It Runs in the Family

I have sometimes wondered, and maybe you have too, what drives a person to crave the outdoors. There are many plausible answers. Maybe it is because you get tired of your cubicle world, or maybe you just like the fresh air the mountains bring. I have always felt it was in my blood. Let me tell you why.

First, let me point out that I come from a long line of outdoorsmen. My granddad was a cowboy by trade, roaming the mountains on horseback chasing cows. In the fall he would take paying hunters into the same mountains after trophy deer. I never did get to meet him, but I have seen pictures and even a silent film of his hunting camp. One heck of an outdoorsman.

My dad is the best hunter that I have ever met. He’s not so bad with a rod and reel in his hand either. The first memory I have of the outdoors, a picture my mom showed me more than a memory, was a muzzle loader deer hunt. I couldn’t have been six months old in a baby carrier on my dad’s back. He has run a very successful guide service for quite a few years now.

My mom also loves the outdoors. She taught me to love more than the chase, but to really appreciate the other aspects of nature. If you want to know what kind of plant you are looking at, or how a rock formation was made, she is the one to ask.

My brother and sister are both very outdoorsy. Ty asked me one time how I can stand to live in the city for so long, referring to Provo. It’s hard to explain to someone who has lived in Mimbres his whole life that Provo is not that big of a city and that the outdoors are close.

And now I am proud to say that my niece and nephew are keeping the family tradition alive. I just got news that they won some trophies at a junior fishing tournament. Cam is only five and he won’t let you help him rig his line. I know that Mara will be the same when she gets older. I know they get it from their dad and mom, the way it should be.

I guess that is the answer to my question. I love the outdoors because those around me do. I hope that we can enjoy the great outdoors for generations to come.