Dreams and Bucket Lists!

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Musings, Poetry
A painting of our little, cozy cabin

Backpacking never entered my mind. When I was a young girl, summers and winters were spent at our cabin in Big Bear, CA. It wasn’t fancy, but cute and cozy nestled among sugar pines on a huge, corner lot. In the summer, we spent time swimming in the lake, but right in our backyard we played badminton, watching those birdies fly over the net. When snow blanketed the ground, we pulled the toboggan out and slid down the hills. Squeals of joy whirled around the trees!

I didn’t learn about pitching a tent until Matt and I met and married in our late twenties (almost 36 years ago). He had already embarked on several backpacking adventures. But the idea never appealed to me, and yet, after he started taking me camping, my love for the outdoors blossomed. I didn’t mind getting dirty or sleeping in a tent. One of my rules, though, was ensuring the tent stayed zipped up so that bugs of all species (especially, spiders) remained outside where they belonged. And of course, Matt didn’t want to sleep with bugs either!

When our daughter and son each turned one year old, they became our little campers. Was it easy? Not in the least with packing a highchair, port-o-crib, diapers, etc., but looking back at those precious photos makes the hassle worthwhile. Their imaginations ran wild as they played around the campsites, and it was special to witness. Matt felt they were old enough to backpack when our daughter was seven and our son was four. At the very mention of the idea to them, their excitement bounced off the walls! They were eager to get a pack on their back and hike on the trail like daddy!

“Young Campers”

They amble through the African savannah,
eyes alert, keeping watch for big animals
seeking out their next meal.
But their excitement soars
because they want to see the
beautiful creatures.
Suddenly, a thunder-booming growl
echoes throughout the grassland!
Their feet become blocks of cement,
stopping in their tracks,
as fear creeps up their necks!
Terror escalates as they hold their breath!
Legs shake like trees from an
angry gust of wind.
Any sound could be the end!

Then Mom yells, “Lunch is ready!”
Fear subsides, and their adventure halts.

Until tomorrow …
when their imaginations come alive again.

(From my book, Ever So Gently)

So, the tradition began and continued for several years, taking them to the Sierra mountains, and locally, Point Reyes National Seashore. During these times when my family was away, I’d get together with some girlfriends for a ‘girl’ weekend. It was a win-win! Now as adults, they thank their dad for showing them the beauty of the wilderness and for those wonderful memories.

Then one morning in my mid-fifties, I woke up with an epiphany! I was ready to backpack! I wanted to write stories from my own experiences. I loved listening to Matt’s tales with the kids, but the desire escalated to get a pack on my back. Matt was elated that his wife would join him on the trail! We soon headed for the Sierra Mountains, several years in a row. Up and down hills, carrying that pack, wearing the sunhat, using walking sticks when needed. There was always a lake to fall into once we had discarded the pack and set up our wilderness home. And there is something surreal and profound about carrying all you need on your back. What an experience! The shimmering lakes, trails, nature surrounding us with her critters and sounds, vivid sunsets, and oh, the memories made!

Our first trip to Shealor Lake – one of my favorite photos!
Heading to Spider Lake, 5 miles up hill,
and no spiders were seen on this trip.
Matt in the moment with all the gear!
One of many miracles we witnessed!

After reading the book, Wild, by Cheryl Strayed, and then watching the movie starring Reese Witherspoon, a dream of hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail wiggled its way into my mind. This dream has been diligent in holding its place until I make it a reality. We haven’t hiked the PCT, yet, because returning to our favorite lake each year seemed to have had a magnetic effect. But now in our early sixties, the dream still wiggles! Are we too old? From what I’ve read, people of all ages hike in general, let alone, hike the PCT, so we’re not old at all. But in spring of last year, my health took a turn…

I wasn’t able to walk two houses down our block without pain. It’s been a challenging year, but the reader’s digest version is that I’m doing much better! Since the spring, I’ve been able to hike again pain-free. Thus, my recovery and learning how to manage an incurable but treatable diagnosis has woken up my dream from a long repose. One caveat from my doctor is that bearing weight on my back as in wearing a backpack isn’t advisable. However, to remedy this, Matt would carry more, but we’d both really pare down to go lighter than in past years. And a side-note…I don’t care about the distance I hike on the PCT, whether it’s one, two, or twenty miles – I just want to be able to say, “I hiked the PCT!” Consequently, we’re gearing up for 2026! I only pray that good health sustains for both of us to bring this dream to fruition.

From the web. It’s good to keep a visual for perspective
and motivation.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

Have you backpacked? What’s on your bucket list?

CHEERS TO DREAMS, BUCKET LISTS, AND TO GETTING ON THE TRAIL! 🥾❤️😁

Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites ©2024 – All rights reserved.

Website: baydreamerwrites.com
Author Of The Month, May 2023 Spillwords Press
Monthly Contributor, Gobbers-Masticadores Literary Website
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B08NCRH4MK
Author Latest Release Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poems
Author, More than Coffee: Memories in Verse and Prose
Author, Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poems
Author, New Day, New Dreams: A Poetry Collection
Co-Author, Petals of Haiku
Co-Author, This is How We Grow
Co-Author, Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Cora’s Quest, A children’s book, coming this fall!

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to purchase your copy. 
Thank you! 🧡

74 thoughts on “Dreams and Bucket Lists!”

  2. We also camped with our kids. Those are some of my favorite memories! Good luck with your hiking the PCT. I have a high school friend who hiked the complete PCT in the US. He kept updates on FB and it was fun to follow along.

    1. That’s wonderful, Elizabeth, and I agree about the memories. Thanks for the wishes! How awesome for your friend to have hiked the PCT all the way through. Sometimes I wish I would’ve started backpacking earlier. But I didn’t want to at the time. So, I’m making up for it. 🥰

      1. Good for you. My best friend as a child went backpacking with her family all the time. She eventually became a back country ranger in WA and left her husband and daughter for entire summers when her daughter got older. We’ve been hikers and campers but not backpackers.

  3. D.L. Finn, Author's avatar D.L. Finn, Author

    We used to camp all the time with our kids. Some of my favorite memories. Now we have a trailer, and my tent days are behind me. I want to hike the PCT, too, but my distance is limited, and I can’t carry anything as well. I’m working on my distance and, with some work, can maybe recover that, but I still do short days trips. Anytime I can get out I to nature, I’m happy.

    1. That’s awesome, Denise! And funny, we’re actually thinking about trailers too or a rec van. But with backpacking, it’ll have to be a tent. I hope we both get the chance to hike the PCT even if a short distance. ❤️

  4. Matt's avatar Matt

    Beautifully written my Love! All great times…and looking forward to more while we can. The Mountains are Calling and I must Go 🏕️⛰️

    1. Aww, thanks, Honey! Backpacking wouldn’t have happened without you!
      You created these amazing memories for your family and we love you for it! I hope we can do more next year! And yes, the Mountains are Calling! ❤️🤗🏔️🌄

  5. I’m a huge believer in goal setting. I’ve done so many more things than I ever imagined I would in this life time and it’s all because I set goals and work toward them. I have every confidence you will hike the PCT!

    1. Just from what you’ve shared on your blog, Darlene, you have done a lot! So, I appreciate your vote of confidence. We pulled this dream from the back burner, and it’s now on the dining table. LOL Right in front of us, so we can work toward it and make it happen for next year. 💞

    1. Well, just the fact that you travel solo is an adventure in itself, Maggie! Neither of us isn’t fond of flying, so that holds us back, but not from seeing our son and daughter. And not everyone likes to camp. I just fell in love with it, but I’ll be honest in saying that tenting is moving closer to the past because of health. So, we’re thinking of buying a trailer or a rec van (like what we rented this summer and I posted about, Clay the van). 🙂 But we still have a lot of research and looking to do. Anyway, thanks for chiming in and for your good wishes. I hope so, too. Hugs 🥰🤗🌄

  8. Look at you Ms. Lauren! Adventure and health all rolled up into one. 🎒 Now, I love the great outdoors, but honey no overnight camping for me. ⛺🥾⛺ Watching too many horror stories about campers ruined it for me! But what great memories to empower new memories you’re making with your children! Love it! 🤗💖😍

    1. I did roll those two into one, didn’t I, Kym? And you’re not the first who’s said that they don’t camp. You mention scary movies? OMG! Friday the 13th a million times over! Yikes! (knees shaking) What’s funny is when we took the kids when they were little, I didn’t think twice about going to the outhouse in the middle of the night with them. Matt or I would take them. But now when it’s just the two of us and I’ve seen too many scary camping movies? No way! I stop drinking whatever I’m drinking (usually wine) 🥂 around 8pm and then I can make it through the night. Full disclosure: we take a travel toilet with us just in case. But we’ve never had to use it. Nice having insurance though, you know? Anyway, I just gave you way too much information! LOL As to the memories, they are wonderful and worth it, and the kids are very thankful. Thanks, my friend, for adding to this delightful conversation! ❤️🤗🌄

  9. Kids will make the craziest journey so much fun! Carrying all that stuff reminds me of my husband and I taking the kids to the beach. Great share Lauren

      1. I’ve not hiked the full trail, but I have done a number of day hikes in the High Sierra and a couple of backpack trips. Once I did a road trip along the Eastern Sierra and visited a number of the trial heads. I hope you get a chance to hike it. I would have liked to hike more of it, but sadly health issues keep me closer to home these last few years.

  11. What a beautiful upbringing you treated your children to both of you, as you instilled Nature into their hearts…
    Wonderful to read Lauren and so enjoyed the poetry too..
    Loved the Photos…
    Keep Enjoying your Hiking trips… Sending much love your way xx ❤

    1. Aww, thanks so much, Sue, for your lovely words. We’re proud to have instilled Nature into their hearts, and they’re grateful, so it was well worth it. I’m so glad you loved my story, poem, and the photos. We will hike as long as we can, and hopefully, next summer we’ll be on the PCT! Love and hugs to you! xoxoxo

  12. Love the poem and pics. I’ll make you a deal Lauren. You guys hike the PCT and I’ll hike the Appalachian Trail. I’m on my own on this though. I might get my wife to do a mile or so, but forget about the bulk of the AT. Ha, ha.

    1. Thanks, Brian! And I love your deal! Guess what? When we visited Harper’s Ferry with our son last year, we walked on the AT for about 25 minutes, and had so much fun talking to a few thru-hikers. The experience was awe-inspiring! So, now I can say that I’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail! Haha! Anyway, maybe by the time you’ll be ready to step on the trail, you will have found someone to go with. I hope so because the thought of hiking alone doesn’t appeal to me. But if that’s the only option, then you do what you have to do. If you do, you have to post about it! 🥾😁🥾🌄

      1. Yea, we’ve hiked a few miles on the trail but would love to do more. It sounds like lots of people start solo hikes and form friendships, etc. I’ve written about hiking it. It’s definitely a dream. Just not sure I could survive without air conditioning. Ha,ha.

      2. That’s true, making friends along the way. Well, keep the dream alive, and I get it about the weather, hot, cold, rainy, windy. A lot to handle if you’re going all the way through. But you can do it if you set your mind to it! 😁

  13. I love learning the background and genesis of your love for excursions into nature, Lauren. I did a bit of hiking when I was involved in nature photography years ago, but leg/feet problems have rendered me unable to do anything like that nowadays. It’s admirable that you and Matt have passed down your love for nature to your kids. Sounds like you’ve all had some incredible times together in the outdoors. Lovely, grin-inducing poem, too!

    And kudos on your anti-spider philosophy. I’m a card-carrying member of that club myself! 😂

    1. Hi Mike, I’m glad you enjoyed learning where my love for nature came about, and I’m happy you had the chance to get on the trail. But I’m sorry health prevents you from hiking now, and yet, I understand. All the credit goes to my husband for passing down the love of nature to our kids. I just reinforced it. 🙂 Aww, it’s wonderful that my poem brought a grin. We had fun watching them play, using their imaginations. This poem’s in the book, so I hope you enjoy the collection when you have the chance. Yay, you’ve joined the anti-spider club! I don’t feel so alone now. 🙂 My husband has lived with this phobia for almost 36 years. If he’s home, it’s his job to save them. If not, then I have to muster up the courage and remind myself that the dime-sized spider is not out to get me! Anyway, thanks again, my friend. I hope you have a good day! 🤗

  14. Hi Lauren, Your wonderful post took me back to past memories of canoe backpacking in Maine where we’d have to portage the canoe and pitch a pup tent for the night. But this was done with a guide who took care of our meals (luxury of sorts, I suppose) and then there were the times I hiked down the grand Canyon and the Alps – thanks for stirring up these fine memories.

    Your photos are gorgeous especially the sunset and that of your two young ones. ❤

    1. Hi Carol, I’m so glad I was able to stir up those wonderful memories for you. Your canoe adventure reminds me of the time when my husband and his father went on a guided rafting trip. It was the same with meals, etc. and your hiking the Grand Canyon and the Alps, wow! Canoeing is another adventure we’d like to try. Thanks for your kind words about the photos too. So many great memories. ❤️

  15. Your post made me smile. Such wonderful times with family in nature! No, I haven’t backpacked before. I’m more an easy stroll kind of gal. The only things on my bucket list are good health and mental acuity.

  17. Wonderful impact you have made on your children Lauren your love of Matt’s love of the outdoors and yours as well. Love your pictures and zest to be creative an attach the hill. Matt being your sherpa is one I could get behind too. You go girl❣️

    1. Thanks for your wonderful words, Cindy, and for your motivation! I hope we get on the PCT in 2026! Fingers crossed! Yes, it’s great to have these precious memories with the kids in the beautiful outdoors. ❤️🌄🥾

  19. I love this! And wow your husband is amazing…taking a 7 & 4 year old camping on his own is Super Dad stuff. So glad your pain is under control now and you’re able to get back out there and do what you love. Great news.

    1. Thanks, Mary! At the time, I thought nothing of it, but when I look back, I feel the same way about my husband taking the kids so young. And thanks for your kind words about my health. I hope it behaves itself so I can continue moving forward in checking off boxes. 🤗

  20. I remember watching Wild and being so inspired. I hope your health continues to improve and I hope you’re able to achieve your goal for 2026 to hike on the PCT 💕

    1. Another fan of Wild, yay! Cheryl Strayed’s story fascinated me and was so inspiring. I wish I had started backpacking when I was younger, but I never wanted to. 🙂 But older is fine too, and I hope I get to check off that box too. Thanks so much, Pooja! ❤️🥾

  25. Oh, I love this, Lauren! What incredible pictures and fantastic memories for the kids. I love your commitment to doing this even with health challenges. I think there’s nothing like some of the vistas we can get to only on our feet. So awesome!

    Here’s to the PCT in 2026!

    1. Thanks so much, Wynne! I’m glad you enjoyed this post and the photos. They are special memories for all of us. And I agree with you on seeing those vistas from being on foot. Fingers crossed for the PCT next year! Thanks again!

  27. Alright!

    2026 is not that far away.

    We are at the age where our bodies start to fail us. Still, there’s a long way to go, and we have modern medicine and knowledge at our disposal.

    Your poem is warm and wonderful. The pics, the family…you really have had it all.

    Your blog is inviting and positive, a reflection of you.

    Thank you, Lauren!

    xo🌹🌟xo

    1. Wow! You have a way with words too, Resa! Thanks again, dear friend! I hope my dream (hubby’s dream too) comes true for next year. Fingers crossed! And thanks for your kind words about my blog also. So nice to ‘hear!’ xoxoxoxo

  28. I love your ambition and determination Lauren. You’ve made great progress with your health challenges and you’re blessed with your wonderful family and life. Enjoy your next hike. ❤ xx

    1. Thanks for such kind and wonderful words, Debby. I feel lucky with the outcome of my pains because a year ago, I didn’t know if my mobility would be zapped. It was scary, but I’m grateful for the epidural that helped and for the nerve that healed. I didn’t know that was possible. Anyway, thanks again! If we make it to the PCT next year, you know I’ll post about it. 🙂 ❤️🌷🤗

      1. So amazing watching your progress Lauren. Determination is half the battle and you excel with stars. I hope you make it there next year!! ❤ ❤

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