RAINY DAY VACATIONS

Uncle Lawrence Ricks, Dad (Derrald Ricks), Roger Ricks, Kay Gillespie, Wayne Ricks

When I was growing up we never took a vacation unless it was raining - there was always too much to do on the farm, and during the winter we were in school. But if it rained we all got excited. Dad would come in the house and tell Mom that he was going to butcher a couple of chickens and to get things ready to go. Mom would have one of us get a big gallon tin can half full of wheat. Then we would carefully pack eggs in the wheat. The wheat kept the eggs from bouncing around and breaking while we were traveling. Dad and the boys would kill the chickens and we would put wrap them in wax paper and then in a dishtowel with ice cubes around them. We would go out into the field and dig potatoes, then to the garden and pick any fresh vegetables that were ready to harvest. Mom would get everything packed up. We didn’t have coolers like today, just a tin box to put things in.

            We girls would grab our latest paper doll collections and pack that with our clothes. The boys would dig worms as they knew they would be going fishing with Dad. When we were all ready, we’d pile into the car and be off to Mack’s Inn in Island Park: Mom, Dad and six kids packed into the car. We didn’t have seat belts then so four of us piled into the back seat and the two youngest in the front with Mom and Dad

            Dad would try to get us a cabin on the North Fork of the Snake River at Mack’s Inn, if possible. We loved a cabin by the river because we could go out the front door of the cabin and right into the river to play, even if the water was cold. We weren’t always able to get a river-front cabin, but we could always get a cabin somewhere close. Then, while the men were assembling their fishing gear and preparing to get out fishing, the women and younger children would put the food away and get suitcases and sleeping bags arranged.

            Uncle Lawrence, Dad’s brother, and his family often went with us and would try to get a cabin next to ours. They only had one girl along with their four boys, so while the guys were fishing, my cousin, Beth, would join  my sisters and me as we would get out our paper dolls and start to play. Oh, did we ever come up with scenarios for our paper doll families! We could play for hours! When we got tired of the paper dolls, we would go for walks around the cabins and then spend some time in the big lodge that was there. We could usually get some change from our dad’s so we could buy ourselves ice cream or a candy bar at the lodge.

            We spent a lot of time walking around, visiting, playing in the water along the shore of the river, exploring the forest close by, and even going up where the riding horses were available to rent.

            The rain didn’t stop the guys from fishing, and they would bring in their catch for Mom and Aunt Zola to fix for any meal. If the fishing was good, we would have fish for breakfast, dinner, and supper. My brothers always said that the best time to fish was when it rained, but I wonder now if that was because it was the only time they fished when they were younger.

            As we got older we were able to rent some of the paddle boats and go out and play in the river on them. Dad and Uncle Lawrence purchased a big air-inflated boat that they would take up to Big Springs to put in the river. We would all get in it and then float on down to Mack’s. Sometimes the guys would put the anchor out, get out into the river with their big rubber waders, and fish. I remember the time a moose was out in the middle of the river and was watching us as we floated by. He seemed as curious about us as we were about him.

            Oh what fun we had! But the rain would quit and we needed to go home. Although we hated to leave, we knew we would come again. It made us all look forward to another rainy days! And rainy days are still special to me.