Most people get drunk on their 21st birthday. Here's how I spent mine.
With two young men, Ken and Tim, I backpacked to the lovely Enchanted Valley in Olympic National Park. With a hanging glacier at the end, the valley had high cliff sides with waterfalls cascading to the valley floor. There was an A-frame chalet built during the Great Depression. Naturally, the chalet was overrun with mice. It was later rebuilt.
At the chalet, we met Roger Lampre' from Billings, Montana. With his pack horses, Roger had a contract to haul wood and supplies to rebuild bridges in Olympic National Park that summer. I needed to work the next evening. It was fourteen-miles to the trail head.
At sunset, the guys sent me to convince Roger to take us out with him the next day. He was getting drunk on whiskey. At first Roger agreed to take just me. I said no. Then he offered to take me and the guy's packs. I refused. Before passing out, Roger slurred, "If you can round up the horses in the morning, I'll take all three of you and your packs."
The next morning was my birthday. With a flourish, Ken presented me with an egg-sized, quartz crystal he found in the river. I was thrilled. Today that crystal sits on my kitchen windowsill.
None of us had any experience with horses. The horses had wandered far up the valley. "Here, Horsie!" didn't work. I felt afraid of the horses. Eventually we got behind the huge animals. Waving arms and yelling, we ineptly herded the horses toward the chalet.
By then Roger was awake and roaring with laughter at our antics.
Roger had the only saddle. We rode out on horse blankets with no stirrups, legs dangling down. My horse was named Nubbin. Roger told me how Nubbin once fell off a cliff beside the trail. A confidence builder.
Riding out in that beautiful valley was the best birthday ever. I felt rapturous the whole way. But there was nubbin’ left of my behind when we arrived at the trail head.
Sliding off the horse, my legs collapsed. The guys kindly made me a nest of sleeping bags in the back of the truck. Didn't make it to work that evening.
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16 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.You have such nice stories! I do not remember if I got drunk on my 21st birthday, but I was in the USAF on temporary duty to Nellis AFB in Nevada for Red Flag. They had use staying in a hotel in downtown Las Vegas. I was working during the evening so I got to see all the casinos late at night.
I am doing a 5 night backpacking trip to the Enchanted valley in July. I'll be entering at the Dosewallips river and across Anderson pass to the enchanter valley and back out the same way.
Robert_2001
Level 6
Feb 17, 2022
1
Thank you, Robert.
Years ago, my husband and I backpacked starting on the east side of the Olympics. Hiked up over Anderson Pass and ridges. Spectacular views. Descended through Enchanted Valley on the west side.
A magical experience. It took a week. A friend dropped us off on the east side, and picked us up on the west side.
Photos: hiking in the Olympic Mountains and Pacific Ocean beaches.
I spent mine engrossed in reading classic literature. I would have loved to have brought this literature to such a lovely, scenic place. Outstanding.
skeptic70
Level 7
Feb 16, 2022
1
You are a man after my own heart.
How many 15-year-old girls do you know who read the complete work of Shakespeare, Dickens, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky? ( takes a bow )
@LiterateHiker Lovely to hear. I was reading the same at that age. My love of fiction was born.
My love of fiction was ignited, as well.
My 19th birthday I was in Army basic training and that was gas chamber day, so yes, I got gassed on my 19th. On my 21st birthday, still in the Army I had some very dull training on SAEDA, Subversion And Espionage Direct Against the US. I think I went to dinner with friends that night.
HippieChick58
Level 9
Feb 16, 2022
3
My first husband told me about this while in training. The Snot Shack or something like that.
I don't remember my 21st birthday, but drinking age was 18 back then.
BitFlipper
Level 8
Feb 16, 2022
3
That sounds like a terrific 21st birthday!
I've never been drunk, but I spent my 21st birthday discussing philosophy with a friend over dinner at the Moosewood restaurant in Ithaca, NY.
Organist1
Level 8
Feb 16, 2022
3
Love it! I had the Moosewood Cookbook.
I was only drunk once at 19. "Never again," I vowed. Stuck with it.
Don't like alcohol. It dehydrates and gives me a headache. Not worth it.
@LiterateHiker The Moosewood Restaurant was a special place. I've never been to any place like it. It moved to a mall in Ithaca, but I haven't been back there since 1975. I still have that cookbook.
Laughed out loud at "Here Horsie".
Been years since I have actively worked around or with horses but my neighbors had them all my childhood.
You just have to realize they are basically 800 pound toddlers.
BufftonBeotch
Level 8
Feb 16, 2022
4
I was working in a pizza place attached to a bar in Crown Point, Indiana when I turned 21. I got to serve pizza and sandwiches to drunks. I never understood why people drink to stupidity! 
Redheadedgammy
Level 9
Feb 16, 2022
3
I had times that I drank to stupidity. That might be why I cannot remember my 21st birthday.
I'm 20-25 minutes away from the square in Crown Point !
@twill I lived there 8 years and didn’t care for the state. My ex was from there so we moved back after he got out of the Air Force. I was a little California hippie trying to survive that repub utopia. 
@Redheadedgammy But geez...the gorgeous weather !
@twill LOL there isn’t any gorgeous weather there in the winter!!!
As ever we are treated to stunning photos of nature. I think that many people get drunk on their 21st birthday and suffer severe hangovers the folllowing day.
For those of who are Irish and those who are not, St. Patrick's Day will be an occasion/excuse to get drunk (I won't). Bloomsday on 16th June in Dublin will be another occasion to celebrate with a re-enactment of James Joyce's Ulysses.
Bertrand Russell said: "When the American Indians first tasted whiskey they discovered the illusion that life is worth living." Russell had a wry sense of humor.
ASTRALMAX
Level 8
Feb 16, 2022
2
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