EastTNHunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2018
- Messages
- 1,873
@Addicting helped me out immensely, and he didn’t even know it. Let me explain…
My family is going through some “stuff” right now, and it seemingly forced me to make a tough decision to bail on my dad and brother for our WY mule deer hunt that we have been planning for a couple of years. I put off making the decision for a long time, truly praying that things would change with the family member that is creating issues with me allowing myself to step away for this trip that would leave my wife in a bind. I won’t go into the details, but I’m sure that many if you have been in a similar situation with kids pushing back and making life harder on the whole family. I decided just a few days ago to throw in the towel and I started unpacking my stuff, effectively eating my tag and burning my points. I was certain at that time that it was the right decision for my family, but I was very down in the dumps about it while I prayed for God to open some unexpected pathway that I hadn’t considered beforehand. I was even more irritated that I ended up spending my afternoon alone at home yesterday watching college football (I had to work in the morning in Nashville, then my Dawgs played horrible, which added to my frustration) by myself while my wife and kids were gone to a birthday party and some shopping, and then the internet started buffering on college football! Argh!
So what does any self respecting man start doing in a situation like that? I started checking in on HT. And then I found @Addicting’s story about his antelope hunt that turned south on him, only for him to make a rally on it with his 9yo son and turn it into a raving success. It was touching at the time, but it didn’t hit me until later that my son is almost 9 and he’s probably ready to make this kind of a trip with me, which could lead to some positive opportunities on the home front if I play my cards right and shorten my trip. So at 9:00 last night my rally started and my rally plan is coming together at the last minute:
I talked to my wife last night, and she was preliminarily onboard. I then got my son out of bed and asked him if he wanted to drive with me out to WY for an adventure? He asked if we were going to Wall Drug (maybe), and what hotel we would be staying in… “Well, Buddy, it’s not that kinda trip. We’ll be camping mostly.”
What about a stop at a hotel along the way? “More likely a rest stop for a couple of hours of shut eye when daddy gets tired. On the way back we’ll probably stay in a hotel one night.”
What will we eat? “Probably granola bars, beenie weenies, and sandwiches, with an occasional restaurant trip if we relocate or need to take a break.”
Oh, so this is a real “manventure”, huh Daddy? “Yes, yes it is.”
Sounds like fun.
He’s in!
Sounds like we’re going on a “manventure” !!! (his word, not mine)
I have to work a busy schedule this week, with a decent bit of travel and onboarding a new employee. Not much time to pack AT ALL. We’ll probably overpack some stuff, and forget some stuff. Going to leave early Friday morning, and we’ll meet up with my dad and brother when we get there.
Lord knows only if we’ll see a deer, but a good armed hike with my son, dad and brother will be nice. Maybe it will turn out as successful as @Addicting’s hunt, regardless of the kill.
This is likely to be a carnival, but will probably turn out wild, crazy, and fun because of it. You know, that “best laid plans of mice and men” thing? To be continued…
My family is going through some “stuff” right now, and it seemingly forced me to make a tough decision to bail on my dad and brother for our WY mule deer hunt that we have been planning for a couple of years. I put off making the decision for a long time, truly praying that things would change with the family member that is creating issues with me allowing myself to step away for this trip that would leave my wife in a bind. I won’t go into the details, but I’m sure that many if you have been in a similar situation with kids pushing back and making life harder on the whole family. I decided just a few days ago to throw in the towel and I started unpacking my stuff, effectively eating my tag and burning my points. I was certain at that time that it was the right decision for my family, but I was very down in the dumps about it while I prayed for God to open some unexpected pathway that I hadn’t considered beforehand. I was even more irritated that I ended up spending my afternoon alone at home yesterday watching college football (I had to work in the morning in Nashville, then my Dawgs played horrible, which added to my frustration) by myself while my wife and kids were gone to a birthday party and some shopping, and then the internet started buffering on college football! Argh!
So what does any self respecting man start doing in a situation like that? I started checking in on HT. And then I found @Addicting’s story about his antelope hunt that turned south on him, only for him to make a rally on it with his 9yo son and turn it into a raving success. It was touching at the time, but it didn’t hit me until later that my son is almost 9 and he’s probably ready to make this kind of a trip with me, which could lead to some positive opportunities on the home front if I play my cards right and shorten my trip. So at 9:00 last night my rally started and my rally plan is coming together at the last minute:
I talked to my wife last night, and she was preliminarily onboard. I then got my son out of bed and asked him if he wanted to drive with me out to WY for an adventure? He asked if we were going to Wall Drug (maybe), and what hotel we would be staying in… “Well, Buddy, it’s not that kinda trip. We’ll be camping mostly.”
What about a stop at a hotel along the way? “More likely a rest stop for a couple of hours of shut eye when daddy gets tired. On the way back we’ll probably stay in a hotel one night.”
What will we eat? “Probably granola bars, beenie weenies, and sandwiches, with an occasional restaurant trip if we relocate or need to take a break.”
Oh, so this is a real “manventure”, huh Daddy? “Yes, yes it is.”
Sounds like fun.
He’s in!
Sounds like we’re going on a “manventure” !!! (his word, not mine)
I have to work a busy schedule this week, with a decent bit of travel and onboarding a new employee. Not much time to pack AT ALL. We’ll probably overpack some stuff, and forget some stuff. Going to leave early Friday morning, and we’ll meet up with my dad and brother when we get there.
Lord knows only if we’ll see a deer, but a good armed hike with my son, dad and brother will be nice. Maybe it will turn out as successful as @Addicting’s hunt, regardless of the kill.
This is likely to be a carnival, but will probably turn out wild, crazy, and fun because of it. You know, that “best laid plans of mice and men” thing? To be continued…
