Lately, we had the manufactures of outdoor equipment hold a show in our city. They paid for a poll that the news reported on. The poll asked teenagers across the nation what outdoor equipment they liked or were interested in the most. They were shocked by the answers to their questions, which caused our local news to report it.

Teenagers weren’t interesting in anything that had to do with outdoors. They would rather watch other people enjoy it on the Internet. This is helpful since Yellowstone just put “Old Faithful” on the Internet. You can see eruptions from your computer. Since, I’ve seen “Old Faithful” erupt in person numerous times. I want to go on record that you really miss something by not being there in person. The mist on your face and feeling the power of the geyser really adds to the experience.

My next story is dedicated to those people who would rather enjoy the outdoors on the Internet. Since, we all know that breathing deeply releases stress in our lives. I request you take some deep breaths now and during the story. So you can benefit from the exercise and adventure that I’m about to tell you.

This story takes place on a twenty-eight thousand acre island that sits in the middle of Great Salt Lake. The largest inland salt-water lake in the world and it’s only thirty minutes from downtown. We can access the mountain in fifteen or thirty minutes from downtown.

On Antelope Island, you can bike, camp, hike or do my favorite. It’s horseback riding. We share the island with approx 550-700 bison or buffalo, as I like to call them. When you are on the trails, you can see coyotes, mule deer, prong horned antelope, bobcats, badgers, porcupines and jackrabbits. The animal I’ve seen the most is buffalo and jackrabbits.

Winter, late fall, and early spring is the best time to ride on the island. The summer it is too hot and we would ride in the mountains where it is cool. What I like about the island, there is no civilization on it. You feel like you are back in the old west. When you are riding on the island it takes you back to the old west.

There is one bird the island has that I dearly love. The meadowlark is there abundantly. In the spring, you can hear them all around you talking back and forth to each other. They are my favorite songbirds.

One day, my husband and our neighbor were ridding horses on the island. They were following the trails like they were requested to do. This day the trail they were on went along the edge of the shores. The water was still and blue as the trail left the shores to head up the side of a tall hill. They were reaching the top when they encountered a lone buffalo bull off by himself.

As they passed him, my husband pulled out his camera to take his picture. Before he could take it, the bull charged them. Somehow, he held onto the camera but lost his cowboy hat. Socks, the horse he was on bolted down the path with our neighbor following him.

They hadn’t gone far when the bull stopped chasing them. Our neighbor had been riding on the island for ten years and he had never had a buffalo bother him. So he decided to go back for my husband’s hat.

When he reached the hat, Jay got off his horse and picked it up. The bull decided that he didn’t want him in his little circle of solitary and charged him again. Jay was on his horse with the hat and off at a full gallop. Touchy, his horse, he was fast. It was a race and the bull was gaining. Now, we understand why our ancestors wrote in their journal that it was dangerous to hunt them. They can run as fast or faster than a horse.

They have a strange shape and you wouldn’t think they could move fast because of it. It didn’t take the bull long to have his head in the tail of Jay’s horse. Before he rammed his horse, the bull stopped. What a memorable ride. I hope you were breathing deeply so you get the advantages of the exercise and relieve some stress. It’s great to get out and take deep breaths of fresh air. It really has a great affect on us.

The next time, you need to relax and you can’t go on a ride, hike or walk. Close your eyes and take in some deep breaths. It will relieve stress and it might help you get through the day a little healthier and easier. Have a great day!