A Different Hike

Justin read about an abandoned railroad track, turned trail, so we took a trip.

The rails were definitely in disrepair

Lots of overgrowth, 

fallen trees,

and even fallen rock (Nate was sure they could move that rock, but they could only rock it).

In the man made canyon: we found a waterfall,

and tall rock walls, 

with amazing striations

and gigantic geodes

Believe it or not, this wasn’t the worst stretch, since there was a gravel

walk around.  I was not a fan of places where the gravel washed and we needed to walk on the wooden ties.  The kids did much better on those than I did.

We had the entire place to ourselves.  No one else came through the whole time we were out there.

Friday Funny

Gabby, when taking the take and bake pizza from the trunk, “There you are beautiful.”

Tip a Canoe

We met up with some friends to go canoeing/kayaking this week.  It took us awhile to figure out the best way to distribute our family in boats.  Finally we settled on Katie & Gabby in one canoe, Nate & I in another, Justin in a kayak, and Ellie picking either canoe.  She opted to ride with the girls.

I thought the girls were just being silly as they zigged and zagged across the river, but it turned out that the canoeing badge work from a couple of years ago in still water didn’t translate over so well to a moving river!  They ended up tipping over.  Justin, who had stayed in the back to over watch everyone and the two behind me, made it to them first.  They pulled Ellie out, who Katie had grabbed from her landing spot under the canoe.

The older girls and two dads maneuvered the canoe upside down over the two kayaks to drain.  They were able to flip it and get Katie and Gabby back in.  Ellie, who had been pulled into a two person kayak, with her friend and her friend’s dad(so much for the ‘we’ll all be socially distanced in our own boats.’  She decided she liked it there, so that’s where she stayed.

At the first big pull off, we switched, putting Nate in the back to steer with Katie and Gabby joined me.  That worked better!

Keeping Watch

Our gals

My buddy for the first section

Our stow away

Lately

The older two gals got the chance to go horseback riding.

Trail riding

Working in the covered arena

Learning one handed bowline

Nate shopping for ingredients for a cookout, first time he had been in a store for months.  He’s NOT a fan of mask wearing.

Sahara Dust

Rainbow

Slack line

Making a pie for friends who were shut in with Covid, for porch drop.

Peeling

Dicing

And canning peaches

Not pictured...meeting our friend at a Sonic, to sit at separate tables and chat over slushes, ice cream, and Sonic ice.

Some more Ancient Egypt study.

Watching Hamilton with the older two...Katie took charge of the remote and skipped over ‘the scene,’ if you are familiar.