other adventures.
As a young teenager, my brother, Fred and I drove to Lake Creek and each rode motorcycles into the lakes. We were there when the trail crew was expanding and improving the trail. We camped on Long Lake and ate beef stew out of a can that we heated over the fire. Beef stew never tasted so good.
We’d driven motorcycles in before, but after that camping trip, with the nice trail, we began an annual tradition of driving motorcycles into the lakes. My younger siblings loved the annual motorcycle tradition. Last fall, Tim asked if I’d join him on a campout to Lake Creek with his son, Jack and my son, Tanner.
Some of my earliest and favorite memories were camping. As I was little, we often hiked into Ironbog Lake, because the trail was fairly short, just over 3.5 miles. As we matured, we progressed to Copper Basin, where our most visited area was Lake Creek. I knew nearly every fishing hole on Long and Big lakes. We also hiked beyond the beautiful lakes to find crystals. We loved seeing antelope on the way in & out and deer in the meadow by the lake. We even experienced bear, cougars, and other adventures.
As a young teenager, my brother, Fred and I drove to Lake Creek and each rode motorcycles into the lakes. We were there when the trail crew was expanding and improving the trail. We camped on Long Lake and ate beef stew out of a can that we heated over the fire. Beef stew never tasted so good.
We’d driven motorcycles in before, but after that camping trip, with the nice trail, we began an annual tradition of driving motorcycles into the lakes. My younger siblings loved the annual motorcycle tradition. Last fall, Tim asked if I’d join him on a campout to Lake Creek with his son, Jack and my son, Tanner.
This was the week. Besides Tim & I (with Jack & Tanner) Clark came with Carter. Greg also brought his boys (Carson, Brighton, and Lincoln). Greg also brought Hyrum (Becky & Jason’s son). Kendell Christensen (Tim's father-in-law) also joined us for Thursday night and Friday.
There has been so much happening in my life lately, that my time to prepare was very limited. On Wednesday night I was driving into town and dropping off some 3-day notices to some renters when I noticed Greg calling. While visiting, I mentioned that I’d not even begun to pack or even prepare meals. He said, “I’m at Walmart buying our food, should I buy extra for you and Tanner.” Talk about feelings of gratitude. What an incredible blessing for us.
We awoke on Thursday morning and began packing our motorcycles and camping gear. Each day we went to different lakes. Thursday: Green Lake (in Muldoon Canyon). Friday: Long Lake (Clark, Greg, & Carter also drove to Big Lake) Lake Creek canyon. Saturday: Starhope Lake in Starhope canyon.
The trails have gotten rougher over the years. When Dad would go up the trails with us, he would walk until everyone else had ridden to the lakes. We’d then pick him up and take him the rest of the way. We challenged ourselves to see how soon we could pick him up. We did the same as he was coming down the trails. Both directions, on the trails, Dad hiked and kicked rocks off the trails. It was obvious to me that there haven’t been enough people like Dad hiking the trails.
On Friday morning Tanner was headed up the Lake Creek Trail when his motorcycle brakes felt weird. He didn’t think much of it until his first downhill ride (about 45 seconds up the trail). His brakes broke and he lost control and hit his right foot against a massive rock. He then bounced over to the left and the motorcycle landed on his left leg. When I got there (a couple seconds later, he was in pain and the motorcycle was still running and laying on his leg. We were able to get the brakes fixed, but he was in a lot of pain. After the wreck, the motorcycle seemed to have much more trouble idling. He had to work hard to keep it going and it would just kill on him. His foot was so sore, that he couldn’t kickstart the motorcycle. For the rest of the trip, the bike died over and over again. After a couple sore kicks, I began starting it for him. Talk about a long ride up the trail. He was amazing and made it up the trail.
On Saturday Tanner even made it all the way up the most difficult trail to Starhope. Of all the youth, he was the only one able to make it all the way without an adult driving it part way. We’d also worked on the bike so it idled better and it killed far less often.
The entire trip was memory-filled and special for me. Like my father, I want to share the beauty of the mountains with my children. This trip was not as fun of a motorcycle as it used to be and the youth didn’t love it because of the rocky trail.
Riding the trails was so difficult, that I wondered what I will do as our 10 month-old twins grow older. Will I continue this motorcycle tradition, find some other trails, or should I plan to use four-wheelers in the future (they have the ability to bounce over the loose rocks with much less difficulty)?
Maybe we just need more people like dad who make things better, wherever they are. Maybe I need to start hiking the trail and kicking rocks off. 😳
There has been so much happening in my life lately, that my time to prepare was very limited. On Wednesday night I was driving into town and dropping off some 3-day notices to some renters when I noticed Greg calling. While visiting, I mentioned that I’d not even begun to pack or even prepare meals. He said, “I’m at Walmart buying our food, should I buy extra for you and Tanner.” Talk about feelings of gratitude. What an incredible blessing for us.
We awoke on Thursday morning and began packing our motorcycles and camping gear. Each day we went to different lakes. Thursday: Green Lake (in Muldoon Canyon). Friday: Long Lake (Clark, Greg, & Carter also drove to Big Lake) Lake Creek canyon. Saturday: Starhope Lake in Starhope canyon.
The trails have gotten rougher over the years. When Dad would go up the trails with us, he would walk until everyone else had ridden to the lakes. We’d then pick him up and take him the rest of the way. We challenged ourselves to see how soon we could pick him up. We did the same as he was coming down the trails. Both directions, on the trails, Dad hiked and kicked rocks off the trails. It was obvious to me that there haven’t been enough people like Dad hiking the trails.
On Friday morning Tanner was headed up the Lake Creek Trail when his motorcycle brakes felt weird. He didn’t think much of it until his first downhill ride (about 45 seconds up the trail). His brakes broke and he lost control and hit his right foot against a massive rock. He then bounced over to the left and the motorcycle landed on his left leg. When I got there (a couple seconds later, he was in pain and the motorcycle was still running and laying on his leg. We were able to get the brakes fixed, but he was in a lot of pain. After the wreck, the motorcycle seemed to have much more trouble idling. He had to work hard to keep it going and it would just kill on him. His foot was so sore, that he couldn’t kickstart the motorcycle. For the rest of the trip, the bike died over and over again. After a couple sore kicks, I began starting it for him. Talk about a long ride up the trail. He was amazing and made it up the trail.
On Saturday Tanner even made it all the way up the most difficult trail to Starhope. Of all the youth, he was the only one able to make it all the way without an adult driving it part way. We’d also worked on the bike so it idled better and it killed far less often.
The entire trip was memory-filled and special for me. Like my father, I want to share the beauty of the mountains with my children. This trip was not as fun of a motorcycle as it used to be and the youth didn’t love it because of the rocky trail.
Riding the trails was so difficult, that I wondered what I will do as our 10 month-old twins grow older. Will I continue this motorcycle tradition, find some other trails, or should I plan to use four-wheelers in the future (they have the ability to bounce over the loose rocks with much less difficulty)? Maybe we just need more people like dad who make things better, wherever they are. Maybe I need to start hiking the trail and kicking rocks off. 😳
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