‘One place I’d like to visit again is’ prompt
I was 11 years old or so when my parents rented an RV and took my sister and I west. I think the main destination was Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There were many stops along the way, including Mt. Rushmore, Wall Drug, the Black Hills Caverns, and Yellowstone.
Because I was 11, I wasn’t super excited about this trip. It was two weeks away from the neighborhood action and my new best friend Lisa. I would miss out on splashy days at the community pool, choreographing dances to “A Heartbeat is a Love Beat” by the DeFranco Family, and generally getting ready to take on our upcoming transition to middle school.
As we whizzed west, all I could think about was what I was missing back home. I stuck my nose in a book, passively listening to my parents gasping over the landscape. “Snow in July!” “Look, a brown bear!” “Look at that geyser!” “The hot spring-fed pool is 82 degrees all year!” “The Snake River actually snakes!” “This trout is the best I’ve ever had!”
I didn’t care. I was 50 pages into “Island of the Blue Dolphins” and wishing I was poolside. Maybe I was slightly impressed by legends of Deadwood with it’s gold and silver mines. I’m sure I loaded up on trinkets at Wall Drug, and enjoyed ice cream at Mt. Rushmore after the sunset.
Now, over 40 years later, I regret my pre-teen pouting. I’m certain I didn’t appreciate Yellowstone’s majesty, the healing waters of hot springs, the deliciousness of trout caught in the Snake River. I’m sure I hated every mountain hike, ignoring the wildflowers and rushing streams, the Grand Tetons in the distance, the blue enormity of the western sky.
I need a do over. Let’s go!
