Driving up a tree = lessons learned

Black Pond

So I was invited to a BBQ. The invite said that it would be held at Black Pond. I thought that we would drive to the pond, eat, and socialize. I dressed for the occasion..... jeans, button up shirt, red sweater vest, and red heels. It was a great fall outfit. When we got to the destination, we were required to hike down to the lake. This included climbing on rocks and through the trees. I was not properly dressed. I looked as if I had never climbed before so I had to keep telling everyone "don't worry, I am from Idaho." As if that made me an expert. The pond was beautiful and it was a perfect fall day to be experiencing nature, even in heels.

Since I am sentimental, I recalled some great outdoor experiences that I had when I was a child. One specifically stuck out in my mind. There I was, 9 years-old. Every summer my family would pack our pickup truck with tents, motorcycles, bicycles, and enough food to count for a year of food storage. We loved to play in the streams, fish, hike, and mostly ride our bicycles. Our family had the same camping spot each time. The spot was on the base of a steep hill that was covered with trees. My older brothers would make a bicycle path down the steep hill. I would watch them ride down the hill, gaining speed, and turning sharp to avoid the trees.

I am the only girl out of three brothers. I felt like I needed to do what they did in order to be included. I announced that I wanted to ride my bike down the path. My brothers were all too eager to help me take my bike to the top of hill and give me pointers of how to make it through the path safely. I said okay, took a deep breath, and jumped on my bike. All was going okay. I was picking up speed, handling the bike well, and almost to the end of the path were my bothers were standing. I briefly looked at them. At that exact time, I was supposed to turn hard. I did not. Instead I literally drove up a tree (it had grown like a ramp) and quickly fell back to the ground...hard. My brothers clapped, my mother gasped, and I hurt not just my body but also my ego.

I learned a few things:
1- Do not take your eye off your next step in life in order to take a glimpse at the finish line.
2- You do not need to do something just to be accepted.
3- Some people, at certain times, do not have your best interest in mind.
4- Sometime sharp turns (or turn arounds) are required to stay on the path.

This is the lake where our family fishes.

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