I wish I could take a picture of the smell...

That is how I felt last night walking around the town of JH and walking up the trail to Mt. Washburn. This town even has a special smell to it. Something here is special, maybe it is just the whole place, never the less, you can't deny it. So, yesterday was a busy one for the roomate duo, hence no daily update. We left around 930 and went to the local bagel place, Pearl St. Bagel. We had delicious homemade bagels and coffee, then headed to Yellowstone National Park. We didn't exactly know where Mt. Washburn was in the park, and I am so used to small Zion that I was prepared for that....WRONG! We first drove through Tetons National Park...with a front row view of THE Tetons...breath taking! Then we finally get into YNP an hour later and find that MT Washburn is another hour or so in, almost at the other side of the park...hmmm. Erik was an amazing co-partner. He knew this is why I piked JH as our destination, so we could hike this MT so we buckled down and drove through hellish park traffic with people stopping every 4 seconds to take pics of the poor buffalo. 

I need to go on a quick tangent here - The American population disapoints me here, they seem so surprised to see these good ol buffalo, like they have never seen a big beautiful animal like this, so they have to get up in its face and take million photos. The same with elk and bucks. I suppose my dissapointment comes from the fact that they have never put themselves in real situations where they will see that stuff, places without roads, or at least old state roads way out in the middle of nowhere. Another part of that is, why come to one of the first national parks in our countries rich NP history just to take pictures along the road? I know you are thinking, well maybe they went hiking later...no no. I have been to enough NP to know who is driving through and who is going to get OUT of their car to see the wonders in front of them. The stuff from the Road is amazing yes, but the way it works is that the best stuff is on a trail. I see more Europeans on trails than Americans...let's see what our country has to offer!!! Get on a Trail and out of the car!!! 

Ok, it is out of my system, that is the outdoor rec/outdoor professional/outdoor lover coming out and sometimes I can't keep it inside any longer! You know!? Ok, so we have driven on these 2 lane roads and sometimes get caught behind buffaloers(thats there new nickname) and go about 30 mph. Luckily the views are amazing so we tried to take that in, but both of us were itching to get hiking. So, 3 hours after we left JH we arrived at the trail head for Mt. Washburn, finally!! So, we all know I'm a nerd for my family and last name. So seeing Washburn on a bunch of trail signs was almost too much for me! Erik had been cooped up in the car for too long, so he ran...literally up to the top. Which was nice because i had an opportunity to spend some time along hiking. Our elevation gain was around 3,000 ft. It was def a challenge when I started getting to the top and the air was thinner. Erik came back down and met me when we were close to the top and we finished it up together. When I got to the top and saw that sign "Mt. Washburn" I got pretty emotional thinking about all the other Washburns. Big surprise:) And this is going to be a cheesey emotional metaphore, but i am in the business of cheesey emotional metaphores, so deal with it. I was standing on top of a mountain bearing my last name and thinking of all the mountains our family has had to climb and how my brothers are out there right now climbing their "mountains" Jay with his new adventure in Detroit...Brady putting himself out there for something new, and me living out west. There are a lot of Washburns out there climbing mountains as I stood atop "Our Mountain". After that moment, erik and I went to the lookout up top, there is a fire lookout up there because it is so tall! We took some pics and enjoyed the view. I then took rocks from the top! and we headed down. The drive out wasn't as bad as before and we got back to JH around 7 pm. Overall is was a very special day with Erik..

We are leaving today, and both of us are trying to put it off as long as possible. We both agreed this is like we are not in reality and as soon as we get home, back to reality and back to knowing he is leaving soon, something neither of us want to realize. Erik has grown to be someone I hold very dear to me, my little brother as i call him. I am so proud of him going back to school, and I will miss him dearly...so, the longer we are in JH, the longer he is here with me...