The Dream Vacation

"Wouldn't it be neat to get a couple more four-wheelers? Then our whole family could ride together," my husband, Dave, said.

It was 2002, we were relaxing at our campsite, gazing at the mountains. At the time, we had only his 400EX, so he'd spent his mornings taking one boy out on a ride through the mountain trails, returning to camp for lunch, then taking the other one out for the afternoon. I'd spent the time with Laurel and the alternate boy, exploring around the lake and holding down camp.

 At the time, I wondered how we would ever manage to purchase not one, but two more four-wheelers (I'm practical like that). Dave's the dreamer, and I hang on for the ride. But for whatever reason--maybe I was tired of sitting at camp while they were riding over mountain passes--this is one vision I caught.
Two years later, we went back to O'Haver Lake in Colorado. This time my brother David and his wife, Jenny, and also his friend, Mike, went with us. David brought his quad, and we had acquired a used four-wheeler and brought my Dad's, so if everyone doubled up with a kid, we could all go on a ride.

In the six years since, we've acquired a few more quads and made numerous trips to the Little Sahara sand dunes near Waynoka, Oklahoma. When the boys' interest seemed to be waning a few years ago, Dave considered selling them all. The only reason I didn't agree to getting rid of them all was the hope that we could take them to the mountains one more time.
This summer, we did.