Driving a school bus across the country is mostly a lot of fun, but sometimes it’s not. There are definitely moments of frustration along the way. Most of the time, we try to go with the flow and solve problems without getting our feathers too ruffled about anything (though some feather ruffling occurs now and again).

Not too long ago we camped out in the Chequamegon National Forest in northern Wisconsin. It rained heavily, we ended up having to pay for camping when we were hoping to find a free spot, there were mosquitoes the size of Lake Superior, and by the end of our stay we weren’t in the best of moods. On our way out of the forest, our road was blocked by a downed tree. There wasn’t an alternative route out of the woods, so we did the only thing we could do: get out the hatchet.

A few choice four-letter words, a wee bit of grumbling, and some chopping later, we were able to clear the road enough to be on our way. Upon reflection, the incident serves to remind us that though obstacles will continue to appear in our path from time to time (yup, even literally), it is how we deal with them that matters. Oh, and to be sure to always pack a hatchet.

Oh, darn.

This may have been when the four-letter words were uttered.

How many woodchucks does it take…

Path cleared.