I got an unexpected text from my friend Eddie July 1st saying he was heading to Montana from San Diego then down to see me. I was so stoked to see some familiar faces out here. I hadn’t seen them in 3yrs, but every time we meet up we just pick up right where we left off. Eddie, Howland, Byard, Lanae and the dogs Hudson and OB pulled up to the sawtooth lodge the following Wednesday around 9pm. Somewhere along the bumpy road in a rock must of punctured his camper tire. He was the third camper that week that pulled in with a flat tire. He backs the camper up into his spot Before the tire looses all its air, unloads the quads, a dirt bike and they’re set. They had been in the car all day so I recommenced we go up to the geothermal pool and chill out. It really doesn’t get much better than catching up with your friends, In a hot spring fed pool under the stars. With no light pollution around, the night sky is unreal out here. millions of Stars. They were stoked and so was I. I couldn’t believe how much the kids had grown. It was great hanging with them over the next few days and catching up. I switched shifts with jessie so I could have off a day while they were here.
Friday morning we left camp at 8 and headed up to the iron creek trail head near Stanley to hike to alpine lake, a smaller lake on the way to sawtooth lake. We went to the store and picked up some snacks for the hike, then off we went. The hike wasn’t too strenuous until the end. We also had 7yr old Lanae hiking with us and in vans. What a charger she was. We made it up and over this pass and there was this beautifully colored alpine lake. Immediately I handed Eddie a beer, we did it. We sat for a few minutes drank our beers and ate some food. We moved to another part of the lake to fish. We didn’t catch anything but it was just amazing to be up there and take it all it. It’s really humbling and makes you feel so small.
We hung there for a few hours then hiked back down for pizza, the hike back was way easier, and to me felt faster. Most of the hikes out here I’m gaining elevation the whole hike up so it’s a bit slower. We were all relieved to see the trailhead, what a beautiful hike that was everyone crushed it, a little under 8 miles round trip. Off to pizza at papa brunees in Stanley. I ate a small pizza by myself and Eddie and the kids split one up. There’s something about pizza after a good hike that just makes sense. We headed back to camp and hopped in the geothermal pool later that night, our legs were thanking us for that one. The next few days we had some campfires, hung out, rode dirt bikes, quads and went down to Sacajawea hot springs. Eddie is one of the best guys I know, full of patience, a great dad and you can see it in his kids. I’m so glad I was able to spend time with them. After this job I might be tripping down to San Diego to hang with them again, they’re a fun bunch to be around and I’m looking forward to it.
one of my favorite things I took from them was in 2014, 2017, and now 2020, they all ask each other “what was the best part of your day?” Lanae asked me one night At dinner and I said hanging with you guys again. So ask yourself, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, whoever it is, what was the best part of your day?
