President's Day Hiking

What to do on a day off of school, when we don't go away anywhere, and the weather is nice?  Hike!  After a nice lunch with Mikayla and Brick, Grandma Sue and Donovan at Brick Oven, we went for a hike up Rock Canyon.  In all the years we have lived practically at the mouth of the canyon, and the kids go to Rock Canyon Elementary, I haven't taken the kids up there.  So accompanied by Grandma Sue and Donovan, we hiked up to first bridge, maybe about a mile and a half.

It was pretty sunny and not too cold, although when the wind whipped down the canyon, it did get nippy.  We had a bit of whining, but not too much.  The kids did ask several times, "When will we get to the first bridge?" but we made it without too much effort.  We looked at moss and trees, old rusted car parts in the ravine, and even came across some snow, though it was all concentrated in one spot and there wasn't much of it.  The return trip was much quicker than going, and we were all happy to be out breathing the fresh air and enjoying the scenery.  Who would normally think to hike in Provo in February?  We are enjoying the warmer temperatures.  The kids spent the rest of the day playing with friends and watching TV, all making for a fun day off of school.

Blythe wanted to climb up this sheer slope to touch moss at the top.

I encouraged her not to, but she did anyway.

Then she got stuck and needed help getting down. 

Blythe came prepared.

In that backpack she brought owie sauce and band-aids, kleenex, and chappie.

"Just in case," she said.

Blythe wanted a picture on this big rock.

Donovan had a hard time keeping his eyes open because they were looking into the sun.

I had them close their eyes and then I counted to three, telling them to open their eyes

and look at me when I said three.

Donovan had a hard time following instructions too. 

Donovan wanted to climb all these cool rocks.

Then he got stuck.

Ah! The first bridge!

Yeah!

"Can we turn around now?"

When we got to the bottom of the trail, right by the parking lot, the kids saw a bridge, much bigger than the one we hiked to.  "Mom!" said Brandt indignantly, "This is the first bridge right here! Why did we have to hike at all?"  

"Ha, ha!" I retorted.  "I tricked you!  We actually hiked to the second bridge."  As though I had really paid any attention.  We hiked to the first bridge up the canyon!