Mama Kat made me do it.

She's making me write. She can be very determined. Okay, maybe she's not making me. But she is doing a writing kinda challenge thingie over at her blog and those sorts of things just kinda work their way under my skin after awhile. I've been watching her do this whole 'assignment' thing with this other thing she calls Mr. Linky. I know, she makes up funny names for things. Can't imagine what she would call her hubby's private parts. Mr. Woody? As in "Does Mr. Woody want to come out and play with Ms. Kitty?" Umm, how did I end up talking about this anyway? Oh yeah, she has this assignment thing.

Out of the topics I chose to tell you about is a memorable camping experience. So here goes.

Once upon a time in a far away land, a young man and a young woman decided to go camping. Being oh so young and fearless, they packed a small pup tent, a couple of sleeping bags, a cooler of beer, a bag of wacky tobacky and set off in an old boat of an Oldsmobile to the far off kingdom of Colorado.

The Colorado Kingdom was a beautiful land filled with snow-topped mountains, white-leaved aspen trees and bubbling brooks filled with flashing rainbow trout. The young woman named Shawn and the young man, named Ex #1, found an idyllic campsite next to one of these bubbling brooks and pitched that little pup tent of theirs. They discovered the next day that just on the other side of that clear creek started a large wildlife sanctuary and they counted themselves very very lucky to have picked just the perfect spot.

Days of idyllic camping followed, marred with frequent rainstorms. The rainstorms were weathered in the pup tent eating Oreos, smoking the wacky stuff, and amusing themselves with catching flies, putting them in baggies, blowing wacky smoke on 'em and proceeding to tie thread around a leg and letting them fly in circles on their little leash when they awoke. Ahh, good times were had.

One night though there was a sound outside the tent. A curious padding sound followed by some rattling. Shawn and Ex #1 were glad they had tied their food up high in a tree and snuggled down safely in the tent and waited for whatever creature was out there to pass them by. Five minutes passed, then ten. It may have even been up to an hour because time passes by at a different rate when you are alone in the woods late at night. A scream was heard! A shrill scream yet hoarse at the same time. Was someone in trouble? Was there anything they could do? Did they really hear anything after all? The rest of the night passed.

The following day dawned bright and clear. The snow glistened on the peak of the mountain that rose right before them. The young couple crossed the creek and started to hike up the mountain. The going was long, strenuous and absolutely beautiful. They followed a deer path that wound it's way upwards and crossed the occasional tiny brook that splashed it's way toward the larger stream. Upon crossing one of these small tributaries, the fresh carcass of a deer was found. It's neck had been torn open and something had been eating at the tender underbelly. Shawn and Ex #1 looked at each other and remembered the scream from the night before. A mountain lion had been close. The deer had been unlucky enough to meet it. Do all big cats scream when they've made the kill or did it scream to warn another creature away from it's treasure? The young couple shivered in spite of the warm sunlight.

They continued on their way, climbing and climbing and climbing. Hoof prints were clearly seen in the deer path they followed as they finally arrived at the tree line. The peak of the mountain was still far away but the view was incredible. Even more incredible was the large herd of elk that stood at the beginning of the snow cap further up the peak. Several large stags mildly looked back at the couple that emerged from the trees and must have realized they were not a threat as they calmly turned back to the herd and meandered on their way. Shawn and Ex #1 were struck silent with the beauty of the scene.

The climb became even more arduous when the trees disappeared. The path was slippery in spots and had little to grab hold onto for support but the pair persevered and emerged onto the snow-covered peak of the mountain. They stood there in silence for a long time gazing at the beauty before them. They scooped up snow and tasted it's freshness in the middle of July. The entire kingdom of Colorado seemed to stretch away before them.

It was a beautiful day. It was a camping experience they both would remember forever.


Oh, this picture. Nah, this totally isn't a picture of Shawn on that camping trip with the munchies. Nope. Oh, all right. It is. Now we all know where Hippie Child got it from!