above: The gang at the 3 mile mark.
One of the reasons we waited until this time to do our trip was that we wanted the Dudes to be old enough to do some real hiking without being carried (or whining). This past weekend they proved that they were old enough when we teamed up with the “boots kids” and their parents Diane and Brooks for a challenging 8.3 mile hike on the Angel Rocks Hiking Trail near Fairbanks.
left: The “new” bridge across the wetland.
right: A rainbow at camp the night before the hike.
We camped together the night before and the boys got right to work rebuilding a bridge that had gotten washed away. The boys worked for hours salvaging bits of the old bridge and creating a passable, parent tested bridge across a soggy wetland area.
The next morning, we dropped a car at the end of the hike which conveniently happened to be at the Chena Hot Springs Resort then started the hike which Diane described as an “up”, across and down”.
I have to admit that I was not as nearly concerned about how the Dudes would do on the hike as I was about how I would do on the hike. Exercise and activity on the trip is interspersed with times of “sitting”. And, lately I had been doing a lot of sitting.
The “up” part turned out to be 2 1/2 hours of a steep up hill climb. The boys had no trouble at all. I brought up the rear. It was one of those times when I thought that maybe the extra ten pounds of camera gear was not necessary. Then half way through the climb, the Lil’ Dude presented me with a rather large rock in the shape of a heart. We have been collecting heart shaped rocks on the trip and I didn’t have the heart to look into those big brown eyes and decline his offer. So, I added more weight to my already, too heavy, load.
The “across” part was a welcome relief and the views were worth the effort. There was mountain after mountain for as far as the eye could see and every hillside was vibrant with Fall colors. We traversed the hilltops and had 360 degree views the whole way as there were no trees on the top to obstruct the panorama. The top was also a choice spot for a picnic lunch.
It was also time to transfer the responsibility of carrying the “heart rock” back to its founder. At first, I had thought about accidentally dropping it on the trail or secretly slipping it into his pack then the weight of the guilt proved heavier than the rock so I came clean and asked if he would carry it the rest of the way. He graciously agreed. Of course, it was all downhill from there.
right: the infamous “heart rock”.
left: Our next campsite would be next to the pond in the picture.
The “down” part was a gentle grade down through the colorful forest with a bit of mud here and there. The boys ran down parts of the trails and when we finally arrived at Chena Hot Springs 6 1/2 hours later, they still had the energy to play on the monkey bars. I chose to sit and put my feet up. The hot Springs were calling but it was late in the day and the kids had worked up an appetite so we decided that the next day, when the soreness really took hold, would be a better day to soak in the springs.
right: The boys still had energy to play at the end of the hike.
All of the boys did well. There was no whining (except maybe a little from me) and nobody had to be carried. It was great to hook up with the “boots” again and the good company made the hike more enjoyable for all of us. Having proved themselves on a tough hike, I guess I have to admit that my babies have finally grown up! And yes, the “heart rock” did make it all the way home to be added to our collection.
“Appreciation of the natural world is a communication with nature in a language that, like any language, is learned most fluently as a child. Those who reach adulthood without firm contacts with nature must labor inexorably to absorb the lessons children learn in a single afternoon when the language of nature is theirs for the taking without phylum or genus or explanation of any kind.” Galen Rowell
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