The first camping trip since my mom died. Even though I should be somber or depressed even, I’m not, I’m really excited. My dad and I haven’t been camping since my mom died. She loved camping, we loved it too but after she passed my dad didn’t really want to do things that reminded him of her. Which I totally understand but I missed it. I missed the wild wilderness.
Saying that I loved being outdoors would be an understatement. I’m sure there are a string of words somewhere in the world that would say exactly how in love I am with the outdoors, but I don’t know those words so laying that I love it is close enough. I love the smell of fresh air, the pine trees, the sound of babbling brooks. It’s all so breathtaking.
I just hope that my dad will enjoy this trip as much as I will. It’s been hard for him the last year, he’s still not so used to not having mom around. And even though I feel for him; I’ve been aching to get back into the woods, to this national park especially. The national park of Mount Walker in Colorado. It’s has many secrets within its dangerous caves and mountains where hikers dare to climb. The national park of Mount Walker…. holds the caves in which my mother died.
LATER THAT NIGHT
While I’m lying in my tent I can basically feel the stress my dad is going through. I know he’s probably crying in his tent. I don’t blame him; I mean he lost someone that he really loved. But I hope that we have a good day tomorrow, to get our minds off my mom. I really hope its hiking weather tomorrow. I’m sure hiking will make him feel better because besides me and my mom he loves hiking more than anything.
In the morning when I wake up I hear that my dad is already awake and I get dressed for the day. I go out of my tent and see him sitting on a wooden stool. Before I approach him I smile as I take in my surroundings, I’m relaxed by the cool air, the trees dominating the land, and the smell of pine clouding my head. It’s perfect, it’s a perfect day to go hiking. My dad looks over my attire, a black Nike long sleeve shirt, camouflage pants, and my tactical hiking boots in which I always carry a boot knife. He smirks knowing that I want to go scale a dark cave already and I approach him. “Mornin’ dad how you holding up?” He looks at me with his tired eyes from all the crying last night and probably lack of sleep and says “I’m doing fine Anthony, you ready for hiking today?” I nod enthusiastically “Hell yeah dad lets go.”
He smiles and go to put on his hiking gear while I start up our truck. He gets in the passenger seat and we’re off. We go to the mountain first to hike up and then down the other side to get to where the caves are. There are many caves in this national park, but some are still yet to be discovered. When we reach the mountain my dad and I stand at the bottom looking up at the daunting terrain. This is the mountain we never scaled before, this was the one my mother went through alone.
“It’s going to be okay dad I promise.” Although as we start trekking up the trail of this mountain my stomach gets tied up.
It’s been about 45 minutes and we’re at the top already. Did I mention my dad and I were extremely fit? No? Well yeah we are this climb was easy but the caves I know will be a whole other story. We take a break at the top and I look around enjoying the scenery. A hawk gliding in the distance, the river that weaves through the park and around the scattered mountains like a ribbon, and the fresh breeze of air that cools my muscles. “Dad you ready?” I ask him as he seems to be lost in a daze. He looks at me and nods slowly. I’m hesitant now, worried about my father’s well-being, but before I can ask he is heading down the unmarked trail of the other side of the mountain. I start following him, staying vigilant because this mountain is known for its harsh animals and unforgiving terrain and the side that leads to the caves, the side we’re on.
It’s around 6 when we reach the cold caves. We left late in the morning and now I’m wishing we had left earlier. It’s very dark down here but my dad and I are always prepared, we take out our tactical flashlights and stare at the opening of the biggest cave. I gaze upon its terrifying entrance with awe. You could practically see the cool air from the cave mixing with the slightly warmer air outside as if pulling us in daring us saying “Come in if you have the courage.”
I look to my dad and he nods, no backing out now. I decide to go in first and immediately I’m glad I wore a long sleeve shirt. It’s dangerously cold in here. I can see my breath, my dad and I share a look and trek further. We reach a part where it’s a cliff “Lets anchor up Anthony.” I nod pulling out the irons stakes and pound one into the ground and tie my rope around it. I wait for him to give me an indication that he’s ready, he nods and we start to rappel down. When we reach the bottom, a 15 foot drop, a cloud of dirt rises when our boots touch the ground. And then we hear it. A deep menacing growl, it grows larger into a roar that sounds like a T-Rex and lion combined. My dad drops his flashlight and with a few glimpses I see the creature. Skin as dark as a black lagoon, eyes as red as lava, and as big as a bus I start scrambling up my rope as the creature keeps roaring my dad screams and then all of a sudden its silent. Everything around me is dead. You could hear a feather drop. “Dad?” I whisper. I flash my flashlight around. Nothings there all I can see is my dad’s flashlight. I panic and scurry up the rope I get to the top and run out the cave.
I start running I don’t realize I’m running in the wrong direction until I reach a cabin. “Help! Someone help! My dad’s..!” That’s when I break down into tears. A man comes out he seems to be older than my dad but he pulls me into my cabin. I’m hysterical as I sit on his floor. “Shush it boy the creature’ll hear.” I start crying harder ‘the creature’? What the hell? I calm myself. “He already took my father” I shake and the man sighs, “Damn it boy, don’t y’all now not to go trekking in those caves at night!” I shake my head no. A few minutes later I’m more calm.