1st Shave

Yesterday was Dax's first shave.  We have noticed for about a month he was starting to grow a little "stache"  Curtis decided yesterday was the day.

Here are some pics

Gold Rush...aka Yellowstone

 Back in May, one of Curtis' cousins from his Dad's side, Kevin Beck, contacted Curtis to see if he would be interested in doing a 5-day 30+ mile backpacking trip through Southwest Yellowstone.  This isn't just going to "Old Faithful" and seeing the main attractions of Yellowstone.  This would be deep in the backwoods, where very few people actually get that far to experience it.  Curtis had done this as a kid a few times with his Dad's (Johnson) side of the family, he knew what a great adventure it was.  Curtis isn't much of a camper but also knew the sights of Yellowstone were well worth the sacrifice of sleeping in the dirt for a few nights.  Curtis has always talked about these trips and I knew he wanted to go back again someday.  He felt like this was his opportunity and wanted his kids to experience it as well.  We knew it would be a tough week of enduring the outdoors, without the comforts of home as well as a lot of hiking.

Dax and Derek, early in their adventure with a Geyser behind them.

 Dax and Derek would have to miss a week of school.  The conditions of Yellowstone are only optimum a few weeks out of the year to do this type of excursion.  Since we do year-round school, they would likely have to miss school no matter when they did it.  The kids seemed excited to do this.  We tried to explain to them it would not be easy, but they still wanted to go.  We did our best to prepare them for it.  We went on long walks, carrying backpacks with weights in them.  During the summer while it was hot, hot, hot outside.  I had them put some miles on the treadmill down in the basement. Through the months of planning and preparing for Yellowstone, Trey picked up on what was going on.  Sometimes he would get confused or forget what Yellowstone was actually called and he referred to it as "Gold Rush"  I thought it was cute and made us laugh.

Finally, August 15th came, when they flew to Idaho Falls to meet Curtis' Dad.  He would drive them to Yellowstone and hike a few miles in with them.  Then head back out, drive his 5th wheel around to the other end of Yellowstone and meet them at the end of their adventure.  I think Curtis was excited to be away from work, his phone, and daily distractions for a week.  They were a little nervous about seeing bears.  I was worried about Curtis and his compromised back enduring the physical beating of carrying a 30 lb pack crossing the wilderness for a week. I was also concerned about Derek.  This was a BIG hike, for anyone much less a 9-year-old that doesn't have much experience with any of this.  He talks tough, but when things get tough he isn't.  Dax was really the only one I wasn't too concerned about.  He had been on a lot of hikes/ campouts with Scouts and I knew he would do well.  When this adventure was first initiated it started as a 30-mile hike, then by the time they were leaving it was 50 miles...read on.

 On Saturday, their second-day hiking, they were able to get a cell phone signal and they called me as they were crossing the continental divide.  WOW, That sounds big. They said it was tough, but they were making it. They put in 17+ miles that day alone. They saw tons of geysers and thermal pools along the way.  They did enjoy swimming in the rivers with freezing cold water, running into a thermal pool of hot water, making it the perfect temperature to swim.

 It was quite an adventure.  Their group started out with 24 and they ended with 5.  Curtis, Dax, Derek, Kevin (Curtis' cousin who initiated and organized the entire trip), and Kevin's 11-year-old daughter Sarah.  The entire group was made up of Curtis' aunts, uncles, and cousins.  After a few tough days they all gradually dropped out, except the Final FIVE.  Kevin had done this before and knew what was ahead.  Curtis had not seen these exact same areas of Yellowstone, but he didn't want to quit.

Dax, Curtis, and Derek at one of the waterfalls.

When they finally got near the end they saw some of the most amazing sights.  A waterfall that was 200' high.  Breathtaking.

When they were all done they hiked 69.5 miles.  WOW, that is a lot of ground to cover in 5 days.  I think that will qualify Dax for his Hiking merit badge.  When I picked them up at the airport Curtis said it was "very hard, but worth it".  On a scale of 1-10, Dax gave it an 8 Derek gave it a 6.5 which is good.  Considering at the beginning of the trip it was negative 1,000,000.
I know this was extremely hard, but Derek was a bit overwhelmed by it all.  Now that they have been home a few days, the horror of all that camping and hiking is starting to fade and I'm starting to hear the funny stories like the chipmunk who was attacking them and throwing nuts at them, and Dax's favorite part about fording through a river. I'm glad they did it, it was an amazing experience for them in so many ways.  Their Fall break is coming up soon and we were talking about what to do over their break.  Curtis mentioned maybe we go back up to Yellowstone so Trey and I could see it, but we would be in a car and stay in the main visitor areas.  When we brought it up to Dax and Derek, they both said "No" Derek just hung his head in disgust.  Even in a car, it is still too soon.  I hope they will one day want to go back.  Maybe with the next generation.