The mountains stood tall and glistened with powdery snow off in the distance. The cool air of the Tetons took my breath away and I shivered. The horses stomped their feet nearby and gave a whinny, a clear sign of their impatient waiting for a job to perform for their riders. I smiled up at my dad, who looked just as excited as I did. Three years had gone by since we had begun to plan this trip, and this ride, this adventure, was the culmination. I couldn’t wait.

After checking the girth and the saddle on my horse, our guide finally told me we could mount. Excited beyond words, I swung my boot into the stirrup and was suddenly sitting fifteen hands higher than I had been 30 seconds ago. Even that small adjustment gave me a better view. Now, I could see the wide and swift-moving Gros Ventre river all the better. The smooth rocks underneath the burbling surface glistened in the early morning Wyoming sun.

When all our herd had been mounted, we set out. “Are you ready?” my dad asked me excitedly, knowing how much I had been looking forward to this. I nodded my head in affirmation, too thrilled to speak. As the first ride of our stay, the excursion was a mere six hours.

We left the corral we had been waiting in, and I took the lead beside my dad. We wove through the spiky sage grass that surrounded the Goosewing Dude Ranch. The ranch was acres of plains and mountains, small brooks and lush valleys. It was bordered by the Gros Ventre river and butts up against the Grand Teton National Park. More than an hour away from the nearest town of Jackson Hole, it was the most peaceful place I had ever been. At night, with the late July sun still awake well into the evening, the song birds were still chirping lullabies while we wrapped up our activities, whether archery or axe-throwing, ATV rides or rifle shooting.

My legs were rubbing against the coarse fur of my horse, whose name was Goose. I had been told he was a spunky horse, always in the mood for getting into a little bit of trouble. He was a leader, not a follower, they said. If only I had known how true that was before the ride…

My dad was on a horse even taller than mine, and it was named Ice. I could see why. A beautiful, gray speckled paint, it had ice blue eyes and an alabaster mane. He was strong and regal looking. Paired with my dad, they looked like an unstoppable (retired) professional rodeo team.

We kept at a nice pace, a slow trot as we left the main gates. We turned off the main road (as close to a “main road” as it could get out there) and onto a well-worn cattle path. As we started up the nearest mountain, our guide took us at a faster clip. Not all the way into a lope, we were at a clean canter. Some of the less experienced riders took a break at the back of the line, trying to maintain their balance and hang on.

We kept up the mountain, alternating with a gallop and a trot while we traversed the mountains. Although it was July, the air was cold down on the ground. But up at the top of the mountain, with the sun beaming down at all times and the energy it takes to maintain the horse, it was hot. We finally reached a meadow. We were up above it, and I could see all the way across and into the bordering valley. It was a large meadow, the kind you see in a western movie where they herd cattle clear across from Kansas to California.

“Can we lope now?” I asked the guide.

“Hold your horses, everyone needs a break. Lets give the horses a quick pause and let the riders get a drink” We did as he said. I took a drink of my water and waited impatiently for go time. “Alright everyone. Let’s go!”

I clicked to my horse and we took off. About halfway through the meadow, I realized that we weren’t going at a lope anymore. We were fully galloping. I didn’t even know a horse could go as fast as it was until we had crossed the meadow in 10 seconds and were fast approaching the woods.

I finally got my head together and tightened my reins, turning them so tight that my horse had no choice but to slow down. Still going fast, we were now headed in the wrong direction, towards the steep mountain that had only seconds ago seemed so far away. I could see the others far behind me, all stopped with wild eyes watching me. The only other person moving was the tour guide, coming to help me.

I kept my reins pulled tight to the right, then alternated it to the left. Finally, Goose stopped. He knickered and stomped and then finally chilled out. I leaned down against his neck and tried to soothe him. It seemed to work. We both got our breathing under control and I sat up as the guide’s horse noises got closer.

“I don’t know that I could’ve handle that any better, girl. That was one heck of a recovery. You kept a cool head and it paid off. Good job.” He nodded approval and smiled, then turned his horse and trotted back to the group, who by now was in a semi-circle, watching my whole debacle.

Even with all their eyes on me, I laid back down on my horse, trying to soothe it and let it breathe. Being honest, I needed a breath too. We took a second, our breathing in sync and our hearts slowing back down. “Good boy Goose. You’re a good boy. Lets go back.”

I knew he couldn’t understand me, but he gave me a horse noise that sounded almost like a “yes”. We walked back slowly and I pulled Goose next to my dad. From the rest of the line, I could hear “Nice job” and “That was cool” floating up to my ears.

“You gave me a scare there, Kiddo. I’m proud of you. You kept a cool head and didn’t let it get the best of you. You did good Harp.” My dad smiled at me, and I smiled back.

We continued the ride, and it was smooth sailing all the way to our lunch stop. We crossed a bridge running over a burbling brook, and then we were there. It was incredible. The mid-afternoon sun peaked down and danced between the tree canopies, ballet dancers and the beautiful Princess Odette gliding over the waters.

The horses crunched on the rocks as we approached the foaming river that was our lunch stop. It weaved and tumbled over the river rock and fallen tree stumps. It was a wide river, and cold too, even in the mid-summer warmth. Straight from the source, our guide told us, it was freshly melted snow off the Grand Tetons.

I swung down off of Goose and gathered his reins, bringing him to the river for a badly needed drink. He bent his head down and took long sips, relishing the chilly respite to his warmed body. I took handfuls of cold water and rubbed them on his chest, the fastest way to cool them down. Grateful, he rubbed his face against mine.

I tied Goose to the tree and gave him a well- deserved treat. Then, Dad and I went to find a spot to eat. We found it on a fallen tree sitting right on the riverbank. We took out our turkey sandwiches and started to eat. We talked all through lunch, about our trip and how excited we were to be there. I told him how much I was enjoying the ride and time together.

“Me too Kid. It’s really fun. I’m glad we’re here.” I gave him a hug and we sat together, watching the river flow and skipping rocks, laughing and talking without a care in the world. We heard a loud noise, and thought it might be a bear. Even though it wasn’t a bear, our tour guide told us a little bear directive. “If it's black, fight back. If it’s brown, lie down. And if it’s white, well, goodnight.”

Confused, I asked a follow up question. “What do you mean goodnight?”

The guide chuckled. “If it’s a polar bear, you better say your prayers. You’re not getting out of there alive.” My eyes widened, but then I laughed a little at how death was portrayed as so carefree.   

“Time to head out” our tour guide announced a little later. We had all cleaned up our lunches and we put our trash into the saddlebags of our horses. We mounted up and got ready to ride. As we crested the sharp ridge that made our lunch spot a nestled valley, the wind started to pick up. The guide looked up towards the sky.

“Looks like rain to me. We better stop and out our ponchos on.” We stopped, standing still as the wind tore at our clothes and threatened to take anything not tied down. We had hardly put our rain gear on when the heavens opened and the water started to pour.

Our guide clicked his horse and took off, indicating for us to follow him. We did, and we were soon heading off the slope and down onto lower ground, where there was room to spread out and speed up. We did, and soon we were dashing across meadows and fields, up mountains and across rivers. It finally started to let up a little bit, easing into a drizzle instead of an all-out downpour. We slowed the horses down and remade our line.

My smile could not have been bigger. I was soaked from the rain and cold from the wind, but I hardly noticed. All my life, I had imagined what it was like to ride through pouring rain at a gallop, just you and your horse making the decisions and having control.

“Dad! Did you see that? That was incredible. I have always imagined doing that. Oh my gosh! Oh, I had so much fun. SO cool Dad. Hahahaha!”

“That was really cool Harp. I’m really glad we got to make it happen for you then. This trip really is an awesome experience!” I smiled back and wove my horse a little away from the line so as not to disturb them. I knew the trip had to be coming to the end soon.

Less than an hour later we emerged at the top of the final hill. I could see the ranch, with its lush sage grass and windblown trees. As far as dusk went in Wyoming, this was it. The mountains in the distance sparkled with a dusting of powdery snow. The sun was dancing on the horizon, stubbornly refusing to go down and persistently peeking over the mountains like a little boy to his presents on Christmas day.

We slowed down, drinking in the final moments of our incredible journey and savoring it as long as possible. None of us wanted to end this incredible experience, even the horses didn’t begin to break for home as most do. We simply walked, all in agreement to love on these horses and this day for as long as we could.

When we finally reached the stables, all of the riders swung down slowly. My boots thudded when the hit the dirt, as if bringing me back to the hard reality that this day, this moment, could not last forever. I unloaded my saddle bag and undid Goose’s tack, rinsing him down. I didn’t have to do it, but I wanted to.

“You do that like a real professional.” The ranch owner told me when he walked over. “You should come work here when you’re old enough. We’ll have a job for you if you want it.”

“Wow. That’s awesome. I mean, it’ll be a couple years, but I’ll be here when I’m old enough. That’s really exciting!” I was smiling so wide. I turned back to my dad, who also had an excited smile on his face.

I finished rinsing Goose, then I patted him goodbye. Even though it had only been six (ish) hours, I felt oddly attached to him. He had kept me safe and been the means by which I accomplished another tick on my bucket list. I wrapped my arms around his chest and he nuzzled my neck.

“Goodbye, Goose. Thank you for the most incredible day ever.” A little tear slipped out and Goose wiped it with his muzzle. I laughed and kissed him goodbye.

My dad was waiting for me at the end of the stable rows. “So, what’d you think? Did you love it?”

I took a deep breath and said, “That was incredible! I-I could not have asked for a better experience. This is literally the best thing I could have asked for. It was so much fun. I can’t believe we got to do it and I’m so glad you did it with me. I love you Dad!”

“I had so much fun too Kid. And I love you too. I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Let’s go watch the final part of the sunset and find Grammy.” We walked hand and hand to watch the end of our amazing day. It certainly didn’t disappoint. The raging river, with its smoothed rocks rushed into the horizon of the flaming sky. The air was cool again and the sights of the mountains dotted with trees and snow took my breath away. Off on a hill, the herd of horses galloped freely like the scene of a movie, the perfect end to a perfect day.

“After all He’s done, and all He will do, I can’t believe God brought us here, right now to experience this together. Look at his creativity and his imagination. All of this He put here for us.  God truly is an awesome and imaginative God. I’m so grateful and awestruck that God let me see His majestic and undeniable hand in His creation. And I’m glad you got to do it with me.” I told my dad as we stood there. Good God, you gave us it all. I’ll never forget it.