apAdventures

This was last weekend’s adventure, and there was nothing b-side about it: Mt Wrightson via the Florida Trail, all the way to the summit! 16 miles, 6k elevation gain, and weeds taller than last time!! We were sure to come prepared though with a change of pants and “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns and Roses stuck in our heads. A good time was had by all. 😁

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Big mileage, strong kiddos, patient parents.  Healthy foods, a good night’s sleep, the right gear.  Positive attitudes, endless motivation, words of encouragement.

Ha!  Right, that’s exactly us!  Hahahhaaaaa.  Consider this post the b-side to all our most recent trail adventures with the kids.

B-side adventure happens when:

• I buy a variety of pre-wrapped snacks for the kids to munch while hiking, and realize them picking out which ones to throw into their packs is the one motivator in getting them to pack their pack the night before without complaints.  …and sometimes the motivator for the hike itself

• Our kids bicker endlessly on the hike over who traded what snack and whether or not it was a fair trade

• Our kids have kicked it into high gear and I’m struggling to keep up and know that’s it’s either because a) they just downed an entire pack of those disgusting energy gummies that are nothing but sugar bombs or b) they’re talking about video games

• Our son complains that his backpack hurts his back and instead of buying him a better pack, I buy myself one so that I can carry some of his stuff when he starts complaining next time

• “Brunch at Barrio Charro” becomes the reward for not turning around before the planned destination is reached

• One of the kids needs to poop and the trail is too steep and exposed for detours, let alone privacy

• We realize we’ve left the breakfast and post-hike snack bag at home

• A park ranger notices we’ve brought our kids along, strolls past all the near-death looking hikers, and starts asking us questions on where we hiked in from and where we’re hiking to, and then gets very confused upon hearing our response

• We let the kids stay up way too late the night before because we all want to watch another Mandalorian episode (or three), and then we wake them at 3:45am, drive an hour to the trailhead, start up the trail, and then the youngest one stops dead in his tracks and declares “I don’t want to hike today.” 

• I can’t let go of the boulder problem i didn’t finish this summer in Durango and so decide that on the way to the Mt. Kendall Adventure, we MUST make a stop at the boulders so that I can send, despite massive protests by the kids.  It’s not that the kids can’t wait to get to Kendall for the big hike, it’s that they can’t wait to checkin to our accommodations and watch some TV.  
  (And for the record, yes, I sent).

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In case anyone was wondering why it is we’ve been racking up the trail mileage this summer…

Mt. Kendall. 13,066 feet high and the prominent peak above the little mountain town of Silverton, Colorado, Kendall has a convenient little jeep road that runs right from town to the top, 6ish miles one-way. We hatched the idea while in the area about the same time last year for our wedding anniversary, and all played out even better than imagined. Gorgeous weather, peak fall foliage, just the right amount of family fitness to carry us to the top and back without whining, super swanky accommodations to relax in afterwards, and best of all good company – Linda, John and Mandy (our hardcore crew that can’t ever seem to decline an invitation for a good trail adventure. You guys rock!).

Yup. Nailed it.

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Gleams off the desert grass on the Douglas Spring trail

And also off Ivan’s gorgeous blond hair

In exactly the same way.

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…the three favorite parts of staying with Uncle Joe and Aunt Holly for the week. The kids had so much fun they weren’t able to pick just one.

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How lucky are these kiddos? An Aunt and Uncle that live in Park City, an invite to stay with them for a whole week, and new mountain bikes!

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Kids are done with school now and summer has begun. It’s going to be a fun packed couple of months for us! We were at the Tucson airport less than 12 hours after finishing school. First adventure in the queue: playing in the Atlantic Ocean at Nags Head, North Carolina with Paul’s family!

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So if you were stranded on a desert island and could have three things, what would they be?

Silas: a boat, food and water

Nolan: a bigger island!!!

Silas’s friend who is also named Silas, whom they refer to as “Silas M”: You guys are nerds. A helicopter, a pilot, and fuel!

….and then they all crack up hysterically for at least the next 5 minutes, while small bits of pizza fall out of their mouths.

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Never gets old.

posted by ARR