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Hiker Mama Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 3451 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood |
Attendees:
Me, Gabriel (6) and Annika (2)
Sarbar and Ford (10)
Dicentra and Maddie (2)
Mountain Mel and Amy (5 weeks)
NOTE: I have exceeded the free storage for the month on Flickr, so I won't put up many pictures till July 1.
Friday morning started with Gabriel throwing a fit because I didn’t buy him a hydration bladder to go in his new pack. Then as we were getting shoes on, he informed me that his hiking boots were pinching his toes. I had been asking him every time he wore them lately if they still felt OK, and this was the time they didn’t. He was all upset that we didn’t have time to stop at REI on the way to buy him some new shoes. He did NOT want to wear his tennis shoes hiking, and besides, his hiking socks would be too tight in his tennis shoes. Finally I persuaded him that he didn’t have a choice, and we began loading the car. After the door was locked and I was getting them into the car seats, he reminded me that he was going to bring his bird book, but no, he didn’t remember where it was. A quick sweep of last places we might have seen it didn’t make it magically appear, so I let him use mine if he promised to take good care of it. After all this we made it into the car 20 minutes later than I had planned to leave; I hoped there wouldn’t be too much traffic.
On the way to the trailhead, Annika broke Gabriel’s (cheapo) binoculars beyond repair. But he was involved in studying my Peterson’s Field Guide for Birds, and we had a great discussion about why birds’ bills are shaped so differently. (It began when he asked me why sandpipers had such long, skinny bills. We followed up that evening at bed time by looking in the Sibley Guide at different bills and reading about how those birds foraged.) Annika kept a running commentary on the colors of all the semis we passed. “Mama! Nice green truck! Mama! Nice purple truck!” She was so excited to know that we were going to the mountains. When we pulled off the freeway in North Bend to get to the MFK road, she started fussing that we needed to go to the mountains, and why were we turning off?! I feel so lucky that both my kids share my passion for nature and wild places.
The MFK road didn’t seem as bad as I remembered it from just a few years ago. There were, of course, potholes, but they started much further in than I was expecting. I saw a bunny in the road on the way in, and the birds were singing all around. We all met at the trailhead on this beautiful, warm Friday morning, and were on the trail by 11:00. Sarbar somehow gets Ford to carry everything, so she only has to carry the camera. I look forward to each of my kids being able to carry their own things.
The Middle Fork Trail was much nicer than I expected. Even the forest just out of the parking lot was pretty and mossy, and immediately one crosses the river on the beautiful arched bridge.Fancy bridge
The water was moving rapidly, and was a gorgeous green color, like a gemstone. After we crossed the bridge, the boys quickly moved ahead, with Sarbar and MountainMel supervising not far behind. I hardly saw Gabriel on the whole hike. Annika and I brought up the rear. There were many times when we couldn’t see or hear the rest of the group, so it was actually kind of peaceful. I enjoyed talking with my daughter without another kiddo around to dominate. It was so interesting to see the forest from her perspective. For instance, on the way back we came upon a tree that had snapped off and fallen, and she stopped and studied it for a moment, then said “Uh Oh! Tree fall down!” in a very concerned voice. She stayed put for several moments more, really trying to comprehend this new observation. From then on she was aware of any tree that had fallen, and pointed them out to me. It was as if she were trying to make sense of what seemed to be a gravely wrong occurrence.
At home on the trail
We walked for a little over an hour, then stopped for lunch in a shady spot. We relaxed and talked as we ate a leisurely meal. The little ones got some of their spunk back, and the boys were just as energetic as ever. MountainMel’s baby had a messy blowout during this time. It brought back fond memories of my first ever hike with Gabriel, when I got the same initiation. After lunch we worked our way back down the river. I had the kids dressed too warmly, and they both had rosy cheeks in the afternoon heat. Annika had reached her nap time, and needed to be carried a few times. I brought out the bribery of the trip – lollypops. Those helped a bit. Dicentra and I also tried to get Maddie and Annika to hold hands while walking, to see if that would decrease the whining. I went back and forth between carrying Annika’s pack and giving it back, letting her carry my water bottle, offering snacks, holding hands, or not – basically whatever I could do to keep her walking and not sitting down in the middle of the trail. I’m glad I brought her baby doll this time; holding baby seemed to really help in the afternoon.
There were so many green plants along this trail, many of them in bloom. I took a whole mess of pictures. The rushing river made a soothing background noise, and we would get close-up views of nearby peaks through the trees to encourage us to look up occasionally. We only met one mountain biker, but there were several other parties on the trail this day. There wasn’t much mud, and no blowdowns to step over. Mosquitoes were out, and they seemed to leave pretty large welts. But they really weren’t too aggressive.
Once we were back to the cars, we cleaned up a bit and I changed the kids into cooler clothes. Then we hit the road and made it to the house before hubby got home from work. The kids played in the sprinkler, and I iced my feet and looked at all my pictures. Gabriel has a scratch next to his eye, and he will not tell us how it happened. Usually he’ll say, “I don’t want to tell you, but I will.” But this time he won’t divulge any clues. I’m not angry with him, just curious what happened. Boys will be boys, I guess!
Gabriel at lunch spot
All in all, it was a satisfying way to spend the day. I’m grateful to have other moms and dads to hike with, and look forward to plenty more outings this season.
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:01 am
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Great stuff Jenn. I wish I had that day off, we would have joined you. Adorable kids!
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:35 am
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Love the kid stories. They're intelligently inquisitive. I like how annika thought long and hard about the trees falling down.
Don't worry about the scratch over the eye. So long as guts and brain matter aren't flowing forth from a hole in a child, it's alright. We all have to have our little secrets. Maybe a companion and he had a fight, and the gentleman's code of honor prevents him from being a tattle-tale.
I've only been a few miles in that trail. I'd like to venture farther some time.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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MountainMel Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 39 | TRs | Pics
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MountainMel
Member
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Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:24 pm
A fun first hike with my 5 week old
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We had a good time. It was so great to get out. I like the trail cooking websites! Here are some more pics of the trip:
Lets do it again!
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Hiker Mama Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 3451 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood |
I'm glad we didn't scare you off, Mountain Mel! I'm sorry I barely even got to talk with you on this hike. We'll definitely do it again.
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Andy Schmidt Formerly Fuu
Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 210 | TRs | Pics Location: 98133 |
Looks like you kids had fun. Was a beautiful day to be out. I wasn't too far away from you on Friday... about 15 trail miles. I was camping at Waptus Lake Thurs-Sat. On Friday day hiked up towards Dutch Miller Gap. Stopped just short of Lake Ivanhoe.
Hope we can make it to the next kiddo hike.
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gone Member
Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1051 | TRs | Pics
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gone
Member
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Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:47 pm
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Hiker Mama wrote: | [Gabriel] was all upset that we didn’t have time to stop at REI on the way to buy him some new shoes. |
That's exactly how I feel every time I hike!
Sounds like a great time. It's a perfect kids-along trail, my young daughter loves it. And, you all picked the perfect not-so-hot weather day, too!
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Go Jo of the lykkens
Joined: 08 Jun 2003 Posts: 2248 | TRs | Pics Location: Around The Bend |
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Go Jo
of the lykkens
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Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:55 pm
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Sure, come play in my neck of the woods when I'm gone... and with sunshine no less! Thrilled to hear you had a great time and Felix and I will try to catch you all in 2 weeks. I'll carry him, he'll carry nothing, so we'll fit right in with most of you. Maybe I can whine and get a lollipop, I like the rootbeer flavored ones in case you're wondering ~Jo
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sarbar Living The Dream
Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Posts: 8055 | TRs | Pics Location: Freeland, Wa |
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sarbar
Living The Dream
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:59 am
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Hiker Mama wrote: | I'm glad we didn't scare you off, Mountain Mel! I'm sorry I barely even got to talk with you on this hike. We'll definitely do it again. |
Well don't worry...I am sure I made up for that...yakyakyak I canb e a real chatty cathy if I don't watch it....
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sarbar Living The Dream
Joined: 28 Jan 2002 Posts: 8055 | TRs | Pics Location: Freeland, Wa |
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sarbar
Living The Dream
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 7:04 am
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Gabriel did try his first Salmon Berry - he told me it was kinda sour
I was kind of glad to be going not so far. My lungs are killing me from a sinus infection. Ugh! I hike a couple miles and it is bed time for me
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dicentra Plant Geek
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 1127 | TRs | Pics Location: Der Town |
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dicentra
Plant Geek
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:51 am
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It really was a lovely day!! Thanks guys!
My TR is HERE.
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Hiker Mama Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 3451 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood |
Dicentra, I had to laugh, most of your pics look just like mine! We must have had the same ideas long the trail. I'm glad you guys could come. What's next?
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dicentra Plant Geek
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 1127 | TRs | Pics Location: Der Town |
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dicentra
Plant Geek
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Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:28 pm
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Andy Schmidt Formerly Fuu
Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 210 | TRs | Pics Location: 98133 |
We could do July 11th. May be able to convince Chele (my wife) to come and bring Mojave (our 1.5 week old). I'll think about destinations too.
PS -- Dicentra, I couldn't oper your site.
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Hiker Mama Member
Joined: 25 Jun 2006 Posts: 3451 | TRs | Pics Location: Lynnwood |
I'm not free on the 11th, but don't let that stop you guys from going.
Fuu, I was wondering if you had a new addition yet...Pictures?????
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