The Orion Adventure

By Emily Benson

Lauren and Dusty think their relaxing family vacation in the Sierras can't get much better. But that all changes when they stumble upon a high-tech, top-secret environmental science group in the remote mountains, and they are recruited to join their ranks. As the sisters gain more skills in this exciting new world they rise to the top of their cl

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emily Benson
• Release date: Nov 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578314723

Emily Benson

Emily Benson is an orthopedic trauma surgeon from Southern California who was crazy enough to believe that she could write a book that her children would find interesting. It took her 2 years and countless revisions to get to the point where it was even mildly entertaining.

Book preview

1

Horseshoe Lake Trail

My middle name is danger! Lauren said with a smile as she jumped aboard the Mammoth Mountain chair lift. It was the middle of summer and her family had taken a badly needed vacation to the popular ski region to reconnect with each other and with nature. The chair lift attendant was a young, tanned teenager with light curly hair.

He returned her smile and said, Have a great run, Miss Danger! as he threw her mountain bike on the lift behind her.

 The smell of the mountain air in the summer was dramatically different from the winter smells. The scent of fresh grass was everywhere, and the cool breeze brought a waft of pine tree mixed with sunscreen. The sunshine was warm but not blazing, and the temperature was perfect. At the top of the mountain she and her family scrambled off of the chair and sorted out their bicycles. Lauren tore off down the slope first, her slightly younger sister, Dusty, not far behind her. Their parents pedaled hard to keep up.

The trail began with sparse trees but then quickly tucked into the shady forest where it narrowed down into a single track, winding its way back and forth, up and down like a roller-coaster. There were sharper turns created out of concrete berms that made their teeth rattle in their mouths. And there were difficult-to-navigate sandy areas where their back tires would lose traction and slide out of control. Hitting the sandy patches would cause them to break into a sweat and feel as if they were going to fall, their handlebars vibrating violently. A few times they cried out in fear, certain that a wipe-out was coming, but at the last second they would pull the bike out of the slide and regain their balance like nothing ever happened. Dusty’s mouth would always break into a large grin after a near fall. It was that brief jolt of terror that she enjoyed the most.

Half-way down the trail, Dusty looked up and saw her sister in front of her, long blond hair flowing out from under her black bicycle helmet, her thin arms and legs cushioning her body from the bumps of the trail, her feet a blur of ferocious pedaling. This was a familiar view for Dusty because Lauren’s bicycle had gears and hers did not. A neighbor had recently given Lauren a bike that she had outgrown, and it was fast, much faster than Dusty’s. Even though her bike was slower, 8-year-old Dusty  preferred to duck in right behind her sister. Whenever she saw that Lauren was able to do something, it boosted her confidence and gave her the courage to continue.

They stuck together, shooting through the dust of the lower part of the trail until they reached the open flat area at the bottom and skidded to a stop.

How was it, Dusty? Lauren asked, her teeth flashing a large grin, her heart hammering in her chest, the sweat  trickling down the sides of her forehead.

Oh my gosh, let’s do it again! screamed Dusty, jumping up and down, pounding the dirt on either side of her bicycle. They waited for their parents to arrive, then all agreed that they had made it down in one piece with no major wipe-outs. Breathing hard, they  rode back to the chair lift line and waited their turn to jump back on.

And so went the rest of the day. Up the lift, down the forest trail, over and over again until their eyes burned from the dust and their wobbly legs couldn’t hold them anymore. Eventually they made their way down the last winding mountain trail, running deep through the trees back to their hotel in the village where they were staying the night.

Chewee, their dog, met them at the door to their hotel room, looking drowsy from sleeping all day. Dogs weren’t allowed on Mammoth Mountain chair lifts, so they had to leave her at home.

Chewee, girl, we’re so sorry! Dusty said. Sweet girl, I promise we’ll take you tomorrow! They showered her with affection as Chewee’s tail wagged hard and she licked them on their dirty, salty faces. Chewee was a rat terrier, mostly white with four large black spots. One of the spots included the base of her tail. She came up to just above Lauren’s knees. Her soft black ears folded down gave her a friendly appearance, and the little brown dots over her eyes made her face more expressive than the average dog's. Chewee was an excellent trail dog and resented the fact that she was not allowed to explore with her family today. She knew to stick with her family at all times  on trips and trails, and she could run farther than the girls could pedal. No one was ever going to out run Chewee.

They showered and dressed and walked into the village, all of their stomachs growling, including Chewee’s. They found a barbecue restaurant that wasn’t too crowded and plopped down onto the benches, discussing the finer points of their downhill runs. They each had bumps and scrapes they were pointing out and laughing about. Ryan, one of their mothers, had sustained the most damage. Her shoulder and elbow were raw from where the trail had rubbed the skin away when she hit a tree stump and lost control.

She shook her head and said, I didn’t even know what I had hit until the second run when I saw the tree stump right where I had fallen the first time! Her skinned areas were red and glistening with antibiotic ointment.

The girls had been surprised when Ryan went down because they had never seen her fall before. She was a lean, tall woman with unusual athletic talents. Mountain biking came easy to her, as did most outdoor activities. She was a chef by training, and the grueling years she spent working as the only woman in a kitchen full of competitive men had given her a quiet confidence in her own abilities. She kept her hair short. Her high cheekbones, olive-toned skin, and thin build gave her an elegance even in casual athletic clothes. Ryan was the emotional center of the family. Her kind, generous spirit was infectious and gave her girls a similar compassion for others.

What do you girls want to eat? Ryan asked as she had every other night of their lives. One ordered their usual pasta with butter and the other ordered the grilled salmon, both of which they slathered with ketchup. The only silence of the day fell on the table as they savored their food. Amid the clatter of forks, Lauren wondered out loud, Why does everything  taste better in the mountains?  Then over a shared dessert of berries and whipped cream they planned the next day. Lauren wanted to mountain bike again, but Dusty wanted to find a lake and swim.  Eventually they  compromised.  Horseshoe Lake, one of the lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin area, allowed them to do both. With one more full day in Mammoth before they would have to return home to Ojai,  they agreed they’d spend the whole day at Horseshoe Lake. After dinner they walked back to their hotel, fell into bed and into a deep sleep. Chewee squeezed in between Lauren and Dusty beneath the covers and immediately started to snore.

The next morning they awoke to another sunny but cool day. Excited about the lake, they packed up towels, extra clothes, and all of their biking gear. They picked up lunch on the way out and drove the winding mountain road up to the Horseshoe Lake parking lot. Chewee sat on the back seat between the two girls.

Bianca, their other mother, recalled the details of this particular lake as they drove. It was a small lake with a family-friendly mountain biking trail that was only about 2 miles long and wrapped the entire perimeter of the lake.  Bianca liked to prepare her girls for the challenges they may find in front of them, even if it was only a casual ride around the lake. Dusty, if you hit a patch of sand,  let go of the brakes and try to look straight ahead and ride through it.

Dusty rolled her eyes in the back seat and said, I know, Mom. Then she looked at Lauren and they both giggled.

Ryan unfolded the laminated guidebook on the local birds and started to read the names and descriptions of some of the birds they might be lucky enough to see at the lake. She and Lauren had become  serious birders, taking their binoculars with them on every outdoor adventure. Lauren liked the challenge of getting the binoculars to focus quickly on the bird before it took off. She practiced using her eyes differently while looking at the trees, staying sensitive to tiny movements of the leaves.

Ryan called out from the front seat, The California Quail, with its little top feather, or the Acorn Woodpecker with the shocking red patch on its head. Or if we’re lucky enough we could even see a bald eagle. They’ve been seen around here, though they’re very rare. Lauren leaned forward. They live only in North America, and they eat mostly fish, so they usually live very close to water. They used to be endangered, but now there are more than 10,000 of them living in the wild. Hey, get this: they have a wingspan of up to 7 feet! Neither Ryan nor Lauren had ever seen an eagle in the wild. Lauren doubted that they would spy one today, but she thought it would be the coolest thing ever if they did.

Then everyone chatted back and forth, remembering other cool animals they had seen on prior adventures. Remember that mama and baby black bear we saw at Big Bend Park in West Texas?!

Remember how we had to run and jump into the stranger’s car and we were so panicked?

Remember how your eyes were as big as saucers? They all laughed recalling how the feeling of wonder had rapidly changed to terror then back to wonder from the safe confines of the car. The girls had already seen quite a few wild animals in their short lives, and they were eager to see more today.

Once they reached the Horseshoe Lake parking lot the girls started to get excited. They jumped out of the car and saw the sparkling crystal blue lake at the end of a long sandy hill.  Loaded down with bags and gear, they waddled down to a cool spot among some fallen tree trunks and large roots. Blankets were unfolded and lunch was spread out. They sat under the towering pines, munching on apples, carrot sticks, cucumbers, pita, and humus. Large black ants patrolled the blanket while they ate, silently scurrying over and under the waxy white paper. Bottles of lemonade and sparkling water formed beads of sweat while they waited to be opened in the sand. Chewee sniffed around their area, dug in the sand a bit, then finally curled up in a ball in the shade.

Lauren and Dusty couldn’t sit still for long. Though they both enjoyed the peaceful stillness of lunch with their family, they ate their fill and  got up and explore.

Come on, Dusty, let’s go check it out! They bolted down the slope to a massive pine tree that had fallen toward the lake, Chewee right on their heels. The tree’s enormous root system had become exposed above the ground then dried out, making it look like a large wooden piece of playground equipment. Climbing the roots to the top brought them 30 feet above the ground, and from there they had a breath-taking view of the lake. It truly was a horseshoe shape, but the shape could only be appreciated from a height like that one. They could make out the beginning of the bike path leaving the parking lot, and they followed it with their eyes before it disappeared into the thick mountain forest.

Lauren, look how cool the trail looks! exclaimed Dusty. We definitely have to see where that goes.

Ok, let’s play here for a while then we’ll talk moms into getting our bikes off the car, Lauren replied as they settled into a long game of sea monsters and pirates walking the plank. They would walk carefully with their hands out to the sides as they followed the long, smooth tree trunk downhill towards the water. Once they got to a point where they felt they could jump off without breaking their legs, they would launch themselves into the sand. Then they would run back up the slope to the roots, clamber up, and begin the cycle again.

Their parents watched from the blanket, relaxing in the shade, wondering how long they would get to sit there before one of the girls would insist that they come over and jump in the lake with them. It was usually Lauren who would request their presence first. She liked to have everyone follow her lead. Lauren couldn’t understand anyone wanting to sit around and relax when there was a tree to climb or water to splash. At least one of her moms would usually allow herself to be persuaded. Today both moms sat on the blanket chatting about who would be bold enough to go into that freezing cold water.

After about an hour of playing on the fallen tree they decided they were ready to move on to something else.

Hey mom, can we go mountain bike riding now? Lauren asked.

Yeah, I want to check that trail out too, Bianca said. They all headed back to the car and Bianca pulled the bike frames off of the rack in the back. All wheels were checked for air, helmets were donned, water bottles were filled. They were ready for a ride.

Lauren led the way as usual, setting the pace. The beginning of the trail was uphill and hot. Immediately Dusty started to feel that this was a bad idea. Her heart felt like a hummingbird in her chest and she wanted to either turn back or get off and walk. But before she could say anything,  the trail abruptly dipped into the shady forest and  became magical, a woodland wonderland. The path  narrowed as the ferns and grasses grew more dense. Chipmunks darted back and forth, bird songs whistled above them.  Rickety wooden bridges crossed over rushing mountain streams. The pine needles were so deep in some places it looked as if the ground was covered with thick brown dog fur.

The trail had gentle hills and valleys, and every once in a while the sparkling lake would wink at them to the left through the trees. They rode into patches of sun, then back into shade. Chewee galloped with them, at times darting off into the forest, then re-joining them again farther along  the trail. Her tongue hung out of her mouth, bringing a smile to her furry face. She panted and her eyes were alert, watching everything. Chewee was at her happiest when she was on a run with her family.

The sound of running water was everywhere. Waterfalls of mountain snow run-off flowed all around them, under and over the trail, at times a trickle and at times a torrent, making the air cooler and wetter than it had been in the parking lot. Chewee trotted through the water, and it clung to her fur like dew.  Finally they circled back to their spot on the sandy shore of the lake where they had dropped their stuff.

Pardon the superlative, but I think that is my favorite trail of all-time! declared Bianca when they all were again sitting on their blanket.

I agree, said Lauren. It has a little bit of everything. It’s not too hot and you don’t have to pedal that hard. We’re going to have to do that trail again in a bit.

Okay, said her mother. I’d be willing to do the trail again. It’s not too long either.

But let’s swim for a while first, okay?! pleaded Dusty as she peeled off her t-shirt revealing her swim suit underneath. It was a one piece with a unicorn pattern on it. Dusty always was the first one to find water, and she always had to beg her big sister to get in with her. Her mothers always teased her that she could swim before she could walk. If there was water anywhere close by Dusty was going to find it, whether it was a puddle or an ocean. In her short eight years of life she had already mastered all of her swim strokes, won multiple swim meets, and become a rather impressive surfer.

"Come on, Lauren, please come with me?"

Lauren also peeled off her clothes revealing her swim suit which was similar to Dusty’s but with horizontal colored stripes.

Ok, let’s go! And their parents saw only the blur of their swim suits and bare feet as they ran towards the water. They ran out into the shallow part of the lake until they couldn’t lift their feet to run anymore. They dove in, feeling the harsh biting cold of the mountain water slap their skin.

Aaaargh, this water is cold! said Lauren, laughing and splashing her way towards Dusty.

Oh my gosh it’s freezing! laughed Dusty breathlessly. Chewee had made her way down to the water’s edge and dipped her paws in it, but refused to go any farther, instead lapping  some water up with her tongue.

Come on in, Chewee! It feels good! yelled Dusty. But Chewee disagreed and ran back to her blanket before the girls could get any crazy ideas.

There were hardly any other people around, and it felt freeing to the girls to be able to swim in the lake with their family around them, the mountains looming in the distance. They sloshed their way out of the lake and back to their parents and spent  the rest of the afternoon  lounging on a blanket in the sun with their moms.

Lauren took out the binoculars and she and Ryan wandered into the woods to see what birds they could spot. Moving slowly with their eyes on the tree canopy, they gently stepped over fallen logs and mossy rocks. The whistling sound of bird calls came into focus as they trained their ears in the silence. Almost immediately they were able to identify a Mountain Bluebird with its distinctive bright blue, almost turquoise feathers.

It must be a male, Lauren whispered. The females are more plain-looking with mostly grayish-brown feathers.

Right, the babies are grayish-brown too, whispered Ryan.

They spotted an American Goldfinch with a yellow body, black wings, and a black patch above its eyes. Lauren liked the brightly colored birds the best. She felt it was a lovely unexpected flair for a forest bird to be so audacious.

Did you know that a finch’s little beak is strong enough to crack a sunflower seed? Lauren asked. Ryan smiled.  How did that little head manage to remember all that stuff?  Unlike her daughter, Ryan preferred  birds of prey. She liked their strength and hefty size. They did manage to spy a couple of red tail hawks on their walk too. They were already quite good at spotting hawks because they’re so common in their neighborhood back home.

Both Lauren and Ryan really wanted to see an eagle, and they figured there must be a nest at this lake. It seemed like a perfect eagle habitat. So they found a place to sit next to the water and took turns with the binoculars scanning  the tree line. Lauren pushed the sand around with a bare big toe, and they passed the time talking. Ryan told her stories of the woods behind her house when she was a kid and how she and her brothers used to play there for hours. Lauren told her about other kids in her class in school that she was looking forward to seeing in the fall. After about an hour they gave  up and headed back.

I’m sorry, Lauren. I was really hoping you’d see your first eagle today, Ryan said as she stood up and dusted off the back of her shorts.

I’m sorry too, Mama, said Lauren. I was hoping you’d see your first too. At least we saw some cool birds that we would never see at home. She put her smaller hand inside her mother’s and they walked back to the others.

 They found Dusty snacking on dried mango, lying on a blanket next to her other