Day 13 - An unwritten rule.

 Beth and I woke up at 5:00 am and began hiking up into the Teton Mountain range by 5:30 am. By 6:00 am we had cleared the lake and began to climb up and in. The sun was starting to break behind the mountains giving us that predawn light that separates the night from the day. Just as that light ended the night we reached the Hidden Falls and had them all to ourselves. It was ours. It was glorious. And it was stunning. We admired and played and laughed as we took picture after picture. We must have been there 30 minutes when we decided to head out. But, as with many other times on this trip, we felt it right to pray and give thanks to our creator for such magnificence and for giving us the gift to be present enough to see this gift. Beth led us in prayer and opened with this beautiful description of how at that time, at that very moment, everything knew its place - the water, the rocks, the sun, the squirrels, the trees.... How everything knew exactly where is was supposed to be and was exactly as God had planned it. I don't do it justice hear but it was an incredible prayer and incredible for me to be there to witness and be a part of it. We prayed God would give us that gift too and let's us know His will for us and that we be able to take it with us from this beautiful place out into the world. Thank you, Beth. You are incredible.

There is an unwritten rule between the early morning hikers, an acknowledgement or sorts, that seperates between those who get up before the sun rises and those who sleep in. It can be as simple as a nod, or a "morning" that is exchanged as a kind of salute to each other's commitment. Beth and I were one of them this morning and as a result, as we descended back to earth and we saw the other early hikers also retreating, it felt good to know we were one of the hearty dedicated ones, the dedicated ones and thus the ones who get to congratulate each other for our dedication with the simple nod. Breakfast was delicious - love that stone fruit!

We then packed up and headed through Yellowstone and headed to Big Timber MT to see Dave Noll. A mandatory stop at some calderas and through this amazing Park we go!