Today we wanted to go on a hike. Dave told me yesterday that what he really wanted to do today was go on a hike. We had about a zillion other things that needed to be done and I wondered if we would make it after all our errands, naps, lunch time schedules to keep, etc. and we didn’t make it until about 4:00PM leaving our house with a backpack for Jonas with a snack in it and a baby carrier for each of the parents. We drove to the place we had planned to go (Mount Pisgah) and found signs designating it as “Faerieworld” all weekend. Dave was driving the car and we both looked at each other as he made a U-turn—neither of us wanting to find fairies afoot in the environs of Eugene. I checked the map and found another couple of tall hills (there aren’t many) and we headed in that direction. We missed the turnoff to Spencer Butte from the back side and ended up on Donald heading south. I found another trail and we pulled into a small trailhead parking lot at Mount Baldy.
What ensued over the next hour was pure perfection for a hike for our family as it is now.
The trail was well-maintained and easy to walk. The inclines were not too steep nor too boring. Jonas felt challenged, but also rode in the backpack for about half of it. It wasn’t too strenuous with a baby on my back.
We saw a deer and picked and ate blackberries, both going and coming.
At the top, there was a beautiful bench carved in memory of a young lady who died a couple of years ago.We sat a while and drank water and ate our granola bars and persuaded Jonas not to go too close to the edge of the incline and entertained Maggie without letting her down to crawl.
And the vista—this is the reason I climb.
The exercise and fresh air are nice, the wildlife interesting, the fresh air invigorating, but being able to see the Cascades from the top in one direction and the lake about 15 miles away in the other made every step worthwhile. Can’t wait to go again—highly recommend this as a hike for families with small children.
On the trail and at the end with the babe on my back.
I'm jealous of your hike. There aren't very many inclines in Texas, as you know, steep or not. So the anticipation of a view is something I haven't enjoyed in a while. What kind of back pack do you have for Jonas?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you have a blog! You're being added to my reading list immediately
She's got longish hair! Maggie, I mean.
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful. It reminds me of the hike we took with you two visits ago. And we have blackberries growing along the canal near here. Randy and I hiked all the way to the stake center last night : that's about 5 blocks away. And tonight I saw the stars!
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