After last weekend was miserably cold with subzero
temperatures that limited our outdoor time to a few brief hours of yard
play, I'd been watching the weather forecast desperately hoping for a
chance to get out this weekend. Today was forecast to be rainy with
mild temperatures. However, throughout the week, the likelihood of rain
in the forecast kept decreasing, and there was also my desperation
factor... I was pretty much determined to go no matter what. I
convinced Erin the rain wasn't worth worrying about, and offered to meet
her somewhere out her way. We settled on Great Bear.
Since
Erin was planning to try the external frame pack with Alden for the
first time, we decided throwing snowshoes in the mix might be too much,
so I left Frankie's and my snowshoes in the trunk out of solidarity.
Great Bear is well enough used by dog walkers that I felt certain the
main trails would be packed out, and that hunch turned out to be
correct. A few parties were leaving as we shuffled boys and gear at the
parking lot and none were in snowshoes, so that eased the last of those
concerns. Erin brought her poles because of the ice, which was bad
along the main entrance road where it had been plowed, but wasn't an issue
in the woods.
It did rain, in the parking lot as we were
setting out, and a few more times along the hike, but it was always a
half-hearted affair. And there was sun, too, and blue sky mixed in,
enough to make the dull melting snow and drab browns of winter bloom in a
landscape rendered suddenly cheerful and bright. We hung out by the
river for quite some time as Frankie played in the snow, Erin rested her
back, and both boys snacked. I helped Frankie build a wee tiny
snowman, it's size hampered not by lack of snow, but by my lack of
mittens. I had three pairs of gloves for Frankie AND his big snow
mittens, but it was 50 degrees and I didn't bring gloves for myself.
Somehow I failed to anticipate the need for building snowmen. How very
foolish of me!
That is a piece of gear I need to invest in
actually. I have glove liners and wool gloves and thick non-waterproof
gloves and monster mittens, but no waterproof mid-weight gloves. Hmm.
Something else to research and add to the pack.
Alden
loved riding in the Kelty backpack carrier! He was looking around and
smiling constantly, and babbled more than I've ever heard him talk
before. It was delightful to see, especially given that I was not
carrying the heavy burden, haha! I offered to take a turn carrying it,
of course, but Erin was determined to sort it out, knowing she has a lot
more carrying in her future. I certainly did my time with that thing!
I found it almost painfully heavy and not super comfortable most of the time,
but it was worth every minute of happy outdoor time.
We were
trying to squeeze the hike into the window between Alden's morning and
afternoon naps, so didn't go far, just down to the river and back. No
matter... it was a great time and Frankie and I are both so much happier
when we get out.
WOW! I've really missed a LOT!!!! :(
ReplyDeleteFun to see though, great pix!
ReplyDelete