Written Assignment 2
Ideas
* Divorce: Going back and forth every week * Going to Utah

Outline * Introduction: * Attention Getter: From a young age, I can remember the smell of the trees and the turns in the road that led us to the cabin. * Thesis: No matter how many years pass, I will always remember the warm summers and the cold winters that I spent as a little girl in Strawberry Valley. * Body: * Setting * I had a love-hate relationship with those three hour drives to the mountain. * Scenery (Desert) * Dry/Barren * Rocks * Car games * A-Z * I Spy * Climax (tr. One weekend…) * Caves * Four wheeling * Fishing * Spending nights around the fire * Ending * Family * Time with dad * Ability to get lost within what mother nature has created * Conclusion (tr. In the end) * Although I no longer get to take trips to the mountain, it is a memory that will stay close to my heart forever.

Mountain Memories
From a young age, I can remember the smell of the trees and turns in the road that led us to the cabin. This was a drive that I remember taking several hundred times throughout my childhood. These drives took me far from the big city to a small village where I could truly embrace Mother Nature’s creation. No matter how many years pass, I will always remember the warm summers and the cold winters that I spent as a little girl in Strawberry Valley.
I had a love-hate relationship with the three hour drives to the mountain. Trips from Las Vegas to Strawberry Valley mostly consisted of the dry and barren desert. As I watched out my window, I could see a vast area of sand. Scattered throughout were cacti, thorn bushes, rocks, and the occasional tree. To try to make the drive go by faster, my brother and I would play car games such as I Spy, the License Plate Game and Road Trip Bingo. And after all of the bathroom breaks, food stops and several rounds of I Spy, we finally made it to the cabin.
The first breath after getting out of the car was breathtaking. The smell of fresh air and pine needles was not something that was often experienced in the big city. Green grass, billowing trees, birds and butterflies were always waiting for me. When I heard birds chirping, leaves blowing, and four wheelers revving, I knew I was home. We slowly began unpacking things from the truck and taking them inside the cabin. Not long after, it was time to see what Mother Nature had waiting for us. It was very common for us to go on four wheeling rides as a family. We would follow each other one after another as we took scenic drives throughout the valley.
One weekend, we decided to go on a drive to the nearby caves that people were always talking about. I jumped on my four wheeler, put on my helmet and away we went. The ride led us on bumpy paths through the woods and finally to a ledge that overlooked the nearby valley. The Mammoth caves were well known on the mountain as a site-to-see, which would explain why so many people were there. We all parked our four wheelers and gathered our flashlights, ready to explore the area. Very near to the ledge there was a very large gaping hole that contained several rocks that led to a horizontal opening underground. The climb down the rocks was tedious, but planned out as we followed the individuals in front of us. Upon entering the cave, I realized just how dark it was. I turned on my flashlight and made the trek into the unknown. Echoes, screeches of bats and drops of water were all that were heard. The cave was miles long but soon after narrowed to a small crawl space. After exiting, we all talked about the impressions we had. The small confinement at the end was the scariest part because it was the only way out.
The journey through the cave was just one of the many experiences I had on the mountain. Although there was so much to see, my favorite part about these trips were the amount of time I was able to spend bonding with my family. Due to the divorce of my parents, I was not able to spend as much quality time with my family as I had wished. Specifically, I was not as close with my dad anymore. With these trips, we were able to grow closer through fishing, four wheeling, snowmobiling and building fires. From fishing with my brother to sitting around the fire at night, there was never a dull moment in Strawberry Valley.
In the end, I have always determined that the three hour car drive was worth all of the memories. These trips allowed me to get lost in nature and the love my family had for one another. Even after many years, I am able to vividly remember the many experiences that I was fortunate enough to have. Although I no longer get to take trips to the mountain, it is a memory that will stay close to my heart forever.