Nichole: I grew up between both Montana and Wyoming. I grew up [in] the Western, kind of Southwestern part of Montana, near Missoula. Throughout my childhood, all my summers were spent in Wyoming. In the small town [of] Basin, as well as the Casper /Glenrock area. Mostly, it was like [that] during the summers: my parents were working parents. So, then I would spend the time with my grandparents, [I was] able to spend half my years with them. I've been in both places throughout my entire life. It was a normal childhood. You know, being able to go to parks, play with friends, you know; my childhood was, fortunately, in the time before technology was a really big thing. Video games were just starting to be a thing. But I would do that on the side. It was more important to me to play out in the park.

Nancy: Do you have any particular memories of [being] at grandparents? Or out in the park of just playing and being outside?

Nichole: I'm trying to think because there's so many. I do remember, this one's a little more extreme, but I do remember there was one time…. [this is why] I've always preached safety when it comes to the outdoors… And granted, I was born, bred, raised around [guns] when it comes to personal protection; safety, when it comes to like firearms and everything like that. I know that's a pretty big stigma in the modern world, but you know, in the world that we live in, it's not the people here, it's the wildlife that you sometimes have to protect yourselves around. And you can see that a lot in Yellowstone. So, there was one time… the biggest animal that I fear in the state, [is] not a grizzly bear, [is] not a wolf, it's a moose because they don't care if you skid them; if you scare them just a tiny bit, they'll come after you.

There was one time, we were four-wheeling with my grandparents, and we were camping out in the Bighorns, between Grable and Sheridan, so we were camping up in those mountains pretty deep and we were going through one of the main roads, and all a sudden we see a group of moose. What we didn't notice was a bull that was about probably ten, fifteen yards away from us.

I saw movement out [of] the corner of my eye and suddenly, the moose starts chasing the four-wheeler. I'm with my grandfather. I'm young enough to be able to still sit in front of the four-wheeler and he just starts booking it. We go and I think we went maybe half [of a] mile before [it] got bored and went back to its herd. But that was probably one of the scariest experiences I've ever had, most probably one of the more exciting experiences I've ever felt. It was crazy because I also never really felt scared because I knew, just growing up in a place like this, where you know nature [is] such a volatile thing.

Almost a fickle mistress, for lack of better terms. You have to respect her, and she'll respect you. I think that[s] what happened: we did get a little too close to wildlife. We were between the male and his family, and the male didn't like that very much. That's just instinct.

You think back on it as an adult and how terrifying it was, but also [it was] a very beautiful thing because it's really like [that]. It instinctually boils down to family. And, you know, whether it's your own family, or your chosen family, no matter who. It's the people in your life [that] are so important to you, or the beings in your life that are so important to you, they matter the most.

Note: The transcript above has been condensed from its original audio recording to improve the flow and readability of the story.