It began quite simply, simpler than one might imagine.
Nina was browsing around online, trying to learn more about mountains. But being only three years old she had to employ the help of her big sister Jax to help her work all those ridiculous buttons. The two sisters sat together on a single chair, the eldest clicking through images while the youngest leaned as close to the monitor as she possibly could.
That's when they found it.
The Grand Teton.
Nina was instantly enchanted and began chanting "Moor moor moor", begging her big sister to find more photos of the beautiful mountains. The Tetons became an obsession, completely wiping away all care she had for all other mountains.
As young Nina grew, so did that obsession. Her complete and total love of the Tetons grew, encompassing all of Grand Teton National Park by time she was seven. She learned to love not only mountains, but lakes, trees, flowers, and even animals too.
She begged constantly, at every possible occasion, for the family to take a trip to Wyoming. For her eighth birthday, they finally did.
After a long flight to Jackson Hole, Nina could practically taste her Tetons. Everyone (except for little Nina of course) agreed that they needed a day or two to relax before heading out to the Park.
The family sipped hot chocolates as they explored the town, taking in all the sights and sounds. They browsed a few fairly normal shops, selling t-shirts or common tourist trap merchandise, but the unique ones really stood out. A giant store that practically overflowed cowboy hats, with the sweetest owner whose passion could be seen from a mile away, was a favorite.
They headed back towards their hotel through the town square. Poor little Nina shriveled up in fear upon seeing the elk antler arches, but was quickly overcome with curiosity. She would've spent all night counting the antlers if she hadn't been picked up and carried off!
The family sipped hot chocolates as they explored the town, taking in all the sights and sounds. They browsed a few fairly normal shops, selling t-shirts or common tourist trap merchandise, but the unique ones really stood out. A giant store that practically overflowed cowboy hats, with the sweetest owner whose passion could be seen from a mile away, was a favorite.
They headed back towards their hotel through the town square. Poor little Nina shriveled up in fear upon seeing the elk antler arches, but was quickly overcome with curiosity. She would've spent all night counting the antlers if she hadn't been picked up and carried off!
Their morning started simply with a warm breakfast of pancakes and more cocoa, as Nina had begged for. It took ages, but eventually everyone got ready and piled into a private tour bus.
Nina was glued to the window from the moment they stepped inside, her eyes wide in astonishment as every little thing they passed. Hills, elk, geese, even normal puddles seemed to completely blow her little mind! She didn't really listen to the tour guide, preferring instead to just focus on seeing.
Their first stop was by a few picnic tables, right in front of the majestic Grand Teton. It was even more amazing in person. Nina stood as far out in the field as her parents would let her go and just stared. Her eyes traced every familiar detail, memorized everything special about them. The way the snow looked, the little trees she could spot, how the shadows played with the lighting...Nina didn't want to forget any of it.
Nina was glued to the window from the moment they stepped inside, her eyes wide in astonishment as every little thing they passed. Hills, elk, geese, even normal puddles seemed to completely blow her little mind! She didn't really listen to the tour guide, preferring instead to just focus on seeing.
Their first stop was by a few picnic tables, right in front of the majestic Grand Teton. It was even more amazing in person. Nina stood as far out in the field as her parents would let her go and just stared. Her eyes traced every familiar detail, memorized everything special about them. The way the snow looked, the little trees she could spot, how the shadows played with the lighting...Nina didn't want to forget any of it.
Their second stop was a bit unplanned.
Both Kain and Jax were getting rather hungry, while Nina just wanted to run around. They pulled off at quiet little area by Jackson Lake with a few picnic tables and an amazing view. As the rest of her family ate, the youngest was busy wandering around and seeing all that she could see.
In front of the bus there was an old wooden fence, falling apart in some areas. Nina clung to the wood and watched the wind dance on the water. Once she'd had her fill of that she walked towards the picnic table her family was at, on the other side of the area. She gazed up at the trees as she walked, absolutely loving every second.
Before she got to the table, something odd caught her eye. The trees...they all had carvings in them! Instantly fascinated, she ran the last few feet over to them and began to trace the words with a finger. Hearing her excited cries, Zimri rushed over.
He held her up so she could see all the carvings and read all the tough ones out to her. Some were dated from as far back as 1955!
Both Kain and Jax were getting rather hungry, while Nina just wanted to run around. They pulled off at quiet little area by Jackson Lake with a few picnic tables and an amazing view. As the rest of her family ate, the youngest was busy wandering around and seeing all that she could see.
In front of the bus there was an old wooden fence, falling apart in some areas. Nina clung to the wood and watched the wind dance on the water. Once she'd had her fill of that she walked towards the picnic table her family was at, on the other side of the area. She gazed up at the trees as she walked, absolutely loving every second.
Before she got to the table, something odd caught her eye. The trees...they all had carvings in them! Instantly fascinated, she ran the last few feet over to them and began to trace the words with a finger. Hearing her excited cries, Zimri rushed over.
He held her up so she could see all the carvings and read all the tough ones out to her. Some were dated from as far back as 1955!
The next day was to be spent at Yellowstone, much to Nina's dismay. She didn't want to leave her beloved Grand Teton National Park, but she did promise her mother that she'd be okay spending a few days at Yellowstone since they'd travelled so far... She didn't have to like it, but she did have to behave.
Nina tried to be excited, very hard in fact, but it just wasn't her park. It wasn't the place she'd been dreaming about for most of her life. It just didn't have the spark, that light. Not to Nina, at least.
They saw all sorts of things: rivers, waterfalls, trees, deer, elk, more bison than the family could count, and even a black bear. But Nina just wasn't impressed. In fact, she was pretty bored.
Unlike Nina the rest of the family seemed to quite like, even love, Yellowstone. The poor youngest felt like there wasn't anything in the whole park that could possibly interest her.
As they were driving a horrible smell flooded the bus, it was like the most rotten of eggs! The family, and even the busdriver, were understandably disgusted by the smell.
But Nina's face was glued to the window for the first time that day. Before her eyes was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen, a giant cloud of steam bursting forth from the ground! It was so different from anything she'd seen before... she fell instantly in love.
Happy to see the little one finally excited, the tour guide pulled over to let Nina take a good long look at Beryl Spring while he told her all about hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles. It was a brilliant blue, so bright it didn't seem real.
For the first time in her life, Nina found something better than mountains.