Part 2, At Spanish Camp TS: We set up a terrific camp. A comfortable tent under the trees, a small camp fire and another fire in our cook stove. (I remember as a child hearing Tonto tell the Lone Ranger, “white man build big fire and sit far away; Indian build small fire and sit close.”) Our camp chairs were of the wooden and canvas style and were positioned for the best view. Rolling high country meadows, spotted with pure water springs, looked across at Canada, just a few miles away.
Like Jack said (in part 1) we were dropped off by the guide for two weeks. Setting up camp, hunting, getting along on our own was up to us. One day, shortly after we had arrived we were sitting around enjoying a leisurely afternoon when suddenly a beautiful bay horse with white stockings galloped into our camp. No halter, no bridle, no tack at all; he looked so free! He took one look at us and galloped away. It happened so quickly and then he was gone! Did we imagine it?
This story would not be complete without mentioning ‘Toby’. He was our miniature poodle with the heart of a wolf. He went everywhere with us and this trip was no exception. He rode the 22 miles on horseback inside my coat. He wore a red hunters’ vest (sweater really, but let him be as manly as possible. Because his ancestors were retrievers.) We didn’t want some trigger happy hunter to take him for a gray rabbit!
In those days you didn’t have to boil water in order for it to be potable. We took our drinking water right from the springs and ponds
I mentioned. You couldn’t do that today unless you wanted a serious parasite problem swimming around inside. And the bear stew was delicious!
Jack: I remember the mail and supply drop at Spanish Camp station one day when a plane dropped it by parachute. We hiked over there and happened to see it.
It was pretty exciting for us. The deer had moved on with the previous hunting going on and it was a lost cause to hope I’d get one. However on one sojourn trip I took, I saw 7 bears in a group near the Ashnolia area but one bear was enough for me.
Looking back, I don’t think we ever realized then, what that trip meant.
Click here to read Part 1.
Author’s Note to my new subscribers: ‘What’s this got to do with creative writing?’ you might ask. In earlier posts I have said that the best way to begin writing is to write about what you know. My ‘Nostalgia’ pieces are examples of that. And if you hadn’t noticed yet, I love to tell stories!
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