My very first memories as a child were in national parks, specifically Grand Teton National Park. My dad would throw me over his shoulder at 5:00 a.m., put me in the car, and turn on his favorite music just to make sunrise at one of our favorite spots. I would spend the morning curled up under his tripod while he took some of his most iconic photographs. We would spend the morning making breakfast on the back of his tailgate and sharing our food with strangers we met along the way.
The morning that my dad took Morning Calm, started this way. I could hear the hum of the car on the quiet, deserted roads. The soft sound of Rock and Roll. When we arrived at our destination, I trudged behind my dad carrying all of his camera gear, while I of course had to carry my blanket. Gary has always been patient, almost to a fault. That’s lucky for him because he was made for his job. I, on the other hand, did not have that kind of patience.
He set up his tripod while I made myself at home, curled in my blanket. After around three hours of waiting for the perfect shot, we packed up, and headed for the parking lot. We always met the kindest people who shared their love for the parks with us. A family who was visiting the park stopped us and invited us to breakfast. My stranger danger as a small child was going off. However, my dad accepted without hesitation. I’m so glad he did. This became one of my favorite mornings I have ever had in the park. It’s not every day you get to have pancakes, bacon, and eggs in the parking lot in a National Park. Even now, over 20 years later, it is still a memory that will last a lifetime.