Hiking

Daddy so sweetly let me sleep in today after getting up so dreadfully early yesterday.

We love hiking, it is among my favorite things to do. I love just being in nature, with only nature sounds, only seeing God's wonderful creation all around me, it just feel so right.

During the conference they mentioned the importance of daily exercise for kids on the spectrum, well not only kids but anyone on the spectrum. Mr N typically gets plenty of exercise running around and playing outside, but on weekends we really like to get outdoors and do some hiking, if possible.

We recently purchased a book with the best fifty short hikes in and around Yosemite, the author did all of the hikes with her two kiddos. Our goal is to do them one at a time, take notes about each of the hikes so if/when we have guests they can utilize the book and plan their days accordingly. We started today with hike number 1 in the book, which is a 2.8 mile hike to Lookout Point in the Hetch Hetchy area. It is rated as moderate with a 527 feet elevation gain.

E started off the hike in a carrier, while Mr N lead the way up the trail. It was much different than most of the hikes we've been on so far. Typically when we hike there are lots of pines all around us, but this time there was mostly oak and manzanita. This was also our first hike to a summit, which was absolutely breathtaking. Daddy kept asking me if I got pictures from the point, but I told him it was impossible. There is no way pictures could do it justice.

The kids alternated between walking and being in the carriers. They both walked probably a mile and half or so during our hike to Lookout Point, then both ran around at the top. Unfortunately there is no fence at the top so we had to keep the kids within arms reach since there were steep cliffs on all sides that made us quite nervous about the kids.

After completing the hike I suggested we head up to the lake so we could look up at the point we'd hiked. Of course, once we got to the lake the kids wanted to get out and go across the dam and through the tunnel. We didn't stop there, we hiked about a mile on the trail to Wapama Falls (they are dry right now, so we'll do that 4.8 mile hike during a wetter season, it is hike #3 in our book). The kids both walked the mile in and we carried them most of the way back to the car.

It was a beautiful day, beautiful weather with my beautiful family with beautiful scenery is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

Bacon Ranch Potatoes are in the oven, so we'll be refueling our tired little bodies very shortly.