Taking on Nature ...and I think nature won

The boys and I went out on Sunday to enjoy the wonderful weather... friends of our had told me about a new "biking and running" trail.  The one we currently go on is paved, so this one (in my head) should be as well.

I loaded the boys bikes up into my car and headed there.  I planned to run while the boys rode.

When we arrive, Sam notices that the trail is pea gravel and dirt instead of paved. (Sam still has training wheels.) I reassured him that the trail looked raked and that it would be fine.

...and it was.... until it wasn't.

About a half a mile in, it turned to woodland. Like dirt bike trails. Like rocks and tree stumps and mud puddles.

I was determined that we would be fine.  I kept encouraging Sam to press forward (I, of course, had a death grip on him because he insisted!!)  Colby was eating it up!  He was jumping his bike and splashing through streams.

About a mile in, we stopped to take a break. I was getting more of a workout than I had planned.

Two guys on their mountain bikes came up from where we were headed.  They looked at me all red faced and then at Sam's training wheels. "First time here?"


"Yeah." I laughed. "What's down that way?"


I think they must have thought I was past the point of rational thought.
"Down there?  You don't want to go that way!! It is MUCH harder than what you just came down.  You should probably go back the way you came."


That was all the confirmation I needed.  I glanced back the way we came and noticed that there were two paths not one. "What's that way?" I asked pointing toward the path we hadn't came from.

"Oh that?  We haven't been on that one... but we think it is a short cut."


"Okay... we'll try it out. Thanks!"


Thinking back... at the beginning of the trail there had been 2 options. The "easy" course that we took... and the "advanced" course (aka "the short cut").

Yep, you guess it!
We ended up going through streams and over tree roots and major muddy pits. Of course Sam couldn't ride through this, so I ended up carrying his bike. (Again, another workout I hadn't planned on!)

When we were back at the car, we were all filthy. Colby was not done though.  He convinced me to head to a trail that we hike all the time.  I agreed on one stipulation - no bikes.  :)

I pulled my camera out instead and sent the boys on a scavenger hunt for wild flowers.  They did a wonderful job of finding them off the beaten path.

They also found this:

They decided that they could definitely hear a Who from Whoville on this!

Despite the dysfunction of the beginning of our afternoon, I was quite please with how wore out we all were... the sure sign of a good day... and seeing their smiles was another sure sign. :)