Caprock Canyon Camping

We camped, hiked, geocached, played games, explored a small town, and watered a roadrunner. It was a good trip. The kids had fun spending time with their Grammy and Gramps. And Derik found a challenge that is close to home. The Caprock Canyon State Park Trailway is a 60 mile trek that I will not be joining him on.  See here for details:  http://www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringfeatures/trailmonth/archives/0504.html

Need to Move

I have the travel bug!

We are going camping tomorrow for a couple of days and we have a 7 day vacation starting on the 17th, but it's not coming soon enough. Every morning I wake up and my first thought is that I want to get out of town! 

Does this happen to anyone else? I am just restless here and bored with the routine we have developed this summer. It's time for something new and different. Time to go!

A Hiking We Will Go

We are hikers. Have I covered that before?  Derik has a passion for it like nothing else. That's not true. He has the same passion for hiking that he has for music.  He has plans for 15 mile hikes, 2 day hikes, and even a 4 month trek that will take us the length of the Appalachian Trail. At any rate, we are hikers. We have been hiking since we had to carry or push Braden in a stroller. It's a good way to spend time as a family, with no distractions. Just conversation and nature.

After Derik, Dustin, and Seth completed a 9 mile hike a few weeks back, we decided to do a more family friendly hike. Friday morning, we were at the Canyon when they opened the gate. We headed out on a 6 mile hike that circled the canyon floor. It was nice for about he first 4 miles and then Braden began to wear out. Thankfully, we came upon the cave that the kids like so much about that time that I thought Braden was going to give out.  So while Derik and Dustin finished the 2 miles left of the hike, Seth, Braden and I hung out in the cave.

While we were hiking, the boys talked about how much they would like to go to the Grand Canyon.  I did a 3 day hike with my dad when I was 14 to the bottom and out. My dad loves telling my husband about that trip, when I told him that I was bringing my husband there when I got one. I would love do that with Derik and the boys. However, the other morning was proof that any big hiking plans will have to wait a few years until we can all make it!  If Palo Duro Canyon wears us out there is no way we would survive the Grand Canyon yet. But when Braden is 14, we'll be ready!!