I’m hanging out at Grandma’s house this week recovering from sinus surgery. I’m feeling pretty good about this one! I head home on Thursday, in two days, and pick you up on Friday! 🙂 I have a cup of coffee and My Little Pony on in the background this morning.
The first weekend you were out of school for the summer between Kindergarten and 1st Grade was also Fathers Day. I took that opportunity to take you backpacking for the first time. We headed out to Linton Lake from the old McKenzie Pass, a spot I’d never hiked before.
The Linton Lake hike features mixed terrain and is about 3 miles out and back. Our plan, two nights, three days at the lake.
You’d been excited to go backpacking for the first time for over a year but on our day headed to the lake you were getting a little nervous cause you heard brother and I talk previously about backpacking, cougars, bears and snakes and such. I had to convince you in the car that since you didn’t want to go backpacking, we’d just go hiking, then camping 🙂 cause I know you love both of those things.
As soon as we parked the car at the trail head you were PUMPED UP and ready before I was to get going. It was a bit wet and misty so I tied a rain poncho over you and your backpack and we hit the trail right away.
I love your can-do attitude. I find it very inspiring. I’d like to think I had something to do with that. I always wanted you to have the pioneering spirit that I think we get from our ancestors.
We had a great time on the way, full of affection, good conversation and exploration. You’re a natural in the outdoors. You quickly found a walking stick and kept wanting to put rocks in your pocket. Things that reminded me of when I was a kid. If I could choose, we’d do something like this every month! I’m sure you wouldn’t mind.
When we got to the lake there weren’t many people but there were two camps setup in the best two spots. We tried bushwhacking our way around the lake. You, the voice of reason finally prevailed as we ended up going back to setup camp closer the the trail. But you did it, without complaining. I almost felt bad. We we’re climbing over trees and through thick brush. We ended up setting up camp just about sunset. We collected wood to make a fire but everything was pretty late. When I was prepping some food for dinner a teenage girl from the camp closest to us invited us to share their fire which we were very grateful for.
The next day we got to run and play and explore. You were pretty excited and I a bit nervous at first, you kept wanting to go back and fourth over a fallen log about 6 feet over a tiny creek. We had to cross it to explore the far side of the lake where we found the first set of waterfalls and another great campsite. By the next day I think you could have done a cartwheel across the thing. That’s an important part of being a parent. Letting go and allowing your child to develop skills and asses risk for yourself, so I always try to be encouraging.
Campfires, food, hiking. It was great. I gave you your first pocket knife, a pink swiss army knife and you spent every moment whittling or climbing fallen tree trunks. We both didn’t want to leave but eager to get home to Mom, Brother and Sisters at the same time.
