We went on our first hike of the summer today! We decided on a loop that would hit 2 summits, first Welch Mt. and then Dickey Mt. It is billed as a rather challenging loop, but my kids have a truly amazing love for hiking. Like, as in, they're like 20 year olds when we do it. No fear, no exhaustion, and every corner turned is like Christmas. I LOVE it. So, here's the story of our 4.4 mile "loop" hike, as told in pictures, with a couple of other notable hightlights at the end.


1. Here's where we were about 45 minutes into the hike. According to my little trailguide thingy, that should have put us at the first summit, Welch Mountain. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed, and had a big snack. Then, we all shared a good joke about how glad we were that we didn't have to climb that crazy looking sheer cliff in the background! As fate would have it...


2. Here's us standing at NOT EVEN THE TOP of the ACTUAL summit of Welch. Looking down on where we thought was the ACTUAL FRIGGING TOP of Welch. Good joke, huh?


3. Continuing ascent. Colin got a good laugh at the top when he turned around & said "guess what? If I don't use my hands and bend over...I'll totally roll all the way to the bottom". HAHAHAHAAA!!!!


4. Sydney...doing what she calls her "mountain monkey" climb. Trooper.


5. YAY! A summit! Of something! We think we're at the end before our descent, and we roll out our full lunch. Thing is, we are still under the assumption that picture #1 was the summit of Welch, and we are now on Dickey. Again, snarky comments made about the crazy idiots who would want to climb that scary looking thing in the background. Enter a woman who says "are you kids doing the whole loop, or just this summit?". I'm all--this is the end of the loop, as in summit 2, and she's all---yeah, actually, no. See that right there? THAT'S Dickey...see ya at the top!! Kids ask "Mommy, are you sure you packed enough snacks for this?!" Mommy makes mental note to ration...


6. See that there? With the rocky trail? That's where we had lunch, ya know, on Welch, where we thought we were done? This is now 45 minutes AFTER said lunch, still on way up to summit of Dickey.


7. On our descent, both kids yell "Mom! Pooch is here!". And I am completely blown away by the fact that, indeed, Pooch seems to have stowed away in our car, snuck up the mountain, and is now doing his best to camouflage his presence. It's the stillest I've ever seen him sit! (It's a tree stump, folks!)


8. This is back in the car, about 10 minutes out of the park...headed home. I took the picture while flying down the highway at 80, and took it to show how wiped the kids were. But really? Really? All I've done is set myself up for my child endangerment arrest...because look veeery closely....

.....yeah.....Syd's not buckled. Nice. Remedied that immediately.

So, there are about 20 other awesome pictures, but you get the idea. The only other highlights?

**the nice old lady who asked Sydney what was in her backpack, and before she could answer...I said "Mommy's FLASK"! She didn't get the joke.

**there was a group of about 10 boys from a local camp there hiking the same loop. They were all about 15 or 16 years old. They were right along with us most of the 4 1/2 hours, and every SINGLE time we would approach and pass them, Sydney would yell "YOU GUYS GONNA LET A FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL BEAT YOU?!" Sure enough---we beat them down, and they ALL shook her hand. She was in HEAVEN.

**a pit-stop about 3 hours in where BOTH kids decided that no, in fact, they didn't just have to pee, but also both had an immediate and severe need to poop. So, I made it very clear that pooping was something that was really so uncool on a hike, and I sent them a little ways off the path with napkins and strict instructions to NOT SAY THE WORD POOP. They were to act like they were ONLY peeing---or better yet? Collecting flora & neat insects for their 4H club exhibit. Good. Yes. Got it. Then I heard the footsteps. Around the corner comes Henry the very-serious-70-year-old-avid hiker man (walking stick, wool socks, fanny pack, wide-brimmed sensible hat that breathes)...RIGHT as Colin yells, "MOM! THIS POOP IS A WICKED HARD ONE--IT'S GOT STAGE FRIGHT I THINK!". Henry the Hiker stops. Stares at me. I stare back at him. He opens his mouth to say "are you aware that your two monsters are taking CRAPS about a foot off the marked trail?" And I open my mouth to say "are you gonna carry the soiled napkins down the mountain IN YOUR BACKPACK ABOUT 7 INCHES FROM YOUR NOSE, or am I?". Yeah, that's what I thought. Good day, sir.

A FANTASTIC day overall. Tomorrow we head to Boston. Where there will be indoor plumbing.