The Flying B

Well the first summer vacation for 2019 is in the books. Last week we made, or rather I made, and you rode along for, a 1,000-mile drive to Challis Idaho. Cora and Deacon you did great, Quinn…. you did good. Sometimes you felt the need to remind us of your unhappiness during our car ride odyssey by screaming/ crying for about 20min or so before falling asleep. We stayed in Cedar City UT on the way up and back. You all got a kick out of the hotel as usual, and eating out at “fancy” restaurants- aka Chilies! We did have ice cream at a cool place where they freeze it in front of you with nitrogen.

We accompanied the Bishop family for this trip. Mr. Sean as I call him has been going ever since he was little to a ranch called the Flying B. The “B” is located in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness along the middle fork of the Salmon River. To get there we took a Cessna 210 which was piloted rather excellently by a man named Mark- mostly good people share that name.  I was a little nervous about the flight as if something goes wrong in mountain flying you don’t have a ton of options to get it fixed…. Or to land somewhere flat. In any case we made a smooth landing on the grass field by the river as intended.

The first thing we went to do was catch some fish. Deacon and Cora, you had not yet ever caught one, despite at least two attempts at Lynx Lake in Prescott. Well it only took about 10 min before each of you got to reel one in! I was relieved as I had promised you we would all catch at least one. The best way to catch them was fly fishing so Mr. Sean let you each reel in a few more that he hooked. I actually caught my first fish through fly fishing there as well, it was pretty fun. You guys all crashed hard that night after running around and playing all day. We had a beautiful cabin overlooking the river and hills surrounding it.

Horseback riding was next on the agenda. Cora, you had been eyeballing a white horse with some light black markings named Paul, and sure enough you got to ride him. Deacon you were on Fuzzy, with a lead rope connected to Mom who was on Ziggy. Quinn, you sat in my lap and we rode Clancy. We crossed the river over a narrow bridge, at which point Mr. Seans horse, Digger started acting up and wanting to go back home. He was not a very good horse but thankfully Mr. Sean knew how to handle him. I ended up leading the pack as Clancy was a pretty good paced lead horse. We rode along some beautiful country following the river. In one spot I was not particularly fond of we were basically on the side of a steep drop off down to the river below- didn’t enjoy that too much at all! Thankfully we had a snack and returned home safely and I was fairly relieved after getting off! I don’t know if I care too much for horses at this current time in life.

We spent our remaining days fishing, playing at the beach, playing with other kids that were guests and just generally enjoying being outdoors and disconnected from the world. The ranch had no phone or internet service. I read my book on the French and Indian War, talked with friends and travelers as they came through and just enjoyed the downtime. There were two backpackers that came in from Hamilton MT, a place I have thought about moving before… perhaps it was a sign! It was strange not seeing any news or generally caring about what else was going on. Being disconnected really helped you just be present in the moments and enjoy a different pace of life. One of those things I often think about when I consider moves to a smaller town or less demanding career.

Being out in the wild has always been a place of joy and peace for me. Now in this circumstance we had most of the comforts of home, but regardless its just being outside the hustle of the city and its demands on your attention and mind. I often wish I could just work a small plot of land and do a side job to make enough money to live comfortably. The longer I live the less I want riches, unless the end of them is to bring me the freedom for my time I desire. It was great seeing the three of you enjoy it so much as well and be brave and adventuresome. I loved the family time and can’t wait until we go to lake Tahoe in a few weeks.

Deacon- you were also a brave boy on this trip. You rode the horses without fear and grabbed the fish, wrestled around with the other boys and just had an overall great time. You were also really excited about flying in the small plane. I really enjoy our time together being silly and exploring new things. You always get excited to tell me about bugs and animals, and this week you got to shoot your first shotgun and you actually broke a clay. I am so happy you are my son and I really enjoy watching you grow and change into a fine young man. Also you are very sweet and cuddly still, and I hope that never changes.