We found a hiking trail that was 2.2 miles long in Uwharrie. We had never been there, but there is not much hiking in good ole Fayetteville. We also figured it was short enough for the boys to walk themselves and short enough for us to carry them if they couldn't. We also packed a lunch for a picnic afterward. The boys were all excited because I had dug in the closet and found hand-me-down sneakers that would fit them all - their very own "hiking shoes". Eli was most excited about the shoes. Hiking and picnicking in the great outdoors with my sweet boys. The makings of the perfect day.
Off we went into the woods. We made it about two feet before we stopped . . . to pick a mushroom. (Yes, I gave a speech about not eating the mushroom.) Then we went another two feet and - you guessed it - stopped to pick up a rock. They are very rare those rocks! Then another two feet and another stop for a pinecone. A "baby" pinecone to be exact. It was so cute! The boys were overjoyed being in the woods and seeing all the new sights. Good thing their pockets are small or we would have a pinecone exhibit in the living room.
However, stopping every two feet got old after about 36 pinecones, 345 rocks, and 8,789 mushrooms. Then, it started to drizzle. Thankfully, the canopy kept us dry, but I wasn't sure for how long. By this point we had been hiking for what felt like forever and there was no end in sight. Well, I take that back. It was about this time that we found an end . . . a dead end. The trail that was suppose to be a loop ran right into a river - and stopped. I am not talking about a little creek that we could jump. I am talking about a river. We couldn't have tossed them from one side to the other if we had wanted to. Danny went down to see if he could find a way across, but there wasn't even a shallow part to walk through. It was looking like we would be covering the 1.5 miles we had already covered again . . . at 1:15 . . . with our picnic back at the van . . . with three starving little hikers. "I don't think this was such a good idea," Jonah exclaimed. Me either, buddy, me either.
So, we began walking back with Danny carrying Eli on his shoulders, me carrying Benaiah on my front and Huck on my back, and Jonah walking with promises of gummies if we ever made it back to a grocery store. I am pretty sure this is how those "I Shouldn't Be Alive" shows start out. Then, Danny saw a little turn off. Now would be a good time to mention that this trail was run down. What had begun as a boy scout project had ended up as a forgotten path through the woods. There were logs across the path at many locations and whole trees covering long stretches of the trail. I don't recommend this trail unless you like praying for a helicopter to come pick you up and deposit you in the parking lot next to your van. I really was about to cry. But, then Danny saw the turn off. We figured we might as well try it. And, hallelujah! It completed the loop! I don't think I have ever seen boys any hungrier than mine at the end of that hike!
They all ate sandwiches and such and finished right before the drizzle turned into a real rain. It was then that we noticed the dog poo. All four of my walking boys had managed to step in it. Thanks friendly dog owners because if I had not stopped to strip shoes off of my boys I would have missed all the TICKS they had picked up in the woods. *Insert endless head itching here* Yes, ticks. I guess the slow pace made us welcome targets. Eli even had a tiny baby one that I mistook for dirt right next to his eye! Needless to say, when we got home everyone got stripped in the tub and searched over again.
And so ended our first family hike. It was fun, I guess. At the beginning. But I think I will side with Jonah on this one. ;)
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