Cascade Springs

My friend Elizabeth Elder had a baby a couple of weeks ago, and today I volunteered to abduct her other five children to give her a bit of a break.  I had to borrow her minivan in order to get us anywhere, but she was happy to swap me cars if it meant I was taking her children away.  What mom wouldn't be?

I decided we would go to Cascade Springs and then up to South Fork to run around.  I forgot how long it takes to get to Cascade Springs--the turnoff is four miles past Aspen Grove and another seven miles further on from there.  But apart from some complaints about getting carsick, the children were good natured about the drive.  They sang funny songs and asked me to tell them stories, and we looked for animals (found several dead ones by the side of the road) and other interesting things out the windows.

The Springs have three short, looping trails that you can follow.  I remember the last time I was there we could see fish in the ponds, but unfortunately we saw no signs of piscine life.  The kids didn't seem to mind.  They were all good hikers, and apart from asking every 15.6 seconds when we were going to have lunch, were pleasant company.  We did all three loops and saw all the water, and as soon as we got back to the car, had to break out lunch which we ate as we drove back down the canyon.  No one could wait until we got to South Fork, but everyone ate well because there was nothing else to do while we drove.

We spent maybe an hour at South Fork running around.  The boys all found sticks and played army or guardians or something.  The little boys tagged along after the big boys.  I was able to get them back in the car with the promise of ice cream, and we stopped at Arctic Circle on the way home.  I should have gotten a picture of ice cream smeared faces, because there were plenty of them, but I was talking to Elizabeth (who met up with us) instead.  It was a fun outing for all of us.

Me, Brandt and Blythe with Collin, Ashlyn, Caleb, Brady, and Shaylee Elder

Brady (small in blue shirt) stopped at every sign we passed. 

Some had pictures and he would say, "Bird!" or "Tree!" or "Fish!"

 

Three Elders, one Barrus

 

Headed up the trail

This was the first shade we came to and everyone just plopped down on the trail.

I kept saying, "One two three, eyes on me!" to get people to look at me.

Brady hasn't been to school yet.

 

Brady is showing me he has not one, but two sticks.

Two!