We sort of fell ass-backwards into hiking and discovered that, like everything else, there is an online community for it. As we dipped our toes into this new activity, we came across a lot of articles and blogs on the best way to camp and hike with kids, especially of the younger variety such as ours. But we never knew anything different; we weren't about to repel down cliff faces, and we certainly can't afford an all-day babysitter, so anywhere we went, the kids were free to follow. Then August approached and we were the last stop on my parent's now-annual RV trip through the United States. They wanted to take Zoey and Holden camping for a couple of nights, and where Jacob and I would go out to dinner, empty our bank account at the movie theatre, or do any other activity that is more enjoyable without children, this time we decided to take our date to the woods and see what hiking sans kids was like.
For starters, there was more beer, more water because someone wasn't asking for a drink every 10-seconds, more hiking, less complaining, and less carrying.
We're getting better at reading trial maps, Jacob more so than I; maps and me just don't mesh.
"Wherever you go, there you are."
We got to Grotto! Ironically, the hike we chose to do without kids is the exact hike that is made for kids. The trail is easy, wide, has a lot of cool things to see, and is - most importantly - short.
There was so much moisture that parts of the forest were carpeted by moss, and it was raining inside every nook and canny.
I swore a Unicorn was going to come galloping out of the woods at any moment.
Date nights looks a bit different in Montana. (And thank God for camera timers.)
This trail is pretty busy but we arrived at the end of the day so we lucked out and had the falls all to ourselves. Just leave me here, I'll be fine.
But it's the endless possibilities that lie around the corner that keep us going.
The haze is due to forest fires, of which we had a hard time escaping.
Since gettin' to Grotto Falls, we haven't had another opportunity to hike without the kids since we spent Christmas in Arizona and was able to squirrel away for a couple of afternoons. But, in all honestly, Zoey and Holden have grown to enjoy hiking, and they get excited for the trips we take. So, Jacob and I are looking forward to when we can share Grotto Falls with the kids later this year.
While they were camping with Grandma and Grandpa, they didn't do a lot of hiking, but they did play in the KOA pool, at the playground, and kicked each other when they should have been sleeping. Jacob and I sort of did the same thing.
We spent the extra day doing things the kids would have otherwise made more difficult: Jacob fixed things around the house without worrying about who was getting into his tools and how, and asking him endless questions about what he's doing and why he's doing that...
...And I did what I always do with a few spare moments: read a book. We also ate grilled chicken and raw vegetables and didn't have to listen to anyone scream at us that they weren't going to eat it.
And the kids are always talking about how fun the pool is, so we decided to borrow it.
They're right - it is pretty fun. :-) (Pointed toes for life.)
Shortly thereafter, Grandma and Grandpa did a slow-roll-by as they tossed the kids from their RV. They needed to get back to life in Arizona, and in the seemingly blink of an eye, we needed to get ready for school.
Surprisingly - and happily - though, we were able to head out into the wilderness several more times before the year was up, sometimes with kids and sometimes without. And while we might not be ready to write a How To, it was nice to finally have the experience of both.
