From Welch to Farmington it is about twenty-five miles. One winter day my family and I were at my grandma and grandpa’s house in Welch. My dad was always big into the outdoors and doing crazy things. He was taking me on a ride on the snowmobile about fourteen years ago. Of course my mom didn’t know about this. A thought ran through my dad’s head to go to his mom and dad’s house all the way in Farmington. I have no idea why. He took me there though, just a baby who could barely talk. Maybe it was my dad who got me to love the outdoors as much as I do. We were always outside doing things together. The feeling of the wind blowing through my hair is amazing; it’s a really free feeling. Being outdoors lets me escape from the rest of the world. That’s why I love the country. And that’s why I want to move up to northern Minnesota somewhere far away from the city. The reasons why are for fishing, hunting, and riding.

Fishing is my most favorite thing to do. It is so peaceful just sitting on the water with the sun beating down on my back and the waves gently rocking the boat. It is also exciting when I get that first big tug on my line. My absolute favorite thing about fishing is the fight with a big fish. I never know what could be on the other end of my pole, so that makes it even more thrilling. Bass is my favorite fish to catch because they put up a huge fight and can get massive. They also taste very good. My dad loved bass so much. They were his favorite fish too. One time when he was fishing, he was standing in some lily pads when he got a bite. Everyone who was fishing with him could see it was an enormous bass. My dad was fighting with it to try to get it in when suddenly it got off the line. He was so determined to get that fish he dove into the water after it. This is my favorite fishing story ever, even though he never got it back. I want to catch big fish like. I don’t know if I’ll be diving into any lakes though. Up north is where I will find those fish. I always hear about these huge fish being caught up there and wish it was me. Maybe one day it will be. My second favorite thing to do outside is to hunt.
Hunting has always been very big in my family. We aren’t trophy hunters; we hunt for the meat. Right now, I just deer hunt. I really like being in a tree stand taking in the nature around me. I haven't shot my first deer yet, but that’s not stopping me. My aunt’s story keeps me going out. My aunt Jessie has been deer hunting ever since she was twelve. Every year she went out thinking “this will be the year” but sadly it never was. It wasn’t until she was nineteen years old when she shot at her first deer. My dad had to go across a river to get it, but as we know now he isn’t scared of getting wet. When he brought it back, everyone could see it was a little button buck. It was still a great moment for her though. Her story really encourages me to keep going out, even though I haven't been having the best of luck. I want to start hunting turkey now. I think it will be a change to what I’m used to and a fun time. I also want to hunt elk really bad. Going hunting for an elk has been a dream of mine for a while. In northern Minnesota I will be close to Canada so I will be able to accomplish my dream. I can hunt all these things up there. My third favorite thing to do outside is go riding.
It doesn’t matter to me if I’m on a four wheeler, snowmobile, or ranger, I’ll be having fun. I love to ride all seasons. In the summer, I go to my grandma and grandpa’s a lot and ride four wheeler. One day I had one of my friends over there with me and we were of course riding four wheeler. I was going way to fast around a corner and was headed straight for a ditch. This ditch had trees and tall weeds growing out of it, so we didn’t know how deep it was. The moment I knew I couldn’t stop was one of the scariest moments of my life. That’s when i realized I’m on a huge, heavy, deadly machine going into a hole who knows how deep. I don’t even think I had time to scream. We went in, but, fortunately for us, it was only a few feet deep. With a little gas I got us out of that ditch. Right when we got out of the ditch though I felt such a rush! It was terrifying but exciting at the same time. In the winter, I go to my grandma and grandpa’s a lot too. That’s when I ride snowmobile. They have trails and a huge pasture. It’s so fun! All year round I can ride my ranger. We just bought it in August. I can ride it on the rode or on a trail. We haven't had that much time to take it places, but hopefully this spring we can take it out mudding. Riding makes me feel so free and unstoppable. In the country there will be a lot of space to ride. I can’t wait! All these things have a big impact on why I want to move to the country up in northern Minnesota.
The reasons why I want to move are for fishing, hunting, and riding. I want to move to northern Minnesota and live in the country. I believe I will be happier there. What does my story of my dad bringing me to Farmington when I was just a little one year old have to do with me moving up north? That decision he made was reckless and spontaneous. I think my family would view it as that. But it was also exciting and unique. It definitely created a memory that will stick. I see me moving that way. Being outdoors is where I belong. I think one reason why I like it so much is that it’s a piece of my dad that I still have left. Whether I’m diving into unknown waters, freezing in a tree stand for years or even driving myself into danger, I love spending time outside. Exploring new areas is fun for me, so moving should be an adventure. One day I hope everyone can find that one thing that decides their future.