Pooping in Front of a Masterpiece

We couldn't risk it—not this time. Two attempts to reach the campgrounds had now failed. The hours were slowly ticking past, leaving us to wonder if it was even possible to reach the creek by nightfall.

Thus far, each road had given us a glimmer of hope at the start, only to end with us turning around to find another way in. But we were running out of trails; the next would be at least an hour away. If we had to cross half as many streams as before, the van might be forced to surrender.

But we have made it safe this far, and we have reached what once had been deemed impossible. We are going to make it to those campgrounds; we will not quit!

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The road shifted, from smooth to unbearable, with all of the van's passengers feeling every jolt and pothole. But the pain was nothing compared to the bitter sting of defeat.

"I do not care if we run into a hundred different obstacles! Whether we face deeper puddles or are attacked by a rattler - THIS IS NOT THE END!"

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For the next ninety minutes, our only source left to get to the campground was a paper map. What felt like forever passed by as we aimlessly scrambled for the next street to turn onto.

Along the way, we saw fields of organized crops such as corn and wheat. Other fields holding cattle and beautiful horses, enjoying life as we passed by, and enjoyed the sight of them. After continuing past many miles of farms and open fields, we took our last turn, and the start of the trail was finally in sight.

We all paused, took a breath, and said a little prayer as we continued forward.

Our next obstacle was in sight. The van now stared into the malicious, heavy-flowing stream ahead. A river was now the final obstacle between us and the canyons where we would sleep tonight. The sun glistening off the surface of the water made it nearly impossible to tell its depth.

"It's not murky, that's a good sign." My father mumbled these words to himself as he stepped outside to measure our chances. He found a big rock nearby and threw it into the riverbed to check the depth of the water. The rock went in the stream, creating a rather big splash in return.

His expression darkened as he returned to the van. "I think we can make it," finally, some good news, I thought. The engine turned over, the pistons started to scream as they were being forcefully pushed back in place, and my dad let out a sigh to prepare for whatever would happen next. " You better hope this is worth it."

The rear-wheel drive van approached the stream steadily. Everyone in the vehicle became silent, allowing my father to consider each step of the equation. The accelerator was pushed in carefully to be sure no water would shoot up into the air intake, causing the engine to choke. The van shook back and forth as the speed gradually increased, lowering the river's resistance. As the tires aggressively climbed over each rock marking the bottom of the stream, the water violently sprayed upward. Slapping the sides of the van as if hit by a sudden wave, removing the markings of the previous trails attempted.

The tire spun emptily, struggling to pass one of the rocks. The acceleration slowly decreased to try to gain traction and avoid digging our own graves. The rock gave way, and the van cried out as the back tires emerged from the water, declaring triumph.

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The night was getting late. The sun was slowly beginning to fade, preparing to disappear behind the large, indescribable mountains. Camp was nearly set up, the tents painfully refused to stand under the weight of constant, rapturous winds.

The stoves were fired on, the flames were lit, and all that was left was to wait. To wait till we get the chance to eat. Each camping member, all four of us, wandered towards their tents to prepare for their dinners. As the water finally submitted to the constant battle the flame had given, rumbling stomachs prepared for a glorious feast in the canyons.

But we all know what goes in must come out—at all costs.

The now-boiling water was slowly poured into each meal. Once more, we all had to wait until the chunky concoction developed into a soft, delectible meal to nourish us, the hungry campers.

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The sun still illuminating the ground meant that sleeping would be impossible, even after the day we've had. After we finished our meals, card games spanning from gin-rummy to Texas-holdem gathered the whole family together to pass the time until bed.

Freeze-dried brownie bites were now on the line, and I was lined up for a win. 5,6,7,8,9 of diamonds all held in my hand—a straight flush. Suddenly, my stomach let out a low grumble echoing throughout the canyons.

The air left my lungs, my heart started to race, and I knew that something was about to go down. The games paused, and I exchanged a worried glance with my father, who instantly knew the problem.

" The shovel's in the back, Hailey. Good luck!" He chuckled, knowing that since it was my first time camping, I didn't truly understand what he meant.

"I'm just kidding," he quickly recovered," your mother made me bring the bucket. Just open the van door, do your business, and once you're done, make sure to cover it with cat litter to control the smell. Oh, and the wipes are on top of the lid."

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I had gone to the back of the van to find that the supposed "bucket" was a literal 5-gallon Home Depot bucket with trash bags inside, and a toilet seat attached to the top.

" Just great," I mumbled, not wanting to do what was next.

I walked to the driver's side of the van, setting the bucket on the ground behind the open door. I opened the lid to find nothing but cat litter poured into the bottom of the bucket. Meaning, I was the first one to use what felt like the throne of shame.

But once I sat down, something changed. The experience I had would leave an everlasting memory in my brain.

The cool wind blew, passing underneath the van door, brushing my upper thighs. The sun resting upon the top of the mountain supplied just enough light to see the canyon deepen. The sight was simply beautiful; it was truly something I could never forget.

I took another minute to enjoy the scenery as I finished up. I returned to the van and as Arnold Schwarzenegger would say...

" I DECLARED VICTORY! "