Elk Prairie

I brought my father Tedd's ashes with us on this trip with the plan to spread them some place he would have liked. On this trip there has been no shortage of those. Tedd and Anita have car camped all over the west and they have been to almost all the spots we've been seeing.

But I just had not quite found the right spot. Some of the hikes we've been on have provided amazing views or special spots but nothing ever felt quite right. Often places seemed to crowded for his tastes (Yosemite) or too remote (the top of Lassen). He used to love to point out that he was a country mouse and I was a city mouse. But he was also a professor and wonderful storyteller.

So I had been thinking that a good spot might be the swimming hole along the path I'd walked the first night here at Elk Prairie to text Kha. I was thinking about how at ease I had been walking through the dark forest at night by myself. It really had surprised me at the time just how peaceful the place was.

So this morning I woke up a bit earlier than the kids and went for a walk to see if this was really the right place.

Right as I approached the widening in the trail right next to the swimming hole I saw a doe standing in the trail. She looked up at me sweetly, curious but unafraid. Then, after several seconds, her fawn stepped out from behind the tree and joined her. They looked at me for a bit, then the fawn moved closer to mom and together they slowly walked further down the path.

I thought of my father and his mother, who died when he was just a boy, and how pleased I was that this place would have a mother's love.

I noted too how just a few steps away there was an outdoor classroom complete with lectern - so teaching and learning would be part of this place.

And I thought about how the campsite was there - people enjoying to outdoors just the way Tedd loved to.

I thought about the Redwoods holding hands under the earth to be stronger together.

I thought about the Salmon swimming upstream to give birth to a new generation.

I knew for sure this was the right spot.

And then, after sitting a while, I started back towards our campsite only to run into the elk right in the middle of the path! Quiet and strong and huge the way a dad is in a boy's eyes. I waited until the closest one looked up - his mouth full of ferns - and then walked around on a different path.Read more