1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:04,880 You're listening to the Dudes and Dads 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,520 Podcast. A show dedicated to helping men 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,360 be better dudes and dads 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,880 by building community through 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,240 meaningful conversation 6 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,040 and storytelling. And now here are your 7 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:15,520 hosts, 8 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,280 Joel DeMon and Andy Layman. 9 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,120 Chester T. Layman, hello. 10 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,640 Oops, I just, I'm, I'm, I'm bad at this 11 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:23,760 today. I, I'm, 12 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,680 I can't even get us both on video. This 13 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,040 is how bad I am today. You are here 14 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:28,480 though. I can see you right across from 15 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,240 me. Hello, there we go. You're looking, 16 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,000 you're looking, you're looking wonderful. 17 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,720 Hey, so hi Andy. Hi, Joel. Hi. Hey 18 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:36,240 everybody, welcome to the Dudes and Dads 19 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:37,040 Podcast. 20 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:38,640 Glad to have each and every one of you 21 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:39,920 here with us 22 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,720 as we, uh, looking forward to a fun 23 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:43,840 conversation. 24 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,440 Lots of moving pieces tonight. Uh, Andy is 25 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:48,320 navigating 26 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,680 a whole plethora of, uh, technical 27 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:52,480 wizardry. 28 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,560 You can say that again. Uh, so we've got, we've 29 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:55,840 got several guests. 30 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:56,800 We're, we're gonna have a good 31 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,400 conversation. Looking forward to 32 00:00:58,400 --> 00:00:59,120 all of it. 33 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,240 Uh, in studio, uh, if we can put it that 34 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:02,960 way because that's 35 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,080 the way I should put it because it's 36 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,880 accurate. Uh, we have our friend 37 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,760 and Dudes and Dads, Dudes and Dads, 38 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,600 Dudes and Dads Podcast alumnist, alumni, 39 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,040 alumna, whatever. Not alumna. 40 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,400 Not alumna. Alumni. Uh, Greg Neumeier is 41 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,880 with us in studio. Hi, Greg. 42 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,240 Hello guys. Hi. Uh, I'm trying, I'm really 43 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:27,040 messing it up tonight. 44 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,400 And as, and as always, 45 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,440 uh, Andrew is right across the table. He's, 46 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:35,360 he's dialing in the remote employee, 47 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,040 remote employees. 48 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,400 Remote, remote guests. 49 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,120 There we go. Yes. Those guys. And making 50 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:44,560 sure that they are, 51 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:45,680 I'm trying to get them on. If you guys 52 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:47,040 want to talk, if you guys want to talk 53 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:47,760 real quick. 54 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,400 Perfect. And yeah, I'll talk. You punch 55 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:50,800 your 56 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,240 buttons and we'll see what happens. Uh, 57 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,400 so first of all, the conversation tonight 58 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,240 and we're super looking forward to this 59 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,680 is a recap of our recent trip 60 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,600 out to the grand Tetons. 61 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,760 Yes. Get that French inflection. It needs to sound 62 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:08,400 French. 63 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,960 Uh, it needs to sound French and slightly 64 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:12,080 suspicious. 65 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,560 Um, because, you know, 66 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,000 we had, uh, we had a really great, uh, 67 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,160 experience out, uh, out west. And the thing, 68 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:25,920 um, and we had talked about, we had had 69 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:27,520 the conversation with Greg prior of 70 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,360 talking about kind of the elements of 71 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:30,960 wonder and awe and kind of the 72 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,160 experience of going out into the 73 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,320 wilderness and doing this all. 74 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,200 Um, with also in the context of this 75 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,120 group that we were putting together, 76 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,240 six, I'm going to try 16 total of us. 77 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,400 There were 17 of us. There was two. So 78 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,880 there's myself and a co-guide and then 79 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,080 15 of you. 80 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,280 Wonderful. And, uh, what an experience it 81 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:51,680 was. 82 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,480 Greg tried, you know, he does his best to 83 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,880 give us the essential details of the 84 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:58,800 trip and give us an outline of what 85 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,240 we're going to be looking at, but you 86 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:01,360 really can't know. 87 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,280 You cannot know until you go. There's 88 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:04,880 definitely meant to be some mystery to 89 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:05,040 it. 90 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,240 Oh boy. Oh boy. So much prizes along the 91 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:09,440 way. And I want to say, 92 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,200 yes, indeed, mystery and some things that 93 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,920 I wish had remained a mystery, uh, that 94 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:16,320 have been 95 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,560 that were, that were uncovered or 96 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:22,480 whatever brought, uh, brought to the 97 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,520 surface. But no, um, and I, I think I just 98 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,240 absolutely want to say what a, what a joy 99 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:29,920 the trip was, what a, what a really 100 00:03:29,920 --> 00:03:31,760 amazing experience was for me in 101 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,120 particular, because I was bringing along 102 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,120 Josiah, my 13 year old son, um, and, uh, 103 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,800 having, uh, the rest of you all, um, sort 104 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:42,720 of, yeah, come along on your father-son 105 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:44,640 trip. Yeah. Like, right. I just invited all 106 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,600 these people on my father-son trip. No, 107 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,280 uh, that we were just welcomed in and, 108 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,600 and allowed to be a part of the group 109 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:52,960 that was from Clinton frame, which is 110 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,280 really, really, uh, awesome experience, a 111 00:03:55,280 --> 00:04:00,000 major blessing. Um, Greg, I'm wondering 112 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,480 just to kind of give some context, uh, 113 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,120 really what this trip was about some, uh, 114 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:12,560 we did three hikes and ish and, and some 115 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,480 excursives, uh, right. And that annexed 116 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,920 trips, little walkabouts, uh, boondoggles, 117 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,040 whatever, whatever we want to call them. 118 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,560 Um, when you, when you're getting us 119 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,760 ready, uh, to take these, when we're 120 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,760 going to take these hikes, these, you 121 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,080 know, there are, I mean, the idea is that 122 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,160 they're sort of building upon each other 123 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,840 a little bit. What is the, um, because I 124 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:42,720 would argue, and as I've told everybody, 125 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,560 we did a, a beginner's hike, an 126 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,760 intermediate hike and one that, and then 127 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,880 one that I don't have a category for. 128 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,960 And, and I, there might still be some for, 129 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,040 for those of us that, for our friends 130 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:00,480 that are here with us this evening, uh, 131 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:02,480 there might still be some bitterness over, 132 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:07,920 uh, over, over hike number three. Greg, 133 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,320 tell us 15 people who joined us there. 134 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,880 We, we, we got five of them to join us. 135 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,040 The rest of them are dead. That's why 136 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:20,000 they're not even alive anymore. No. Uh, 137 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,400 Greg, talk just as much as there is, talk 138 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,760 to us about the strategy of kind of 139 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,600 building into the building, into those 140 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,360 things and kind of what you're, what 141 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,600 you're hoping we experience as we kind 142 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,040 of engage in the, the trip. Yeah. Well, 143 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,440 so some people were coming in, uh, some 144 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:38,800 people had driven in like yourself. So 145 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,080 that's the absolute best way of 146 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,440 acclimation. You're just taking that 147 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,680 slow ascent from Indiana and the plains 148 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,120 States up into, uh, North, North West, 149 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:48,800 Wyoming, uh, where we were going to be 150 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,920 camping just about 7,000 feet. So, uh, 151 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,840 those who had flown in and others who 152 00:05:53,840 --> 00:05:55,440 had come in kind of on a shorter, you 153 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,680 know, driving in the big thing is you 154 00:05:57,680 --> 00:05:59,040 just want to make sure that we give 155 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,280 ourselves some time for acclimation. I 156 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:03,040 mean, acclimation is a, is a huge 157 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:04,720 component. I think that that translates 158 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,320 into life too. Sometimes we just want 159 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,400 to, we just want to jump into the deep 160 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:09,600 end and what we can end up doing is 161 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:11,920 hurting ourselves that way. Uh, so what 162 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,080 we did was our first hike in, um, was a 163 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,240 nine, about a nine and a half mile out 164 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,880 and back and a relatively flat the 165 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:21,920 entire way. I mean, there's just some 166 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:23,360 kind of some up and down, but we don't 167 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:25,520 really go up into any canyons. There's 168 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,200 no mountains at all, but it's along the 169 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,120 Lake shore every time. So we've got Lee 170 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,600 string Lake Lee Lake, uh, bear paw Lake 171 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,320 and trapper Lake that was immediately 172 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,200 the grand is kind of down the South 173 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:38,720 range. You got Mount Moran right on top 174 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,160 of us the whole way. And you just get 175 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,320 this major sense of, Oh my goodness, 176 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,800 here I am. Yeah. And so that kind of 177 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:46,640 awakens this sense of I'm hiking 178 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,240 somewhere different now, the bear 179 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,320 experience on that trail on the way back. 180 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,280 That was exciting too. Yes. Uh, sharing 181 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:55,200 the trail with the bear and deciding, 182 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:57,280 okay, you can have this trail too. Sir, 183 00:06:57,280 --> 00:06:59,280 you can, you go right along your way. We 184 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:02,640 will yield, um, our, yeah. So that's kind 185 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,560 of that like, Hey, wet your appetite. I 186 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,640 want to make sure, I mean, as a guide or 187 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:07,760 as somebody who's kind of leading 188 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:09,600 things, I want to see if you're capable 189 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,240 of the distance. Um, cause at that point 190 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,080 you really just have altitude and then 191 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,400 you have distance there. It's Hey, we're 192 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,320 going to do nine miles and we're going 193 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,240 to do it at 7,000 feet. And you just 194 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,960 came from roughly 600 feet. I don't know 195 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,120 what Indiana is six or 700 feet. 196 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,000 We're at like seven, 720 feet right now. 197 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,880 Because we're 20 feet up in this building. 198 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,520 Right. We're on the second floor. Uh, so 199 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,600 for what I want to see is, can you, can 200 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,680 you even just at this altitude, can you 201 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,520 do this distance? And I mean, I think we 202 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,040 had a good time with that hike and it 203 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,680 wasn't, I mean, it, it gets a little sweat 204 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:45,120 going. It gets your juices going like, 205 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,120 Oh, okay. I now have fresh air to deal 206 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:48,240 with in my lungs. I'm going to drink 207 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,320 water. I'm going to eat healthy. And even 208 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,080 that alone was kind of a stretch for some 209 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,720 folks. Um, all of a sudden it was like, 210 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,480 man, this is a healthy lifestyle here 211 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:59,440 that I didn't know was, uh, something my 212 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,800 body is not used to, uh, that our next 213 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,920 hike is, um, well, I'm going to ask you 214 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,800 so our people who are joining us, are 215 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,400 joined with us. If you guys have anything 216 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,640 to put on this first hike, feel free to 217 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,960 speak up. Like how did it make you feel 218 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,160 the very first time that we went on that 219 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:16,800 very first hike? 220 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,600 I felt like, Oh wow, this is pretty 221 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,280 simple. You know, I can do this. It's flat. 222 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,560 I did get tired faster than back here in 223 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:33,680 a flat in the Anna. Um, but no, I thought 224 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:37,840 this is, this is doable. Um, just great 225 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,920 to just to walk along those lakes and 226 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:41,920 look across the lakes and see the wonder 227 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,960 of those mountains that just shoot up 228 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,920 out of the earth. It's just amazing how 229 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,480 that, that style of mountain is. I think 230 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,840 it's, it's really neat. Um, and it's just, 231 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,880 it is wonder because you just walk in. 232 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,680 It's like literally boom. It juts up out 233 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:03,280 of the earth and it's just so different 234 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,000 than what we have back here. And so the 235 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,840 whole day I was just kind of observing 236 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,640 that and just, Oh wow, this is really wild. 237 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,400 Yeah, you're, you're totally right. Marty. 238 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,560 That's yeah. The, the style of the range 239 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:18,640 is called a drop fault mountain range. And 240 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,480 so it really, it has no foothills. What it 241 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,960 has is just a bunch of these glacier, uh, 242 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,840 these glacial melt lakes at the base. And 243 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:27,760 so it is, it's extremely dramatic. It's a 244 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,120 very dramatic, uh, kind of landscape to 245 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,680 find yourself walking along and to be on 246 00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:36,160 Lee Lake, especially in string Lake, which 247 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,240 are very calm lakes, unless the wind's 248 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:39,840 really whipping, which is difficult at 249 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:42,400 the base there. Uh, they're often so still 250 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,400 you get those reflective kind of 251 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,240 experiences with the photos. And I know a 252 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,320 bunch of guys got pictures with, you know, 253 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:49,760 like mountains on top of mountains in 254 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:51,840 these lakes. So I appreciate that you, uh, 255 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,280 kind of stopped and took that in a bit. 256 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:56,320 Yeah. Anybody else's thoughts on the 257 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,600 first, uh, the first hike? Yeah. The other 258 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,680 thing that made that hike nice, uh, was 259 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:02,880 the fact that, like you said, it was kind 260 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:04,720 of easier kind of along the Lake. And so 261 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:06,720 it was pretty heavily traveled, meaning 262 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,560 the path was wide enough for folks to 263 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:12,000 walk side by side, most of the way. And 264 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,240 so that was kind of a nice refresher 265 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,960 after being in a van for 28 hours, 26 266 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:21,520 hours, whatever, just kind of, kind of 267 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:23,760 walk side by side with a buddy and just 268 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,080 have a lot of conversation. So it was a 269 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:29,760 good intro to the week. All right. So 270 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,400 then, then moving on the second hike. 271 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,200 Yeah. So then, uh, let's see. So our, our 272 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:36,960 next hike, what we wanted to do was get a 273 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,080 little bit more, um, elevation gain, just 274 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:41,680 see what happens if we've got to climb 275 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:43,840 some Hills a little bit more. And so we 276 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:45,920 did, uh, the Taggart and Bradley loop and 277 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,240 we did it in the reverse order. That is 278 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,240 usually recommended. We went 279 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:52,800 counterclockwise on that loop so that we 280 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,080 saw the incline right away and climb up 281 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,640 to Bradley over the first, uh, two and a 282 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,240 half miles or so. Um, and, uh, and that, 283 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,920 man, that one, uh, we, we, I saw, we found 284 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:07,520 some guys kind of pushing their limits a 285 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:08,960 little bit more there. I was like, Oh, 286 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,800 this is what it means. Now we did that in 287 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,440 the direct, uh, exposure. We had the sun 288 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,680 right over top of us. And so there was, 289 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:17,600 it was unseasonably warm. I just want 290 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,360 everybody to remember and know that like, 291 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:20,960 I, I always think of going to the 292 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:22,000 mountains and it's like, it's going to 293 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,480 be a high of 76 and it's going to be dry 294 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,120 air and cool. And we had 90 degrees. 295 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:32,000 It was warm. Um, so, uh, we, we got some 296 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,560 elevation gain, saw some more lakes, uh, 297 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:37,040 encountered a lot more bears on that hike 298 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,200 than, I mean, I mean, there was more bears 299 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:40,960 on that hike than I think in my previous 300 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,880 two or three years, all combined, um, less 301 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,040 traffic on that hike again, and it 302 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:48,640 narrows out a little bit. And so you've 303 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,040 got some steeper, I think we hit some 30% 304 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:52,880 grade on that hike a few times where it's 305 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:54,400 just like, Oh, we've got to go up and 306 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:56,640 wind and just mini switchbacks. And then 307 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,040 we had some elevation gain and, uh, I was 308 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,200 kind of listening for, I was listening for 309 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:02,960 that more than anything, just as far as 310 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:04,640 like, how do you get to the top of the 311 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,480 mountain? And I was like, okay, I'm going 312 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,080 to go up and wind and I'm going to go 313 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:09,760 up and wind and I'm going to go up and 314 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:11,280 wind and I'm going to go up and wind. 315 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:12,640 And I was like, okay, I'm going to go 316 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,080 up and wind and I'm going to go up and 317 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:15,840 wind and I'm going to go up and wind. 318 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,440 And I was like, okay, I'm going to go 319 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,040 up and wind and I'm going to go up and 320 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:20,640 wind and I'm going to go up and wind. 321 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,080 And I was like, okay, I'm going to go 322 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:23,520 up and wind and I'm going to go up and 323 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:30,360 I was listening for that more than anything just as far as like how are people's footwear holding up and were they feeling it as 324 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,360 far as the the altitude just 325 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:36,020 we only we only gained again 800 or 900 feet on that but 326 00:12:36,020 --> 00:12:40,680 That's significant when you've been in the van like I said when you were in Indiana two days ago 327 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:44,920 Right or those of you who flew out because some of them especially for you actually 328 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,980 I'll pick on you for this one Greg or Dave since you guys were part of the group that flew out 329 00:12:50,740 --> 00:12:54,320 Let's start with Greg. What what was that second like hike for you? 330 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,880 Especially since you had flown out and not had the time to acclimate in the in the car. I 331 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:04,220 Thought it was I was good with it. I had a great time 332 00:13:04,220 --> 00:13:07,700 you know I said before I'm not the fastest hiker but 333 00:13:07,700 --> 00:13:10,960 Yeah, I thought it was I thought it was good. I didn't 334 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:16,320 Yeah, I thought I was prepared I mean I thought it was pretty good hike 335 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,180 And I actually found the first day harder than second day 336 00:13:20,180 --> 00:13:22,180 I don't know why 337 00:13:22,180 --> 00:13:26,960 But first day was harder for me than the second day second day was starting to get in a groove. Yeah 338 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,000 So yeah, I know for me the first day 339 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:34,700 I was starting to cramp my calves were cramping up and then after I got used to that then the rest of the hikes were fine 340 00:13:34,700 --> 00:13:36,860 You just got used to the camping. Well, no, it didn't 341 00:13:36,860 --> 00:13:42,240 Dave how about yourself? How is how was that second hike for you? 342 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:48,360 Well, that was that was the day that we set back. So right 343 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:51,100 Was easy for you 344 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:54,280 I think I would say 345 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,920 maybe using Joel's terminology or 346 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,280 self self defined there was a couple of us that 347 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:07,220 Joined the wimp club and since Dustin's not here. I can throw him under the bus and 348 00:14:07,220 --> 00:14:10,000 Him and I leading that way 349 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,900 knowing that 350 00:14:11,900 --> 00:14:17,660 Our L our elder bodies were were suffering a bit. But yeah the first day I 351 00:14:18,060 --> 00:14:20,500 Didn't I've anticipated a bit more 352 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:23,420 altitude adjustment 353 00:14:23,420 --> 00:14:29,620 Then then I what fell you can you knew you were there you knew you're elevated and you knew you had to work a little 354 00:14:29,620 --> 00:14:35,420 more with the oxygen levels, but it was not enough to create headaches and some of those other altitude type of 355 00:14:35,420 --> 00:14:43,060 Uncomfortableness so it it you know, and maybe it's the on the beauty and the wonder that is there that 356 00:14:43,660 --> 00:14:48,620 takes your mind away from some of that but you know, I think Greg did a great job of 357 00:14:48,620 --> 00:14:52,540 educating us on the front side and you know 358 00:14:52,540 --> 00:14:58,480 Preaching the you know hydration and you know the footwear conversation 359 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,500 and all that which certainly helped so 360 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:07,740 Yeah, I was really glad that there was actually just to be I mean to be perfectly honest 361 00:15:07,740 --> 00:15:10,020 I was really glad that there was you Dave and 362 00:15:11,900 --> 00:15:14,500 Dusty and I think was there one other with you 363 00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:22,140 Sebastiano on the overnight. Okay, but that that one particular day, I think Ben 364 00:15:22,140 --> 00:15:27,220 And we took it he had to go to town 365 00:15:27,220 --> 00:15:29,860 So it was our job to get in town 366 00:15:29,860 --> 00:15:37,000 Well, I just I mean the way that we approach the retreat is it needs to be something where you are where you're too truly attentive 367 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,660 to the needs of your soul, but as much as attentive to the needs of your body and 368 00:15:41,340 --> 00:15:46,300 The opportunity and the and the recognition that not everybody needs to do everything 369 00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:53,180 but to opt in and opt out as you honestly reflect on the need of your on the need of your life the need of your 370 00:15:53,180 --> 00:15:54,140 soul and 371 00:15:54,140 --> 00:15:58,660 to take a day sometimes to just take a day and go like I just I'm gonna lean into the 372 00:15:58,660 --> 00:16:06,220 Opportunity to breathe and rest and be in on being wonder here and I don't need to exert and I don't need to work and stress 373 00:16:06,220 --> 00:16:09,440 My body in order to prove anything to myself or anyone else 374 00:16:09,820 --> 00:16:16,060 But I can I can do that and I I was very very glad that there was a few of you who decided who? 375 00:16:16,060 --> 00:16:21,940 Recognized that that was the opportunity in front of you and took advantage of that. That's just that truly was meaningful to me 376 00:16:21,940 --> 00:16:27,180 Yeah, and I think if there's anybody else listening that would say boy 377 00:16:27,180 --> 00:16:31,380 I would like to to get on that that list or go hang out with 378 00:16:31,380 --> 00:16:35,460 Greg and Adam and do something like this in the future 379 00:16:36,700 --> 00:16:42,860 the thing that was attractive was exactly that was that hey there there is not a 380 00:16:42,860 --> 00:16:49,560 Expectation of any type we we anticipate participation 381 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:53,420 But that definition of participation does not mean 382 00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:57,980 110 miles every day at 110 percent 383 00:16:57,980 --> 00:17:06,260 Hiking there was there was lots of value and those those three of us Dustin and Ben and I we had some really awesome 384 00:17:06,660 --> 00:17:08,540 awesome conversation 385 00:17:08,540 --> 00:17:10,960 That day it was very much 386 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,700 appreciated so 387 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:15,860 You're seeing your spot on and that was 388 00:17:15,860 --> 00:17:20,660 Greg laid that out to us in the beginning and that was very very attractive to me 389 00:17:20,660 --> 00:17:28,280 So so after that that hike what was our was our next thing there mr. New Meyer so that evening 390 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:30,460 I believe that evening was actually 391 00:17:30,460 --> 00:17:35,580 When we went out to visit old Pat then oh, yes 392 00:17:35,900 --> 00:17:42,700 So yeah without spoiling the without spoiling the grandeur of old Pat for everybody who's not aware there is a 393 00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:48,380 There's a there's a tree in the in Grand Teton National Park 394 00:17:48,380 --> 00:17:54,620 That's kind of been lost to history because of moving a road and different things, but used to be an iconic stopping point 395 00:17:54,620 --> 00:17:58,720 For visitors, and we still make a trek out there 396 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:05,080 I find it almost an angry will pilgrimage for myself to go and visit old Pat. That's referred to as the old patriarch tree 397 00:18:05,780 --> 00:18:11,060 But I think that evening was when we all and every single one of us that was I think that was myself 398 00:18:11,060 --> 00:18:15,280 and then this the the 15 of you so there's 16 of us that actually made it out to old Pat and 399 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:23,380 So that was our evening kind of little walk about excursus if you will wasn't a full hike we have to bushwhack but 400 00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:25,980 the destination is much more the 401 00:18:25,980 --> 00:18:32,820 Point than the journey on that one yeah, and in that again with without 402 00:18:34,420 --> 00:18:39,000 Devulging all the all the sacred goodness of that experience 403 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,360 I think you know something I would just say because again having 404 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:46,400 Both myself and Josiah out there. You know that was an opportunity 405 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,780 and I would just I would say this to 406 00:18:49,780 --> 00:18:56,320 In it was an opportunity for I think a really a significant reflection 407 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:01,880 You know and I would just say I would say this to to Dave and it was something that Dave 408 00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:04,940 shared and even directed toward Josiah that 409 00:19:04,940 --> 00:19:12,360 Included him in that conversation, and I mean it's something that Josiah is going to remember for the for the rest of his life 410 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:15,440 That made us really really significant 411 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:23,620 Impact and so I get again. I think you know much to Greg's credit like he has he has 412 00:19:23,620 --> 00:19:28,100 Not and not and just being like not in a manipulative sort of way 413 00:19:28,100 --> 00:19:34,500 But in a very intentional sort of way like staging these experiences out and and and right timing the conversation 414 00:19:34,500 --> 00:19:37,460 Around what we're what we're experiencing 415 00:19:37,460 --> 00:19:42,620 Where I think you know after a good hike. I don't know you're you're more open 416 00:19:42,620 --> 00:19:43,980 And it's you're tired 417 00:19:43,980 --> 00:19:49,500 But you're you're more open to just sort of like breathe it all in and just mmm 418 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:52,560 slow yourself down and to reflect and to have 419 00:19:53,860 --> 00:20:00,100 And to have good content just have good conversation. Yeah, I think for me again with that without spoiling old Pat 420 00:20:00,100 --> 00:20:05,180 So I mean that's hard to not do but it was it was nice to have a conversation 421 00:20:05,180 --> 00:20:08,220 or it was nice to have a hike that was 422 00:20:08,220 --> 00:20:12,280 that was easier, but had just as much purpose as 423 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:18,820 The other hikes you know for the other hikes we got to see the grandeur of the mountains and the lakes and all the beauty 424 00:20:18,820 --> 00:20:20,340 in 425 00:20:20,340 --> 00:20:22,340 that the mountains provide 426 00:20:22,740 --> 00:20:28,540 But this is nice because it wasn't necessarily in the mountains, but it was a nice hike and then just the 427 00:20:28,540 --> 00:20:32,300 Pretty nice 428 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:37,900 I don't know the the the way that you 429 00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:41,100 talked about the tree and 430 00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:43,580 Then just the time of reflection 431 00:20:43,580 --> 00:20:48,500 Because we were able to reflect and we were like silent and that for me was was great 432 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:54,300 Cuz it was a time to just no one was talking. There was no one talking. We were just sitting there with with God and us and 433 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:58,860 Whatever he was speaking to us. And so that was yeah, that was a good a good time. I 434 00:20:58,860 --> 00:21:05,740 Find that place is just that particular scene is is very meaningful to me 435 00:21:05,740 --> 00:21:11,860 I love introducing others to it and inviting you to have a you know, maybe your own moment there. I I'll 436 00:21:11,860 --> 00:21:15,220 Openly say the first time that I made it to that spot 437 00:21:15,220 --> 00:21:18,940 I mean, I made it there with tears in my eyes just going like this is I 438 00:21:18,940 --> 00:21:25,460 Don't know what's going on right here. I don't know what's happening here, but it was just like this like collision of visual 439 00:21:25,460 --> 00:21:28,540 tangible expression of something 440 00:21:28,540 --> 00:21:37,700 Mystic almost that I don't that that I've read about and seen in Scripture and seen a value for but here's this tangible 441 00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:40,780 expression of it that has just kind of become an icon of 442 00:21:42,340 --> 00:21:48,180 Sorts of what we've talked about out there. So I hope that that was meaningful to other people as well. And 443 00:21:48,180 --> 00:21:53,960 You know if part of the man up experience anyone who wants to do these retreats in the future 444 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,980 will will go and visit old Pat and 445 00:21:56,980 --> 00:22:02,220 We'll talk about it. Yeah. Yeah, so 446 00:22:02,220 --> 00:22:09,480 So after that experience then as we're getting as we're well, we're not really getting ready the next hike 447 00:22:09,980 --> 00:22:17,060 Who had anything to say? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, hey ever Greg or Jonathan or Marty who yeah, even Jason Jason 448 00:22:17,060 --> 00:22:20,660 His name yeah, I 449 00:22:20,660 --> 00:22:27,060 Really enjoyed the the hike out to old Pat because it was it was it was short 450 00:22:27,060 --> 00:22:34,700 But it was meaningful just to see something in this kind of country. That's that old I thought was just 451 00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:37,180 really 452 00:22:37,180 --> 00:22:40,140 fascinating if you ever travel overseas 453 00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:48,300 There's a lot more age in those countries and we don't have that as much here and just just to hear the 454 00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:50,540 Story of the tree the age of the tree 455 00:22:50,540 --> 00:22:53,380 it was a very 456 00:22:53,380 --> 00:22:54,720 meaningful 457 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:56,820 short time that that we had there and 458 00:22:56,820 --> 00:22:59,140 without 459 00:22:59,140 --> 00:23:01,140 Getting anybody in trouble 460 00:23:01,540 --> 00:23:08,900 It did produce the the most enjoyable rock that somebody brought home on that. We're not gonna mention any names, right? 461 00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:10,980 We won't we won't mention your name. I mean 462 00:23:10,980 --> 00:23:15,540 Yeah, and the way that 463 00:23:15,540 --> 00:23:22,360 That Greg set up the that hike to for anyone planning on going on this trip 464 00:23:22,360 --> 00:23:26,400 He didn't take the direct route to see this tree 465 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,340 we 466 00:23:28,340 --> 00:23:35,380 We went about it in such a way that you get a different perspective on it and the takeaway from that 467 00:23:35,380 --> 00:23:38,340 Everybody was free to take away their own 468 00:23:38,340 --> 00:23:40,900 meaning from this experience 469 00:23:40,900 --> 00:23:43,260 my meeting 470 00:23:43,260 --> 00:23:50,700 Or my takeaway was different from everybody else's and and so it was a neat experience that it was the shared 471 00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:53,660 shared experience the shared height 472 00:23:54,980 --> 00:23:58,740 Out out into this open area 473 00:23:58,740 --> 00:24:05,220 But yet it was also very individualized it was probably one of the moments on this trip 474 00:24:05,220 --> 00:24:09,340 That was the most individual for me as well me being able to take away something 475 00:24:09,340 --> 00:24:15,340 That was just for me. Like Andy said we have there's a moment of silence there where I could be 476 00:24:15,340 --> 00:24:18,080 reflective on just my own 477 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,580 Heart situation whatever was going on 478 00:24:23,260 --> 00:24:30,960 Yeah, so so we were originally going to we were originally going to hike up and over right there was gonna be an overnight hike 479 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,900 that we were gonna originally like up and over and 480 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:39,860 The mountain and then camp to a new campsite you had the option to do that and those who wanted to do that could could 481 00:24:39,860 --> 00:24:41,860 do that 482 00:24:41,860 --> 00:24:48,200 But then with the previous week you there was some smoke and you said me as I experienced hiker can't even do that 483 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,200 So I'm not taking you guys up there 484 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,260 Which I? 485 00:24:52,260 --> 00:24:54,020 Appreciated that I mean I would have loved to do it 486 00:24:54,020 --> 00:24:57,540 I appreciate I felt like when Greg was explaining that all to us. There was this 487 00:24:57,540 --> 00:25:00,240 collective sense of relief 488 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:06,100 And by the way false relief, I just want to be clear we were we were relieved 489 00:25:06,100 --> 00:25:14,260 We were not gonna have to go through that experience and little did we know home that we were not off the hook, right? 490 00:25:19,340 --> 00:25:23,920 But yes, but so yes we ended up by my video went away 491 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,140 So yes, we ended up 492 00:25:27,140 --> 00:25:29,780 hiking and we 493 00:25:29,780 --> 00:25:32,060 There's our video 494 00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:36,100 Again technology, so we ended up not doing that but we all drove to the second campsite 495 00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:39,540 yeah, and then from there we went ahead and 496 00:25:39,540 --> 00:25:47,460 Those who wanted to do the overnight hike could could do that and so we set out on a journey and 497 00:25:47,460 --> 00:25:54,100 And yeah, what happened Greg tell me what happened 498 00:25:54,100 --> 00:26:04,020 So what we did was we broke camp like you're supposed to we broke camp we packed up everything that what was it Saturday morning 499 00:26:04,020 --> 00:26:06,020 I think it was 500 00:26:06,020 --> 00:26:13,060 Yeah, Saturday morning, and we had a nice lovely just a lovely drive. It's a great down and around the mountain 501 00:26:13,060 --> 00:26:17,460 So rather than take the pass we took the scenic route. So you saw the Palisades 502 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:24,540 Reservoir you saw the the lake you've got to drive through some of the most incredible mountain back roads 503 00:26:24,540 --> 00:26:30,640 Just some of the most yeah, beautiful beautiful roads that Idaho and Wyoming have to offer collectively in that 504 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:35,540 Caribou Targhee National Forest coming in and out of everything 505 00:26:35,540 --> 00:26:38,220 We made it to so 506 00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:40,660 Yeah, so rather than spend all of our time 507 00:26:41,620 --> 00:26:44,820 Exclusively in the National Park boundaries what I really 508 00:26:44,820 --> 00:26:50,620 Enjoy doing is getting outside of the park and getting into what the designated wilderness area 509 00:26:50,620 --> 00:26:54,940 So we we we were in a National Forest campground 510 00:26:54,940 --> 00:27:00,220 Which is the Teton Canyon campgrounds beautiful campground back in Teton Canyon one of the oldest 511 00:27:00,220 --> 00:27:02,540 one of the oldest 512 00:27:02,540 --> 00:27:05,160 campgrounds in the in the area, I mean there are pictures of 513 00:27:07,580 --> 00:27:12,560 130 140 years ago of people with their covered wagons camping in those same spots that we were 514 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,300 and 515 00:27:14,300 --> 00:27:22,080 taking the same hikes up the canyon and so the Teton Creek comes down the canyon during the June June July that Creek is 516 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:27,700 Rushing it is a massive massive river that can be actually pretty formidable to cross 517 00:27:27,700 --> 00:27:35,900 So we went up Teton Canyon and the first two and a half miles are easy going. I mean what was it 250 maybe? 518 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:37,900 350 519 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:43,420 Elevation gain Jason might know and then you got to come to this fork in the road and do you want to take wilderness or? 520 00:27:43,420 --> 00:27:48,660 National Forest trail number 27, or do you want to take National Forest trail number 28 now? 521 00:27:48,660 --> 00:27:53,460 I I will just I'm just gonna remind you I was there to take 522 00:27:53,460 --> 00:27:58,420 Road 27 we were gonna go good old lucky 523 00:27:58,420 --> 00:28:01,460 beautiful 524 00:28:01,460 --> 00:28:04,340 Mile more mild ish 525 00:28:05,540 --> 00:28:07,820 27 27 was the one I had taken before 526 00:28:07,820 --> 00:28:12,820 But the sign who are we who are we right to deviate? 527 00:28:12,820 --> 00:28:15,140 from Greg's 528 00:28:15,140 --> 00:28:16,300 known 529 00:28:16,300 --> 00:28:22,380 Known route who are we the sign did did issue, so we don't have all of these 530 00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:30,040 Individuals with us today, but the sign threw down a challenge of sorts the sign indicate gave it threw down a gauntlet 531 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,500 And it just said devil's staircase right which was yeah 532 00:28:33,500 --> 00:28:37,640 It was a challenge like you said yeah, and there was a collective 533 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:43,380 Do we really want to and then there was I thought it was very actually I thought it was very inspiring to me 534 00:28:43,380 --> 00:28:48,780 Personally like as someone who was like I I would rather do route 27 here like that'll be great 535 00:28:48,780 --> 00:28:55,180 But there was this collective rallying of no we want to do like we want to suffer like we 536 00:28:55,180 --> 00:28:59,260 I'm not sure that that's actually what we we said 537 00:29:01,620 --> 00:29:03,620 You heard that's the way I heard it 538 00:29:03,620 --> 00:29:06,500 and so we then 539 00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:13,260 opted for route 28 and went and veered then south to go towards the devil's staircase and 540 00:29:13,260 --> 00:29:16,740 Three and a half miles later 541 00:29:16,740 --> 00:29:19,580 We had experienced all that it had to offer 542 00:29:19,580 --> 00:29:22,500 Go up another 543 00:29:22,500 --> 00:29:27,860 2500 feet so yes, so I want to hear from each of you that were on devil's staircase 544 00:29:27,860 --> 00:29:29,920 I want to start with Greg. I want to start with Greg 545 00:29:30,540 --> 00:29:32,540 As you are climbing 546 00:29:32,540 --> 00:29:35,240 devil's staircase 547 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:40,680 What is going and I'll ask each of you this what what is going through your mind 548 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:46,480 What are the words what what is the conversation that is internal to you as you are? 549 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,220 Heading up that that elevation I 550 00:29:50,220 --> 00:29:56,660 Was uh I had I was having a complete high. I was total loving every minute of it I 551 00:29:56,660 --> 00:29:58,340 I 552 00:29:58,340 --> 00:30:02,500 wanted to take that route and I wanted to see 553 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:10,900 See what it had in store for me, and so what was going through my mind was a couple things one 554 00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:14,740 Don't quit mm-hmm and 555 00:30:14,740 --> 00:30:19,680 Just keep going one step at a time like I've said before I'm not that I'm not a fast hiker 556 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,300 I'm not that's not who I am, but I'm a plugger and 557 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:31,180 That's it my style real well, and I just kept going I just kept going and I felt like I was getting stronger as the day 558 00:30:31,180 --> 00:30:32,180 As we went up 559 00:30:32,180 --> 00:30:37,980 and I just I was on that was one of the highlights of the trip for me that hike along with old Pat so I 560 00:30:37,980 --> 00:30:43,780 Was just with sheer awe and wondering that moment being in that spot 561 00:30:43,780 --> 00:30:49,700 Being able to push myself that way so I was having a great time 562 00:30:49,700 --> 00:30:51,700 I loved it why we made that decision 563 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,240 The other thing that was going through my mind is and I shared this little pad 564 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,760 There's a course that is near and dear to me 565 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:02,780 And it's the course of I will call upon the Lord and and I sing that often on the trail 566 00:31:02,780 --> 00:31:10,340 I probably sang that course more often on that trail because when when you're faced with adversity when you're faced with 567 00:31:10,340 --> 00:31:12,120 challenges 568 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,120 am I gonna call upon the Lord and 569 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:19,180 so while I was facing this physical challenge in front of me I 570 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:24,340 Called upon Lord and and so that was just a it was a high for me 571 00:31:24,340 --> 00:31:26,580 And I don't use that pun lightly that we were on a mountain 572 00:31:26,580 --> 00:31:31,240 But I was I was drinking it all in I had a great time. That's awesome 573 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,900 Marty Marty what was going through your your brain? 574 00:31:34,900 --> 00:31:38,540 Well most of what 575 00:31:38,540 --> 00:31:42,900 Greg said, but probably first of all it was like what the hell am I doing? 576 00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:47,220 It was steep yeah, and 577 00:31:47,940 --> 00:31:54,480 It was kicking my butt and I like to be challenged. I like to be in better shape when I'm challenged, but um 578 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:59,020 But yeah, I was standing there. I think we were going. I'm not sure who was 579 00:31:59,020 --> 00:32:04,780 Leading, but we made it like 300 feet. I think J. And I stood there, and I'm like 580 00:32:04,780 --> 00:32:07,640 Wow, this is amazing 581 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:16,020 It was amazing just in the in the view it was amazing in the just the challenge and how 582 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:20,940 Literally how hard it was I mean these first few days that we talked about 583 00:32:20,940 --> 00:32:23,460 hiking 584 00:32:23,460 --> 00:32:28,640 You know we we were walking we were walking without packs and so it was like oh 585 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:35,920 This is this piece of cake and now we throw 15 20 pounds on our back, and now we're walking on a 60 degree 586 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:39,820 65 degree incline and and you're just 587 00:32:39,820 --> 00:32:42,460 there's just a lot of 588 00:32:42,460 --> 00:32:45,720 different feelings and aspects and and 589 00:32:46,260 --> 00:32:50,800 Pains and and highs too, but um yeah, no it was 590 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:56,760 It was enjoyable. It's kind of stuff that I like to do. I wish my body could do a bit more but um 591 00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:03,740 Yeah, I would I would agree with a lot of what Greg said on that yeah, Jason Jason. How about you man? 592 00:33:03,740 --> 00:33:09,160 Well, I'm thinking you know let's just get this over with at the beginning 593 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:13,080 Let's just go ahead and tackle all the elevation gain within a few miles 594 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:19,180 And then just be done, and I heard the word a few times a mistake. I never really thought it was a mistake 595 00:33:19,180 --> 00:33:23,300 I thought it was actually a happy little accident 596 00:33:23,300 --> 00:33:28,020 It was grueling it was it was challenging 597 00:33:28,020 --> 00:33:33,620 actually had to take some time to just be aware of your body while you're doing it and 598 00:33:33,620 --> 00:33:41,140 You know just that awareness of where am I at rather than just getting busy and trying to go fast and hard yeah 599 00:33:41,140 --> 00:33:45,720 So yeah, that's right same thing for me. You know I think it was it was 600 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,000 My experience of it was this so there was two different groups 601 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:53,420 Or three different kind of we kind of all strung out because we all have different abilities 602 00:33:53,420 --> 00:33:57,780 Those of you those of you who show off a lot and we're way ahead of us 603 00:33:57,780 --> 00:34:03,760 Like a quarter mile ahead of us and and I remember look I I just got to the top 604 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:07,120 I think I was with Ian and we both just made it to the top of Devil's staircase 605 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:13,380 And I hear Greg Greg Neumeier shouting you're on the wrong path, and I'm like oh, no 606 00:34:13,380 --> 00:34:18,600 Are you kidding me like no? We're not like I'm at the top. I'm not coming back down there because this is ridiculous 607 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,360 I'm not going back down there, and so I'm trying to shout and scream to the people in front of us 608 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:26,360 I have a whistle and I'm like whistling and trying to get their attention and say hey like you guys are on the wrong path 609 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,140 too and they started coming back and then I 610 00:34:29,140 --> 00:34:30,680 Was like I again 611 00:34:30,680 --> 00:34:35,560 I'm still in my mind refusing to walk back down because I'm like I'm not walking back down this thing to have you Greg decided 612 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:39,520 we're coming back up and so I stayed there and the next thing I know you guys start coming to us and 613 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:45,000 What ensued was I mean I do really think that God had us in the right spot like I mean yes 614 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:52,520 it was tough and it added to our total length of the the trip or of the that nightly trip or whatever but 615 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:57,420 The campsite and well just the experience before that even was amazing 616 00:34:57,420 --> 00:35:01,280 And then I remember we were all kind of getting thirsty because we were running out of water 617 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:05,000 And then we found this tiny little stream that we were all like 618 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:09,660 praising Jesus that we found this dream and we were bent down and filtering a water out of it and stuff and then 619 00:35:09,660 --> 00:35:12,060 We walk on and continue on from there 620 00:35:12,060 --> 00:35:19,660 And you just are in this beautiful field of like flowers and and things and then we decided to make camp and like that 621 00:35:19,660 --> 00:35:23,220 That view is something I can't even explain 622 00:35:23,220 --> 00:35:28,840 Yeah, people and I think you said even Craig like this is a more beautiful view than the original site 623 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:30,840 I was playing it take absolutely was yeah 624 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:37,960 And I mean when we opted to go south on on route 28 and head on the devil staircase 625 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,200 there's another there was a fork that was about a 626 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:44,760 third of a mile up that path that would have continued the same kind of trajectory and 627 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:52,040 Steepness if you will the pitch the gain 628 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:58,800 But we missed that fork and so we ended up going a much wider and 629 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:04,000 You know, we ended up going much wider around so it did add some overall length to our hike 630 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:09,780 But happy accident is completely acceptable. I definitely wouldn't call it a mistake 631 00:36:09,780 --> 00:36:14,840 It was just I mean something that kind of I kind of kept in mind for 632 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:20,180 most of our I mean for the we're doing these things is that flexibility begets opportunity like 633 00:36:20,180 --> 00:36:25,800 You're not gonna you're not gonna stumble into something amazing 634 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,200 surprising 635 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:33,120 Without being flexible if you if you stay rigid to your plan if you stay rigid to your map 636 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,000 And it has to be this way we have to go like this 637 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:42,340 Then you always know what to expect and you maintain a fault kind of a false sense of control then and if you just go 638 00:36:42,340 --> 00:36:43,880 Realize like you know 639 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:49,060 Okay, so we paused I think Joel and Josiah and I and somebody else standing there with Jonathan 640 00:36:49,060 --> 00:36:51,960 I think were you standing there with us too, or you were just a little bit up the trail 641 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:58,840 With Ben maybe yeah, we were halfway between you guys and 642 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:04,960 Andy and the rest of the pack was trying to play a game of really bad game for telephone 643 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:10,240 But I just we just paused right there and it was one of those like okay 644 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:13,280 I'm gonna be still for just a minute and just try to lean in and 645 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,420 Ask the Lord honestly as well. I did was just pray it was just like 646 00:37:16,420 --> 00:37:22,620 Okay, are we do we maintain this path or do I need to call people back like and it's not okay wrestling through the 647 00:37:22,980 --> 00:37:26,780 Don't want inconvenience people, but I also don't want to like if we go the wrong direction 648 00:37:26,780 --> 00:37:30,780 we could end up in trouble here because we're I don't know where we're going then and 649 00:37:30,780 --> 00:37:35,420 Just leaning in and I felt like this. I just felt like an overwhelming piece of just keep going 650 00:37:35,420 --> 00:37:40,880 And we were so we kept going and it was interesting and interesting enough 651 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,180 There was there was a there was a guy coming down 652 00:37:43,180 --> 00:37:43,500 Yeah 653 00:37:43,500 --> 00:37:48,380 That's their case that we that we ran into and and Greg just voiced to him because he had come from that route 654 00:37:48,380 --> 00:37:50,620 just voiced him kind of the dilemma and 655 00:37:50,860 --> 00:37:53,860 In his his thing was if you're at this point 656 00:37:53,860 --> 00:38:01,000 You might as well you might as well if you've done this so far you might you might as well keep keep on going because otherwise 657 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:08,760 You're you're probably adding just additional. Yeah. Yeah, just additional length to your trip that you know trouble than it's worth 658 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:13,040 Yeah, yeah, the payoff is gonna be better. The pay is gonna be better. And so yeah, that was 659 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:19,000 But I completely agree with Andy that is my favorite wilderness campsite I've ever I've encountered and I mean 660 00:38:19,620 --> 00:38:24,660 There's a few of us around Alaska Bay a few of us are getting a tattoo because of it. Oh, yeah 661 00:38:24,660 --> 00:38:28,660 Oh 662 00:38:28,660 --> 00:38:34,780 I'm in I am in my wife is gonna hear this episode and I'm gonna have to explain to her but nevertheless 663 00:38:34,780 --> 00:38:43,380 So for us this trip I had a 13 year old boy doing this with me and 664 00:38:43,380 --> 00:38:47,860 Josiah 665 00:38:47,860 --> 00:38:50,660 Number one, yeah, she's not good. I don't want to embarrass him 666 00:38:50,660 --> 00:38:57,560 But it's just Josiah Josiah had had to use the latrine the non-existent latrine 667 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,140 Well, I was a bush. Yeah, well on devil staircase, which I guess 668 00:39:01,140 --> 00:39:06,900 If you I mean going going doing your business out in the wilderness 669 00:39:06,900 --> 00:39:10,700 There's you know, it's it's gonna be a particular challenge or whatever to it 670 00:39:10,700 --> 00:39:11,700 But you know you get used to it 671 00:39:11,700 --> 00:39:16,780 But doing it on the side of a mountain where you're like one minute one miss if you don't secure yourself 672 00:39:17,060 --> 00:39:19,060 Properly you could you could tip over 673 00:39:19,060 --> 00:39:23,020 I just don't like it's so funny like giving your son like hey 674 00:39:23,020 --> 00:39:26,180 Hey, bud, just like make sure that you make sure you got good footing 675 00:39:26,180 --> 00:39:31,980 Make sure you're planted kid wasn't that dude was a trooper, but you know 676 00:39:31,980 --> 00:39:35,380 He when we got to the top of devil staircase 677 00:39:35,380 --> 00:39:39,060 I mean we we were have I was having the conversation with him as we kind of kept on going 678 00:39:39,060 --> 00:39:45,500 there were a few periods of time where he he was physically really like really struggling and 679 00:39:46,860 --> 00:39:49,500 And there was this kind of 680 00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:53,240 there's just kind of sphere that was starting to take over him of like 681 00:39:53,240 --> 00:39:58,220 Cuz he because he did not know it was hard to articulate when our campsite was gonna be how much more 682 00:39:58,220 --> 00:40:01,940 No, we didn't really know right because we needed a certain certain 683 00:40:01,940 --> 00:40:07,560 Circumstances for what we needed for our campsite to be like it. We needed to find this find this spot 684 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,880 It's kind of like well, I could be a little ways so I can't tell him 685 00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:16,200 Hey, dude, just 30 more minutes and we're gonna we're gonna be there if I would have said that that would have been a lie 686 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,200 but 687 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:21,580 Having a conversation with him of hey 688 00:40:21,580 --> 00:40:25,300 We're gonna go 20 feet at a time or 50 feet at a time 689 00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:28,940 And if you need to if you need to stop after doing that, we'll do that 690 00:40:28,940 --> 00:40:34,380 But we're just gonna we're gonna keep on going going back is not an option which he knew and understood 691 00:40:34,380 --> 00:40:38,660 logically, but he's like, you know and and 692 00:40:38,660 --> 00:40:45,100 That kid he he got up. He did it. We got to the camp. We got to the campsite 693 00:40:45,100 --> 00:40:50,360 I've never been more relieved in my in my life is like as a as a parent to 694 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,020 arrive somewhere with my kid 695 00:40:53,020 --> 00:40:59,860 And but that night we're laying we're laying in the tent and and guys you all experienced this and it's really hard to explain 696 00:40:59,860 --> 00:41:02,000 the way the wind 697 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,140 through that 698 00:41:04,140 --> 00:41:11,540 That basin and you would hear it hear the wind off and along that like I can't really before explain kind of haunting 699 00:41:11,540 --> 00:41:15,260 a little bit like you'd hear the wind off in long distance and it would just like 700 00:41:15,260 --> 00:41:21,740 kind of the wind would almost echo through the canyon and then would get to you and then would swirl around and like head off in 701 00:41:21,740 --> 00:41:25,640 Another direction and I just I mean I like that was like Holy Spirit wind man 702 00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:28,740 That was like, you know, no, I have no idea where it comes from where it goes 703 00:41:28,740 --> 00:41:33,100 It was you know, it was really really amazing because we're laying there at night just I was like so dad 704 00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:36,220 But how much farther do we have to hike up? 705 00:41:36,620 --> 00:41:41,720 Tomorrow and I was like well and I had I had at least some context of what we had to do I was like 706 00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:43,720 We're gonna get we just gotta go this much farther up 707 00:41:43,720 --> 00:41:50,980 About was about 500 feet 500 feet couple we had a couple had a couple miles to this about three quarters of a mile 708 00:41:50,980 --> 00:41:57,980 It's a 300 feet three quarters of mile 500 feet and then it will be all down way down. Yeah, he's like, oh, okay 709 00:41:57,980 --> 00:42:01,900 I think he fall asleep woke up an hour later dad remind me again. How much? 710 00:42:01,900 --> 00:42:03,900 How much farther do we have to go? 711 00:42:03,900 --> 00:42:05,900 How much farther do we have to go? 712 00:42:05,900 --> 00:42:10,100 This is another 500 feet up and it'll be all the way down and and 713 00:42:10,100 --> 00:42:15,940 But but that was I mean that was an anchor maybe an anchor memory for us 714 00:42:15,940 --> 00:42:20,300 That's something that we something hard that we did that it's only he and I that did it 715 00:42:20,300 --> 00:42:24,800 And that and that he had he had all of you guys 716 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,660 You know those around that hike 717 00:42:27,740 --> 00:42:34,360 You know cheering him on for that and just and speaking just words of that's where I really felt like there was that that was 718 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:37,180 The communal aspect of that just the encouragement 719 00:42:37,180 --> 00:42:39,220 cheering him on 720 00:42:39,220 --> 00:42:41,220 when he when he got there and 721 00:42:41,220 --> 00:42:46,260 For you know, I would say for a kid who just does not give himself enough credit for doing doing the stuff that he does 722 00:42:46,260 --> 00:42:49,220 I that was you know, I just kept on saying like you should 723 00:42:49,220 --> 00:42:54,040 like have some pride that you were it is okay for you to be like, yeah, I 724 00:42:55,340 --> 00:42:59,940 Accomplished this and just give yourself permission. It's it's not like it's not like you're you know 725 00:42:59,940 --> 00:43:04,500 Not being humble to say that was a good thing that I did that. I'm glad I'm glad that you did 726 00:43:04,500 --> 00:43:07,100 So I don't say this you both were carrying 727 00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:10,020 Serious packs. Yeah 728 00:43:10,020 --> 00:43:18,380 You had some ultralight guys here you had I think Jonathan just had a like a bedroll tied to a backpack and a water container 729 00:43:18,380 --> 00:43:25,180 and and Greg was just like I mean you you and you get you and Josiah were carrying some serious packs and 730 00:43:25,260 --> 00:43:28,200 And really I would do the hammock camping next time 731 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:32,020 I'll just I'll say that that that that is now attractive to me in a new way 732 00:43:32,020 --> 00:43:34,860 So I want to I want to touch base here a little bit 733 00:43:34,860 --> 00:43:42,620 So we also have Dave who didn't go on this hike stayed back with Sebastiano and Dustin and Adam 734 00:43:42,620 --> 00:43:50,300 And can you talk to me a little bit? So obviously you you didn't do this hike, but what was the time like for you? 735 00:43:50,300 --> 00:43:54,100 Spending it with just those those other gentlemen 736 00:43:54,100 --> 00:43:56,100 Yeah, so 737 00:43:56,100 --> 00:44:04,620 Another opportunity to have some intimate conversation and I think but I I know Dustin would echo this 738 00:44:04,620 --> 00:44:06,700 as well as Sebastiano that 739 00:44:06,700 --> 00:44:11,540 You know Adam we really didn't did not know 740 00:44:11,540 --> 00:44:13,740 prior to 741 00:44:13,740 --> 00:44:16,380 like and that gave us an opportunity to 742 00:44:16,380 --> 00:44:19,180 interact with him 743 00:44:19,260 --> 00:44:24,660 Hear his story. I want to I was just telling Greg shank this today. I said I 744 00:44:24,660 --> 00:44:30,020 in several of us would love to go to weeping water, Nebraska, yeah and 745 00:44:30,020 --> 00:44:34,700 See him see his church and see what he does his story 746 00:44:34,700 --> 00:44:40,820 the ministry that he is doing in that community is amazing and 747 00:44:40,820 --> 00:44:45,140 Part of what 748 00:44:45,660 --> 00:44:50,060 We were we were doing is is listening to his story and and 749 00:44:50,060 --> 00:44:53,140 providing some 750 00:44:53,140 --> 00:44:58,380 Support hopefully some guidance and rejuvenation for him in that process 751 00:44:58,380 --> 00:45:06,020 And we also chose to say hey, we're gonna go ride the ski hill lift 752 00:45:06,020 --> 00:45:08,500 mountain lifts 753 00:45:08,500 --> 00:45:14,940 And get up to 10,000 feet look over the top of that mountain with a fantastic view and could see 754 00:45:15,180 --> 00:45:19,220 Where you guys were ending up so we took again the wimp way 755 00:45:19,220 --> 00:45:23,780 To the top and said we got to 10,000 feet just like you did 756 00:45:23,780 --> 00:45:27,580 For a small fee 757 00:45:27,580 --> 00:45:37,900 So that was that was beautiful beautiful views and still gave us a little bit of perspective of where you guys were going and 758 00:45:37,900 --> 00:45:40,140 still felt 759 00:45:40,140 --> 00:45:42,260 included in that process awesome and 760 00:45:42,260 --> 00:45:44,980 Adam was able to 761 00:45:45,140 --> 00:45:50,420 Kind of give us the lay of the land and point out to where things were and that was very helpful 762 00:45:50,420 --> 00:45:53,340 So we had a very very enjoyable 24 hours 763 00:45:53,340 --> 00:45:59,820 Together and having some really phenomenal conversations and 764 00:45:59,820 --> 00:46:06,140 And hearing each other's story, so it was it was fun and an Adam is such evidence evident to me 765 00:46:06,140 --> 00:46:11,340 I'm sure it was especially evident to you guys the the dude is such a servant leader like oh 766 00:46:11,820 --> 00:46:16,260 Like I was you know you just you meet those you meet those sort of people you're like 767 00:46:16,260 --> 00:46:23,340 Whatever it is whatever whatever it is you're doing with your life like I want I want more of like 768 00:46:23,340 --> 00:46:28,140 You are you are teaching just in just in his presence teaching me more about God 769 00:46:28,140 --> 00:46:31,420 I like I legitimately I can think of no 770 00:46:31,420 --> 00:46:36,020 no higher compliment to him than to say that I was a 771 00:46:37,540 --> 00:46:44,460 Man of a man of few words, but of deep words and clearly I I just was immensely grateful for him 772 00:46:44,460 --> 00:46:49,340 And all that he brought so that yeah, that's I'm so glad I'm kind of jealous quite honestly 773 00:46:49,340 --> 00:46:53,700 You got you guys got that that time. That's that's really really cool. Yeah, yeah, yeah 774 00:46:53,700 --> 00:46:58,980 I'm sure though that I know that I know that that was meaningful to him. I know that that was 775 00:46:58,980 --> 00:47:04,100 extremely valuable time for him to spend that with with you and Destin and 776 00:47:04,220 --> 00:47:12,100 Sebastiano just having a and I mean this in the most complimentary way to spend some time with elders and have your 777 00:47:12,100 --> 00:47:19,220 Have your ears have your your hearts in alignment with his and just to give him support and encouragement 778 00:47:19,220 --> 00:47:21,660 I really I know that that was worth more than 779 00:47:21,660 --> 00:47:24,820 Worth more than gold in his world 780 00:47:24,820 --> 00:47:27,540 He's a really important person in my life 781 00:47:27,540 --> 00:47:30,420 And I'm very glad that he was that you guys were all able to 782 00:47:30,820 --> 00:47:37,540 Meet him and be introduced to to his ministry and and know that there's more of that more of that to come 783 00:47:37,540 --> 00:47:45,300 I'll just I will say it's in another small world. So in the water treatment industry 784 00:47:45,300 --> 00:47:52,020 It's that I became acquainted with some folks in in Omaha and I thought no way does he know them 785 00:47:52,020 --> 00:47:54,020 He knows them like the back of his hand 786 00:47:54,020 --> 00:48:00,180 They are in the weeping water area. He's played coached some of their kids. Yep, and it was like no way 787 00:48:00,180 --> 00:48:07,100 Oh, that's it. That was and so that you know, this this small world we live in is really really cool and got a way of 788 00:48:07,100 --> 00:48:09,340 connecting us 789 00:48:09,340 --> 00:48:11,340 which was fun too and 790 00:48:11,340 --> 00:48:14,900 speaking of elders, it wasn't lost on me that 791 00:48:14,900 --> 00:48:22,660 Everybody on that mountain overnight was younger than me. And so while that in some ways was a little intimidating, you know 792 00:48:22,660 --> 00:48:28,900 You know it it challenged me and it spurred me on to know that 793 00:48:29,820 --> 00:48:33,900 We're all gonna get up this mountain no matter what our age is. So 794 00:48:33,900 --> 00:48:40,580 That was pretty cool. Yeah, and to your credit Greg. I had not made that connection until you just 795 00:48:40,580 --> 00:48:44,240 Just said that your ability once I never 796 00:48:44,240 --> 00:48:49,100 Brand new thought to me as well. You were in the front pack. I think 797 00:48:49,100 --> 00:48:55,000 Devil's staircase. So I yeah, you were you're way in front of us Lisa. These are hustler 798 00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:59,720 So aside from Josiah then I don't know so I don't know the whole gamut of you know, the whole 799 00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:04,380 Group of the people Jonathan were you the youngest outside of Josiah then who? 800 00:49:04,380 --> 00:49:08,700 Headed up headed up well, so Owen was 801 00:49:08,700 --> 00:49:13,140 Owens 20 right I think okay. All right 802 00:49:13,140 --> 00:49:16,660 So yeah, I had forgotten about Owen, but I know Jonathan had some significant, you know 803 00:49:16,660 --> 00:49:20,460 He I I know I've gotten some reflections from different people on their new experience 804 00:49:20,460 --> 00:49:26,540 And I know Jonathan had some thoughts on the devil staircase and the the mountain meek campsite as well that those 805 00:49:26,540 --> 00:49:28,660 I don't know if you'd like to share anything here 806 00:49:28,660 --> 00:49:33,260 Before yeah, I think I think actually yeah besides 807 00:49:33,260 --> 00:49:41,140 Josiah and Owen I was probably next in line for for youngest there. I think I just edged Jonathan Morris there as next 808 00:49:41,140 --> 00:49:49,040 Yeah, devil staircase was its own challenge, but I think someone else said on here you just keep plugging along 809 00:49:50,100 --> 00:49:54,740 You know, you've kind of got these doubts in your head, you know, can I do this? Can I do this and 810 00:49:54,740 --> 00:50:00,620 Before you know, you're at the top. It's it's kind of amazing how 811 00:50:00,620 --> 00:50:10,100 Without realizing it your body just does what it needs to do and and it gets to the top and then 812 00:50:10,100 --> 00:50:17,540 And then yeah the campsite and the trek to the campsite. Oh my goodness and that 813 00:50:18,140 --> 00:50:21,220 That field of wildfires that we walked and that was probably 814 00:50:21,220 --> 00:50:28,980 Easy a half a mile almost a mile long and I might be exaggerating where you're just walking along. You've got this 815 00:50:28,980 --> 00:50:31,900 giant cliff face 816 00:50:31,900 --> 00:50:33,900 to the right of you and 817 00:50:33,900 --> 00:50:41,680 to the left of you is the open canyon and you're in the middle of this field of just nothing but 818 00:50:42,540 --> 00:50:49,120 Flowers all of them in bloom. I I don't know how lucky we got down in season, but all these fires were in bloom 819 00:50:49,120 --> 00:50:51,120 And you got every color under the Sun there 820 00:50:51,120 --> 00:50:56,400 And and it was hot there was there were bugs there, but what struck me 821 00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:59,260 in that moment walking that 822 00:50:59,260 --> 00:51:05,560 Probably last mile up to the campsite was just the enormity of the silence that was there 823 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:12,380 There was no sound of cars no sound of generators no sound of 824 00:51:12,860 --> 00:51:14,340 Anything else out there? 825 00:51:14,340 --> 00:51:20,020 It was you and the sound of your footsteps walking in that field and and your elevated pulse 826 00:51:20,020 --> 00:51:29,980 Quiet cursing of the people who decided hey, we should do this trail and Jonathan 827 00:51:29,980 --> 00:51:37,100 You just made me think this Greg did I hear the the numerical variety of wildflowers in in that region? 828 00:51:38,060 --> 00:51:44,380 Was someone's I someone said a number I thought I heard but it's it's like staggering like the number of different plants like flowers peaches 829 00:51:44,380 --> 00:51:49,420 Are there I don't know if you I don't believe it, but I don't know the I don't know the specifics of theirs 830 00:51:49,420 --> 00:51:57,060 I'm not even so and we definitely hit a very narrow probably a two-week window to hit all to see that many in bloom all 831 00:51:57,060 --> 00:51:58,000 at once 832 00:51:58,000 --> 00:52:00,000 yellows purples pinks reds 833 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:06,820 All right, yeah, yeah all the what oh my gosh whites orange. Yeah. Yeah, it was blue. I mean it was everything 834 00:52:06,820 --> 00:52:08,820 Yeah, it was amazing 835 00:52:08,820 --> 00:52:14,580 No, I was with Jonathan there in that just like when you got to the top when you were out of the canyon 836 00:52:14,580 --> 00:52:17,860 And it's like okay. We're just gonna walk until we find a good campsite now 837 00:52:17,860 --> 00:52:24,500 But I did notice that I didn't I didn't feel a sense of urgency to find a campsite 838 00:52:24,500 --> 00:52:27,380 I just wanted to walk slowly through all of those flowers 839 00:52:27,380 --> 00:52:32,580 Yeah, I just wanted to take that a little slower to have a 13 year old boy with him going 840 00:52:32,860 --> 00:52:34,860 How much farther 841 00:52:34,860 --> 00:52:40,220 I don't know just go ask Greg 842 00:52:40,220 --> 00:52:47,740 Yeah, I think it was it was cool too because as we as we found that that campsite 843 00:52:47,740 --> 00:52:51,900 I know that like Ian and I were ahead and we kept saying oh 844 00:52:51,900 --> 00:52:56,360 There's a bunch of trees to be the thing we had to take into consideration was the fact that we had eight 845 00:52:56,360 --> 00:53:01,380 hammockers with us and so we had to find trees for these hammockers and 846 00:53:02,100 --> 00:53:04,260 We'd find a bunch of trees 847 00:53:04,260 --> 00:53:09,700 And we get there and then they were either two dents and and also had a bunch of undergrowth 848 00:53:09,700 --> 00:53:14,620 And so yeah, then we finally found one and yeah, it was just the most beautiful campsite ever 849 00:53:14,620 --> 00:53:15,120 Yeah 850 00:53:15,120 --> 00:53:21,340 the I mean one of the things that we had to take into consideration for that trail was I'm not sure where we're gonna make 851 00:53:21,340 --> 00:53:23,340 Camp we're just gonna have to 852 00:53:23,340 --> 00:53:28,180 Collectively recognize we have hit a limit for the day and this will be good 853 00:53:28,180 --> 00:53:33,820 But you still need factors in in play you needed water. You have to have water nearby 854 00:53:33,820 --> 00:53:36,660 There's gotta be and you want it to be living water 855 00:53:36,660 --> 00:53:41,580 You won't you don't want it to be a lake you want it to be living water nearby so we have living water nearby 856 00:53:41,580 --> 00:53:48,260 we need a flat we need some flat ground for our tent campers and we need trees for our hammockers and 857 00:53:48,260 --> 00:53:54,980 We just kind of kept passing patch after patch after patch of trees and going like man 858 00:53:54,980 --> 00:53:58,300 There's got to be one up here somewhere until we got far enough ahead and it's like well 859 00:53:58,300 --> 00:54:00,700 We're just gonna keep walking until we get it and the one that we found 860 00:54:00,700 --> 00:54:06,740 Really just couldn't I couldn't have asked for anything better really couldn't have it's still I mean it will 861 00:54:06,740 --> 00:54:10,140 Absolutely be one of my favorite places that we've ever overnighted 862 00:54:10,140 --> 00:54:16,300 I could have I could have spent a couple days there saying yeah, they're been very happy. Yep. Yep, very very cool 863 00:54:16,300 --> 00:54:20,060 so when we wake up the next day and 864 00:54:20,060 --> 00:54:23,940 We're gonna head our head on our way down 865 00:54:23,940 --> 00:54:31,220 and it and Greg remind me what is like what is the official name of this loop that way is there like the 866 00:54:31,220 --> 00:54:34,060 apart from the number 28 27 867 00:54:34,060 --> 00:54:40,180 well devil's staircase was technically from that point on the Y where 27 and 28 diverge to 868 00:54:40,180 --> 00:54:44,540 Where it terminates at the Teton Crest Trail, which was the highest point 869 00:54:44,540 --> 00:54:50,620 Okay, that whole stretch of trail that probably four miles is the devil staircase. Okay. Yep 870 00:54:50,620 --> 00:54:57,620 Gotcha, and then so as we're then heading our way down it there's a point at which you feel like you 871 00:54:57,620 --> 00:55:00,140 From that valley that you're in 872 00:55:00,140 --> 00:55:05,620 You enter another world you do the Alaska Basin. Yeah, which is which is just 873 00:55:05,620 --> 00:55:08,820 between the rock formations and 874 00:55:08,820 --> 00:55:14,300 Some of the small glaciers that we're walking by there as we're entering into that 875 00:55:14,580 --> 00:55:20,560 That phase and the lakes and the river and the river and the rivers and then just yeah the rock formations 876 00:55:20,560 --> 00:55:23,300 But what an 11 mile? 877 00:55:23,300 --> 00:55:28,420 descent I think was 10 from from where we hit our highest point of 878 00:55:28,420 --> 00:55:32,900 9860 was 10 miles from there back to camp. Yeah, which I will say 879 00:55:32,900 --> 00:55:37,900 I really felt that that trail at the very end should have been a couple miles shorter than what I remember 880 00:55:37,900 --> 00:55:41,460 I remember it being a couple miles shorter Jonathan you were in my group 881 00:55:41,460 --> 00:55:47,220 I just I remember like each bend when we would go around I'm like, certainly I'm gonna see that end of trail sign 882 00:55:47,220 --> 00:55:49,260 It's gotta be there 883 00:55:49,260 --> 00:55:58,340 Nothing was more disheartening than getting down into that one section of the valley and and we see a sign and we can go great 884 00:55:58,340 --> 00:56:00,860 It's a sign and it says campsite 885 00:56:00,860 --> 00:56:03,940 7.7 miles. Yes 886 00:56:03,940 --> 00:56:07,660 Thanks so much 887 00:56:09,780 --> 00:56:15,220 But but again another I mean a beautiful hike down I it's interesting 888 00:56:15,220 --> 00:56:20,300 down hiking down at that grade and pretty pretty good a 889 00:56:20,300 --> 00:56:25,540 Steady grade levels out at some point some as you're going through the forest and things that's a level 890 00:56:25,540 --> 00:56:30,380 but for that distance you're using a different set of my own yes down and 891 00:56:30,380 --> 00:56:35,460 Your toes are getting jammed into the front of your shoes of steel 892 00:56:35,460 --> 00:56:40,580 Yeah, all of that. And so there's a different like and I've just said the last mile and a half of the trail out 893 00:56:40,580 --> 00:56:42,860 I I lost all feeling in my feet 894 00:56:42,860 --> 00:56:44,580 I just didn't I did they it was like they were 895 00:56:44,580 --> 00:56:48,460 They were there in as much as I knew I had to move them to keep going forward 896 00:56:48,460 --> 00:56:54,920 But like that's that's how I felt and then and then you know, and then we were done 897 00:56:54,920 --> 00:56:56,340 So it was it was it was fine 898 00:56:56,340 --> 00:57:01,300 So I think Marty Jason and Greg were all in the first group to come out of the canyon 899 00:57:01,300 --> 00:57:05,140 Is that right? Was it the three of you and all together with then Ben with Ben? 900 00:57:05,140 --> 00:57:10,800 I think Eric, you know Owen were first first to Eric and Owen were first and then we were the next group 901 00:57:10,800 --> 00:57:13,380 Yeah 902 00:57:13,380 --> 00:57:18,460 and then I think I was third group and I think that was amazing too to come out and 903 00:57:18,460 --> 00:57:22,060 As you come out of the parking lot and because our campsite there 904 00:57:22,060 --> 00:57:26,880 Where Dave and the rest of the group was positioned like it was cool 905 00:57:26,880 --> 00:57:29,000 Cuz we turned the corner and they stood up and like clap 906 00:57:29,000 --> 00:57:33,240 Yeah clap for us and it was just an amazing feeling of going, you know, there's someone cheering you on 907 00:57:33,240 --> 00:57:36,740 Yeah, like even though like obviously they weren't with us along the side 908 00:57:36,740 --> 00:57:42,300 Like they knew how hard this was for us and it was cool to see them and their support. Yep 909 00:57:42,300 --> 00:57:48,060 When when we were coming through so they so the search party came out for the last of us 910 00:57:48,060 --> 00:57:53,500 Just I don't know how far not I mean not terribly far up the trail 911 00:57:53,500 --> 00:57:58,260 but they came up the trail and as we were coming in and and Adam came and 912 00:57:59,060 --> 00:58:03,260 He just look came up to me and he goes he goes give me your pack and I go 913 00:58:03,260 --> 00:58:06,280 Is this you asking or you telling telling me? 914 00:58:06,280 --> 00:58:12,680 He goes I've been where you've been before and I'm taking I'm taking I'm taking your back which was which was great 915 00:58:12,680 --> 00:58:19,120 but I think you get into the end of that we we had an 916 00:58:19,120 --> 00:58:26,760 Excite our group before had an exciting bear encounter just you know up, you know a few miles out from the end of the trail 917 00:58:28,320 --> 00:58:30,500 We were walking along and you know 918 00:58:30,500 --> 00:58:36,760 I started seeing like bear scat on the trail like like every 15 feet or whatever and I was just like we are going to 919 00:58:36,760 --> 00:58:39,500 See it like there's going to be one and boy. Oh boy 920 00:58:39,500 --> 00:58:43,620 You're I mean it is it's part of the challenge of your tuck you're tired 921 00:58:43,620 --> 00:58:47,960 and but you're trying to stay aware of your surroundings stay aware of your surroundings and 922 00:58:47,960 --> 00:58:50,640 all of a sudden 923 00:58:50,640 --> 00:58:54,760 25 feet in front of me this huckleberry bush just starts shaking 924 00:58:56,240 --> 00:59:00,840 I'm in front. I did one of that. It's almost like a cartoon sort of thing of like stop 925 00:59:00,840 --> 00:59:02,560 Like everybody kind of crashes into each other 926 00:59:02,560 --> 00:59:07,720 you know, we're all just like along everybody just kind of like bumps into each other and yeah, and this and this 927 00:59:07,720 --> 00:59:12,560 Bear just looked out probably and probably a female. I was a little bit smaller, but 928 00:59:12,560 --> 00:59:15,520 Not that I care because it's a bear. It's on the trail 929 00:59:15,520 --> 00:59:23,000 And it's you know and just took a couple steps toward us and we just started making our big bear our big our big bear 930 00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:29,120 Noises and then walks up the hill a little bit and just sits right down and kind of watches us as we like Jonathan 931 00:59:29,120 --> 00:59:34,640 I just thought like again unconcerned by our present are unconcerned by our presence there whatsoever. I thought but 932 00:59:34,640 --> 00:59:42,880 It could have cared less. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, what was so funny about that that moment is, you know, we were all 933 00:59:42,880 --> 00:59:47,120 Yeah, yeah, you were in front Joel and then you know 934 00:59:47,120 --> 00:59:49,320 We stopped we see the bear and then there's this 935 00:59:49,640 --> 00:59:55,440 Moment where few seconds pass by as the four of us and this group realized none of us had any bears 936 00:59:55,440 --> 01:00:04,960 But you know who did Jonathan Greg who was just up the trail a little bit farther best guide ever 937 01:00:04,960 --> 01:00:11,160 No problem no problem. No, it was 938 01:00:11,160 --> 01:00:16,900 Just again a reminder. Look the the the hike wasn't over until the hike was over right? 939 01:00:16,900 --> 01:00:19,820 like there's there is this definitely the sense of 940 01:00:19,820 --> 01:00:24,780 remaining appropriately vigilant and aware and I'm through through the end and 941 01:00:24,780 --> 01:00:31,960 And and that's why you are never so glad is when it when it's done it's really done 942 01:00:31,960 --> 01:00:38,180 yeah, and I wouldn't put my feet in a river that was maybe 50 degrees if I if we were lucky and 943 01:00:38,180 --> 01:00:43,760 And it was Andy had laid in the snow that had formed that river the day before. Yeah 944 01:00:45,080 --> 01:00:47,080 Yeah, that's 945 01:00:47,080 --> 01:00:52,240 So I got to hike with I got to hike with Greg for a little while because he was with Ian and 946 01:00:52,240 --> 01:00:58,920 Andy and I and we we had a nice leisurely nap on a on a big flat white rock. That was 947 01:00:58,920 --> 01:01:05,040 That was wonderful and how nice for you. It was nice that we had to try to figure out how do we I mean 948 01:01:05,040 --> 01:01:09,340 It's interesting going along the trail when you realize that the group has kind of split up and you know 949 01:01:09,340 --> 01:01:09,580 Okay 950 01:01:09,580 --> 01:01:14,720 Do we at what point do we stop and wait and I think that was that was an interesting kind of 951 01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:18,980 Moment for us because we wanted to find water right but we also wanted to rest ourselves 952 01:01:18,980 --> 01:01:23,100 But not rest long enough to get stiff. Mm-hmm. And that was probably about halfway 953 01:01:23,100 --> 01:01:27,760 I mean, we were probably only about halfway right there. I would say maybe five miles down 954 01:01:27,760 --> 01:01:31,240 So, I don't know if Greg had any 955 01:01:31,240 --> 01:01:36,000 Reflections on that moment because there's a nice picture that Andy got of us all 956 01:01:36,000 --> 01:01:44,040 Yeah, I mean it was kind of an interesting, you know dilemma, you know, I I was out of water 957 01:01:44,040 --> 01:01:46,040 I was 958 01:01:46,040 --> 01:01:51,040 Drank way more water than I normally drink hiking. I had three liters gone in a heartbeat 959 01:01:51,040 --> 01:01:55,520 And I'm normally not the person that likes stopping 960 01:01:55,520 --> 01:02:00,440 Partially because of my age I get stiff really quick, but it felt really good to lay on that rock 961 01:02:00,440 --> 01:02:07,140 And just kind of chill a little bit and get some rest. But then yeah, the dilemma is like, okay 962 01:02:07,140 --> 01:02:09,720 I'm out of water 963 01:02:09,960 --> 01:02:16,520 Do we hike back to someone has a filter do we just keep sitting here do we press forward and just kind of working through? 964 01:02:16,520 --> 01:02:17,760 all that but 965 01:02:17,760 --> 01:02:22,840 At the same time not getting too stressed out because it felt pretty good. Just sitting on that rock 966 01:02:22,840 --> 01:02:26,920 Mm-hmm and just chilling and looking at the sky. So that was that was pretty awesome 967 01:02:26,920 --> 01:02:32,800 Yeah, I think at that point even Marty was still behind maybe was in the group behind us 968 01:02:32,800 --> 01:02:37,640 So when we all gathered up together that was I think the last time that the entire group was all 969 01:02:38,840 --> 01:02:44,000 Together on that trail when we got around maybe a quarter mile down and we had the cascade 970 01:02:44,000 --> 01:02:46,520 there was a cascade and the stream in there and 971 01:02:46,520 --> 01:02:50,200 Filled up on water had some trail mix and then I think fell in 972 01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:54,920 Somebody couple people. I think a couple people maybe fell into the water 973 01:02:54,920 --> 01:02:57,440 there 974 01:02:57,440 --> 01:03:03,160 But I think that was the last time that everyone was together was probably right at that halfway point and there was a refueling of 975 01:03:03,160 --> 01:03:05,600 Okay, so we had some got out some food 976 01:03:06,200 --> 01:03:13,280 Everybody recharged on water and then it was kind of now we're gonna now it was kind of right then it was think it was a decision 977 01:03:13,280 --> 01:03:21,100 internally maybe un unspoken but an internal decision of and now we're gonna push for the camp like we're pushing for the campground now like it's 978 01:03:21,100 --> 01:03:27,220 We have we have we're putting into another gear right now and we're now pushing for the campground. Yep 979 01:03:27,220 --> 01:03:30,440 and and then we broke camp and 980 01:03:31,720 --> 01:03:37,360 Like once we spent the night at the campground, yeah, and then we we broke camp the next day and 981 01:03:37,360 --> 01:03:41,280 Those who flew flew those who drove drove 982 01:03:41,280 --> 01:03:46,840 Back home and I took and I by the way full disclosure. I took the pass 983 01:03:46,840 --> 01:03:53,460 Back through cuz I sort of we I was yeah, I was like I was like I'm curious to this this and boy. Oh boy 984 01:03:53,460 --> 01:03:58,180 We were just as like we were following a guy 985 01:03:58,180 --> 01:04:03,480 It was a it was carrying an air and put an airstream down down that or whatever and I was like just uh 986 01:04:03,480 --> 01:04:07,740 I want you to keep it on the rear axle because I think it might light on fire 987 01:04:07,740 --> 01:04:17,340 You could smell it you could smell it and but that was I mean that was an interesting experience in of itself 988 01:04:17,340 --> 01:04:19,340 but yeah, there's 989 01:04:19,340 --> 01:04:22,320 And and I managed to record a fake history over 990 01:04:24,120 --> 01:04:28,200 Pierce hole why is everything a hole out there? I mean, it's it's 991 01:04:28,200 --> 01:04:32,840 You could say Valley 992 01:04:32,840 --> 01:04:36,700 Pierce Valley sounds lovely piers hole 993 01:04:36,700 --> 01:04:41,920 Questionable anyway, so we come to the end of our trip. I want to hear from each of you 994 01:04:41,920 --> 01:04:47,140 Just one final thought on on the trip itself. So let's start with Dave 995 01:04:48,440 --> 01:04:55,600 Though I still have to come back to kind of the the spiritual highlight the st. Pat 996 01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:57,600 I was old Pat 997 01:04:57,600 --> 01:05:02,520 And I want to throw you know throw 998 01:05:02,520 --> 01:05:06,140 drag shank the compliment of 999 01:05:06,140 --> 01:05:10,240 following the Holy Spirit's leading and you know a 1000 01:05:10,240 --> 01:05:13,360 group of men out in the middle of 1001 01:05:13,360 --> 01:05:16,360 Teton Valley, yeah 1002 01:05:16,560 --> 01:05:21,480 Stinging yeah praises to God that clearly was 1003 01:05:21,480 --> 01:05:26,700 Was an awesome moment and for those that know my situation 1004 01:05:26,700 --> 01:05:31,880 That was a that that was the that was a healing healing moment good 1005 01:05:31,880 --> 01:05:39,400 That that meant a ton and not knowing not knowing what to expect out of this trip 1006 01:05:39,400 --> 01:05:43,340 Not just yeah going why eyes wide open 1007 01:05:44,760 --> 01:05:49,640 That that was that was the ticket and I thank each of you guys there 1008 01:05:49,640 --> 01:05:56,080 each of you here and all the others that aren't aren't with us to to making that a special holy moment and 1009 01:05:56,080 --> 01:06:04,200 in from the music to the prayers to the comments to the conversation and and for Greg for leading us to there and and for your 1010 01:06:04,200 --> 01:06:06,920 your inspiration and guidance 1011 01:06:06,920 --> 01:06:13,740 In in the words to yeah to give us give us those moments. So that one that was a highlight 1012 01:06:14,280 --> 01:06:17,080 Alright moving on to Jonathan 1013 01:06:17,080 --> 01:06:20,120 Yeah final thoughts 1014 01:06:20,120 --> 01:06:25,000 For anybody that has the opportunity to take this trip 1015 01:06:25,000 --> 01:06:30,800 Go for it. I was kind of invited last minute. I want to say 1016 01:06:30,800 --> 01:06:36,920 You know that the trip had already been decided on and I was invited to come along and 1017 01:06:36,920 --> 01:06:43,760 Throughout the first whole part of the trip. I was kind of wondering why in the world me, you know 1018 01:06:43,760 --> 01:06:46,720 You know what? Why me? Why was I invited? Why am I here and 1019 01:06:46,720 --> 01:06:53,440 Slowly as that trip went on, you know, I I discovered my own reason for being there 1020 01:06:53,440 --> 01:07:00,200 And for anybody else who's kind of questioning. Well, it's not for me. It's not it's not something I would want to do 1021 01:07:00,200 --> 01:07:03,880 you know, I had those questions going into this thing and 1022 01:07:03,880 --> 01:07:07,640 Coming out of that trip. I am so glad I won 1023 01:07:09,280 --> 01:07:16,260 The opportunity for for growth for healing and and for discovering your own reason you find that along the way 1024 01:07:16,260 --> 01:07:22,120 You don't have to go there with a predetermined. I'm going to accomplish this 1025 01:07:22,120 --> 01:07:25,200 You figure it out 1026 01:07:25,200 --> 01:07:29,160 Marty what about yourself? 1027 01:07:29,160 --> 01:07:31,240 Well, I would kind of agree with 1028 01:07:31,240 --> 01:07:35,660 John Jonathan on some of those things. Um, you don't 1029 01:07:36,600 --> 01:07:40,000 have to have a reason why right away but 1030 01:07:40,000 --> 01:07:43,080 for me it was just I 1031 01:07:43,080 --> 01:07:45,400 I'll be 1032 01:07:45,400 --> 01:07:47,400 Honest, I didn't want to go 1033 01:07:47,400 --> 01:07:55,320 Because I didn't want to have to have that challenge because I know that I would do it because I have to do it 1034 01:07:55,320 --> 01:08:03,160 In a serious in a weird weird weird way, but I wanted to go because being in a group of men is a very 1035 01:08:04,160 --> 01:08:10,080 Healing it's a very it's what we need to do as men. We need to do more of that and 1036 01:08:10,080 --> 01:08:18,440 Sometimes we just get caught in life and we're kind of stuck and we don't do enough of though the man things and so 1037 01:08:18,440 --> 01:08:21,040 so Greg I was I was very 1038 01:08:21,040 --> 01:08:23,480 thankful for you for 1039 01:08:23,480 --> 01:08:31,120 Leading us as a as a group of men and and letting the men kind of work their way on their own 1040 01:08:31,120 --> 01:08:33,560 personal level 1041 01:08:33,560 --> 01:08:37,040 There was no real big push to you have to accomplish 1042 01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:44,480 X Y & Z and so it was just great to have conversation on the trail with so many of these guys and 1043 01:08:44,480 --> 01:08:52,620 And it's it's worth it's a worthwhile trip. Whoever has the opportunity to do it grab on to it 1044 01:08:52,620 --> 01:08:56,640 Greg Chang 1045 01:08:56,640 --> 01:09:00,720 You know trying to find a high among highs is 1046 01:09:01,760 --> 01:09:05,120 Is very difficult, you know, we've talked about old Pat 1047 01:09:05,120 --> 01:09:10,540 We talked about the Alaska basin. We talked about devil's care staircase. We talked about 1048 01:09:10,540 --> 01:09:15,200 the camaraderie with the with the guys it's just so hard to 1049 01:09:15,200 --> 01:09:23,240 Pick the pinnacle moment among pinnacle moments and yet I am 1050 01:09:23,240 --> 01:09:25,920 still so drawn to 1051 01:09:25,920 --> 01:09:29,200 The first day's 1052 01:09:29,200 --> 01:09:30,640 devotion book 1053 01:09:30,640 --> 01:09:32,640 on Thursday morning and 1054 01:09:32,640 --> 01:09:35,000 You know Psalms 1055 01:09:35,000 --> 01:09:40,280 1 21 1 through 8 I will look up to the mountains does my strength come from the mountains? 1056 01:09:40,280 --> 01:09:45,360 no, my strength comes comes from God who made heaven and earth and mountains and 1057 01:09:45,360 --> 01:09:48,140 You know Greg put together a great trip 1058 01:09:48,140 --> 01:09:53,520 we got a great devotional book and I worked through all those but I still couldn't get past day one and 1059 01:09:53,520 --> 01:09:59,420 As we tried to find strength in and of ourselves to make this physical challenge 1060 01:09:59,420 --> 01:10:04,100 I was continually reminded and broke down on the trail many times 1061 01:10:04,100 --> 01:10:11,400 To say no my strength doesn't come from these mountains and I will call upon the Lord and though 1062 01:10:11,400 --> 01:10:17,220 Probably the highlight was just starting right out bang that verse 1063 01:10:17,220 --> 01:10:21,400 Greg just had a great way to provide verses that were 1064 01:10:21,400 --> 01:10:28,580 Just geared towards me. It felt like me and to us as men that we feel like we need to provide our own strength 1065 01:10:28,580 --> 01:10:32,880 We need to have the answers. We need to have control. We're supposed to lead our families are supposed to do all these things 1066 01:10:32,880 --> 01:10:37,600 And it's not of our own strength and so day one's 1067 01:10:37,600 --> 01:10:41,440 Devotion I couldn't hardly get past it 1068 01:10:41,440 --> 01:10:45,680 I didn't need the rest of the booklet because I was still stuck trying to process day one and 1069 01:10:45,680 --> 01:10:49,240 You know, I still remember that one of the challenges for day one 1070 01:10:49,240 --> 01:10:52,520 Devotion was to draw a map of your journey of life 1071 01:10:53,040 --> 01:10:59,620 I still don't know how to start drawing the pencil still in my hand and how do you even bring that into words? So 1072 01:10:59,620 --> 01:11:04,900 I'll just stop here and just say the pinnacle moment of pinnacle moments 1073 01:11:04,900 --> 01:11:11,980 I'm gonna come back to that scripture verse from day one and learning the lesson that my strength doesn't come from me 1074 01:11:11,980 --> 01:11:13,840 and 1075 01:11:13,840 --> 01:11:16,020 Sometimes you have to go to the Tetons to find that out 1076 01:11:17,820 --> 01:11:23,040 Jason we're what about you for me unplugging 1077 01:11:23,040 --> 01:11:25,600 slowing down and 1078 01:11:25,600 --> 01:11:30,520 Just taking time to share and other men's stories and to share my story 1079 01:11:30,520 --> 01:11:32,500 Which is great 1080 01:11:32,500 --> 01:11:39,240 It's a recharge and a reset for my soul that God needed to give to me. So that was great that part 1081 01:11:39,240 --> 01:11:42,260 Joel 1082 01:11:42,260 --> 01:11:46,220 All great moments I will say there's 1083 01:11:46,220 --> 01:11:54,140 The first morning we woke up and we're at our kids campsite and we're 1084 01:11:54,140 --> 01:12:01,260 In the morning the the pink light of the sunrise hits the range 1085 01:12:01,260 --> 01:12:05,760 And we had a clear a relatively relatively clear morning that morning 1086 01:12:05,760 --> 01:12:10,640 So it had been some haze and things like that and I'm I'm standing up on the hill that's kind of over our up 1087 01:12:10,640 --> 01:12:15,020 above our campsite a little bit and just and just watching this and 1088 01:12:15,600 --> 01:12:17,320 And 1089 01:12:17,320 --> 01:12:19,780 You know a good gift God 1090 01:12:19,780 --> 01:12:26,280 Josiah walks up that hill and then you gonna again know my son. It's not it's not par for the course 1091 01:12:26,280 --> 01:12:32,960 I'm I'm standing there having a moment with with the Lord and the kid walks up and just puts his arms around me and 1092 01:12:32,960 --> 01:12:37,880 doesn't say word puts his arms around me and we just and we just see the mountains there together and 1093 01:12:37,880 --> 01:12:40,280 I 1094 01:12:40,280 --> 01:12:45,820 Will just treasure that forever that like that is it 1095 01:12:45,820 --> 01:12:48,380 Just as good as it gets 1096 01:12:48,380 --> 01:12:51,040 for for me and it's kind of 1097 01:12:51,040 --> 01:12:55,640 That feels like that set the theme for our for our 1098 01:12:55,640 --> 01:12:59,940 Togetherness in the midst of this journey with all the with all of you guys and doing it with you 1099 01:12:59,940 --> 01:13:05,200 It really set the theme and the precedent for me and kind of what we experience of like like oh 1100 01:13:06,020 --> 01:13:11,940 God's giving us this opportunity. We're connecting in the unique way in the midst of it because I'll be honest with you 1101 01:13:11,940 --> 01:13:12,940 There's a little bit of stress guys 1102 01:13:12,940 --> 01:13:14,660 Like when you're like, I don't want this 1103 01:13:14,660 --> 01:13:20,500 I don't want to put more pressure on this trip than is it is due to make it do certain things or have it whatever 1104 01:13:20,500 --> 01:13:24,460 And just in God just showed up just absolutely showed up 1105 01:13:24,460 --> 01:13:27,580 but it was exactly the right thing at the right time and 1106 01:13:27,580 --> 01:13:31,900 really really grateful and we had we had a couple days in the car together too on the way back to 1107 01:13:31,900 --> 01:13:34,620 process some more things and and all that and 1108 01:13:35,980 --> 01:13:38,140 Mostly just I just wanted to sleep in the back of the car 1109 01:13:38,140 --> 01:13:46,340 Don't blame them. But yeah that definitely for me. Yeah. Mmm for me it was the 1110 01:13:46,340 --> 01:13:51,820 Waking up getting out of my hammock and sitting wherever I was at 1111 01:13:51,820 --> 01:13:55,780 so whether it be right with a lake or you know in the 1112 01:13:55,780 --> 01:14:00,020 Mountains were on the overnight trip or in the campground 1113 01:14:00,020 --> 01:14:03,540 Sitting and doing my devotions with God amongst that 1114 01:14:04,100 --> 01:14:07,820 That beauty like there's nothing like like you kind of said Joel 1115 01:14:07,820 --> 01:14:12,980 I have a great picture of it on my phone of the the pink light just hitting hitting the mountains 1116 01:14:12,980 --> 01:14:17,060 And yeah for me that was that was it. So Greg, what about you? 1117 01:14:17,060 --> 01:14:26,860 That's hard, that's that's hard I mean for me I mean maybe the lat I mean honestly I think the 1118 01:14:26,860 --> 01:14:33,920 The last day Monday, you know would have been two weeks ago tomorrow like for me 1119 01:14:33,920 --> 01:14:40,340 It was it was a great adventure like the adventure was not being there and and doing the trails 1120 01:14:40,340 --> 01:14:44,560 I mean we did multiple trails that I had not done before many trails that I have done many times before 1121 01:14:44,560 --> 01:14:47,680 it was the 1122 01:14:47,680 --> 01:14:51,860 The the great adventure for me was do I have what it takes to do this with you guys? 1123 01:14:51,860 --> 01:14:57,280 Like okay, I've done this with multiple, you know smaller groups six men eight men nine men eleven men 1124 01:14:57,280 --> 01:14:59,940 but 17 1125 01:15:00,980 --> 01:15:04,440 That was for me that was the big adventure the big challenge was 1126 01:15:04,440 --> 01:15:15,760 Can is this has has what I have envisioned did I oversell anything did I know did I did I did I cast a vision 1127 01:15:15,760 --> 01:15:22,160 That is within the step of the spirit and getting to the last day and seeing the smiles and seeing the satisfaction seeing 1128 01:15:22,160 --> 01:15:25,820 Hearing the stories 1129 01:15:26,740 --> 01:15:34,100 For me that was the that was the moment of of deep fulfillment was oh wow these guys really got it like they I 1130 01:15:34,100 --> 01:15:36,580 Think these guys all actually got it 1131 01:15:36,580 --> 01:15:40,500 That was that was extremely meaningful for me 1132 01:15:40,500 --> 01:15:42,800 Yeah 1133 01:15:42,800 --> 01:15:43,980 awesome 1134 01:15:43,980 --> 01:15:45,220 well 1135 01:15:45,220 --> 01:15:50,580 We definitely want to say to all of our guests Greg brother Greg. Thank you so much and 1136 01:15:52,300 --> 01:15:59,900 Dave Greg Jonathan Marty Jason and all of our other co-journers want to say thank you guys so much 1137 01:15:59,900 --> 01:16:01,900 for a great experience 1138 01:16:01,900 --> 01:16:05,780 Hey, dudes and dads podcast listeners. You want to head over to dudes and dads calm 1139 01:16:05,780 --> 01:16:12,260 We got show notes and previous episodes merchandise merchandise get yourself some swag 1140 01:16:12,260 --> 01:16:20,600 Dudes and dads podcast at gmail.com you want to shoot us an email would love to hear from you future show ideas or some helpful feedback 1141 01:16:20,600 --> 01:16:24,080 that's always great to like and subscribe on the socials, that's good and 1142 01:16:24,080 --> 01:16:27,800 Until next time guys we wish you grace and peace