Tell Me Thursday

Welcome to Tell Me Thursday! Where I give you the story behind my Wordless Wednesday post. This picture actually has a title. It's What's That Smell?



Back in 1993, my ex and I took my two sons on vacation to Glacier National Park. While we were there, we spent a few nights back packing in the Nyack Wilderness. This trip was one of the hardest we had ever done. It rained most of the time and the trails are unmaintained so simply hiking can be a chore. Hiking with a pack on your back and keeping a watch out for grizzlies even more so. One morning when we were leaving the camp site and heading to the next one, we noticed a very large bear track in the mud. Uhh... I think that's close enough for me.

In the Nyack, you have to hang your food in bear bags on a line between two trees so bears won't get into it and become accustomed to going near humans for an easy meal. The out houses at the camp sites have no "house," they are just "outs." Meaning it's the seat part only. This is done to keep animals from moving in for the shelter. To compensate for the lack of privacy, the view is beautiful. One "out" looked out across a lake with a mountain on the far end and a water fall spilling down the side of it. Who needs a newspaper? When we finally got to the car after four nights out, all of us took off our hiking boots and wet socks and just threw them into the back of the car. We were tired and hungry and ready to be done.

The day we came out, we headed to a local resturant that also provided services to thru hikers on the Continental Divide Trail and ate our selves silly. Our waitress was also part owner of the resturant and was amazed to learn that we had just spent four nights in the Nyack. She told us their cook (who had completed the Continental Divide trail) spent one night in the Nyack and decided it was too hard core for him. Hearing that, we decided that we were tough! Really tough! Bad ass tough! It was a hard hike but I'm glad we did it. It gave my sons an opportunity to see what they were made of. I keep this picture like a trophy of our accomplishment. We still talk about it and laugh.

If you would like to read more Tell Me Thursday Stories from Wordless Wednesday participants, go Here.