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During the summer of 2018, I made the life changing decision to climb Mt. St. Helens, a dormant composite volcano in the Cascade mountain range. Full of snow capped peaks, rocky beaches and even a rainforest, the North Western US is undoubtedly one of the most incredible landscapes on the face of the Earth. While I have many wonderful, heartfelt things to say about Washington state - the weather is not one of them. After descending from the mountain it was quite late. We could feel the storm coming in, but thankfully our tent was set up just in time. With it being windy, and Mother Nature acting the way she was, we had no opportunity to eat. Instead, my mother and I fell fast asleep with a thin blanket and a single pillow. But, this peaceful sleep didn’t last as long as I would’ve preferred. I wake up, drenched, shaking and robbed of my portion of the blanket. It had appeared that during the night I rolled over against the tent, allowing the water to cover me. At first, I thought the claiming I had hypothermia was a bit dramatic. It turns out that is exactly was happened. I immediately woke up my mother, who got a kick out of the situation itself. Walking from the tent to the car was perhaps one of the most painful experiences I’ve gone through, and, of course, it was still pouring. When the car is turned partially on, I see the temperature: 28 degrees, which instantly made me feel colder. Unfortunately, the engine itself it seems did not take a liking to the weather either. The car reused to turn on all the way. After several attempts and a few choice words, we agree that the only way to get out of this situation is to seek assistance from a fellow camper. There was a small RV close by and despite every horror movie and news story, we asked if we could come in and warm up for a bit. The situation turned in our favor, for most climbers were still awake from the storm. The young couple we met in the RV inspired me to no end. They had been born and raised in a small town in Washington, and they were just beginning their journey around the country. They had never left the county they grew up in, which absolutely shocked me. I had always complained about how little I travel when in reality, going just one place a year can flop your life around in the most incredible way. I’m glad to say that during the long night of making two new friends sitting next to a heater for six hours, I lived to tell the tale. This experience, and the stories I have collected from others are what makes me passion about being a storyteller. Life is about the people you meet along the way, and the annoying little things that happen in between.