1 Here we are out on a hike with our dear friends - our first hiking buddies - before they move off island. Thankfully we're pretty certain our paths will cross again in about a year, so this isn't so much goodbye as aloha :) Sam is jotting his name down in the cache log book - it's the cache he set up and maintains himself, creating new books and tracking who has been there.
2 We're already very dirty - Sam mostly because mom was a bonehead and in the midst of all the craziness this morning trying to get Dave's car back from the shop enroute to the hike (coordinating bringing another friend along who would drive Dave's car back, then going to the trailhead) I managed to let Sam wear slippers instead of hiking shoes, thinking we'd probably not end up going far and it would be dry. Wrong! Slippers were...shall we say...slippery! He hiked for about a tenth of a mile or carrying them - going barefoot in the truly healthy way, so they say :)
3 At the Kids' Cache tree! We all love this tree and those roots.
4 The SNACK BENCH! All ills and worries and crankiness disappears at the snack bench. Magically! Works every time :) These kids are such fun! Here we are snorting like trail pigs!
5 Romping in the vines hanging from the trees - this provided endless amusement, wipeouts, laughter and fun! Oh, and some dirty rumps. Sorry Kathy!
6 Love this one - Queen of the Jungle!
7 Look at Ben's rump, and Sam's smile :)
8 We're at "Jump-Off" tree as I call it. The kids always enjoy this portion of the hike, too. I like the shorter hikes (2 mi or so) because Ben can do it all on his own and the big kids have time to explore and play at various points. We're not set on peakbagging on these types of hikes. We mix it up - longer and shorter - these days, but Ben loves to be on the ground chasing so his days of any pack time are very limited.
9 I set my camera up on sport mode and got some fun shots of them spinning off Jump-Off Tree. Love their faces and all the action in these.
10 The Cook Pines have a ton of pine needles at their base! Very soft.
11 And the eucalyptus all around on this hike makes it smell so good - especially after a brief shower like we had today.
12 Uh, Mom - We go this way.
13 Back up the trail to the parking lot.
14 But first - some log surfing!
15 And misc jumping :)
16 Now some paddling with sticks...and surfing in style!
17 More paddling...
18 Just enjoying them :)
19 I was impressed Ben was able to stay up there so long! Again, soft needles in case of accident :)
20 1, 2, 3...JUMP!
21 See this guy? Lots of cleanup to do at home :) What a good sport. They all had so much fun. Thanks guys!