Trail Rides and Bucket Lists...

It is one year ago exactly I found myself in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, preparing to cross off #6 on my Bucket List: I was bringing my grandparents ashes to the top of the 10,500-ft. Eagles Perch, to put them with their son’s ashes (my uncle Peter’s). As I was literally 100 feet away from the trail head to start my journey that morning, the US Forest Service came in and shut down all the canyons and trails within a three-mile radius, due to a rather large forest fire that unfortunately lasted longer than my vacation did. Long story short- #6 is still on my bucket list…

I was thinking about this today as I was on attempt #2, or was it #3, of filming a trail ride to post for our video snack. This video has been on my to-do list pretty much since we’ve opened for summer operations. I’ve done the gondola skyride video, the bungee trampoline, the Hot Dog Fest- and now it was time for the trail ride video. I had some success before we opened filming a preview video, while on horseback. So I thought, “Perfect, this will be cake!” I signed up for a trail ride, brought out the Flip camera, got my giddy up, and went out on the ride.

I got back to the office and downloaded the videos. Then I sat down at the computer to started to look through the clips. Pretty soon I felt like I needed some Dramamine. It has come to my attention that riding a horse while shooting videos is not one my many talents.

So it was back to the drawing board this morning. Not a big deal- summer is finally here, and I can always use an excuse to hike up the mountain. So I once again got out the Flip, put on my hiking boots, and started my way up Brookway. I shot video of the group riding by, and then I quietly ran up ahead of them to get to a new spot to keep filming from a different angle. When I turned the corner at Camp III, the ride was just coming out of Brookway Extension. So I bolted up the hill, got low, and was able to shoot the group as they came across grass with the lodge and the mountains in the background.

As I was walking back to my office from the Barn where I shot the “closing scenes,” I thought I had some really great footage for our newest video snack. Then I thought that if I had used the footage from last week, the video snack would not nearly be as good, and I wouldn’t have been able to have the time reflect on my bucket list!

As someone who is a little on the anal-retentive side, I don’t like it when the plan doesn’t come together like I planned it! However, as I get older, I’ve learned to go with the flow. A lemon gets thrown at you- make lemonade!!! Get some not-so-great video- try again another day. It rains on the day of a photoshoot- reschedule.

That is why I love my job so much. We have an idea of how things are going to go on a daily basis, but Mother Nature can be a total crank some days. You still have to get on the Gondola and see where it’s going to take you!

Stacy Lopes