Hiking George

Here we go, up the mountain!

It was a rainy weekend in Phoenix.  Rare, to say the least.  We spent plenty of time indoors, and as soon as we had a break this afternoon I decided to take Rhett to the park, and on an adventure.  He's just a couple of weeks away from 3, with enough energy to supply a small family...so I thought I'd try my luck at hiking it out of him.  Better known to Rhett, we were going to "climb a mountain, like Dora".  He was all for it.  Even willing to wait and play on the playground after the climb.  There is truly nothing so beautiful in Arizona than the stunning desert after the rain.  Wildflowers would have been the only better thing, but we still enjoyed it.

Standing on the first of many rocks.

Off we went, to tackle the slopes.  I was unsure how far he would make it.  Since he is 2, yet to be three, he can't simply trudge up the mountain, like his mother.  Nooooo, he has to skip and hop, and jump off every rock.  And climb on top of all the big rocks. And pet every dog.  And throw every stone.  And scatter the small rocks.  And lets not forget, walk in all of the mud.  Oh, it was joyously and deliriously fun!  I completely gave up any type of schedule and we simply had fun.  It was a great 2 mile, hour plus hike.  I was absolutely amazed that he just kept on going and going, like the energizer bunny.  He did finally reach for my hand toward the end.  And he also attempted to ask to be carried, which I quickly shot down.

Today was eye opening for me, personally as well.  When I was a little girl, my parents would take me hiking the mountains from the time I was just a baby.  Lugging me around on their backs.  They were hippies, they could not help themselves.  For goodness sake, my middle name is ASPEN, and it's not after the town, the tree.   Which I truly love by the way.  Anyway, the hike today brought back a flood of memories of my own childhood.  My father, especially, was and is, still a true man of nature.  He loves the land, and chooses to live much of his life in it.  I, on the other hand, as a kid did not have as much of an adoration of spending every waking moment on, around and IN the land.  I spent MANY a backpacking trip hiking up bear creak, hating every single breathtaking second.  I know, how can one hate being out in the middle of the mountains.  Just bear with me.  It just was not my thing. (Insert disclaimer here - that I DID love anything having to do with water - Lake Powell was a favorite, always).  I was not the kid that loved being out and sleeping under the stars, wiping my ass with leaves,  being cold, eating odd freeze dried food and singing kumbaya.  Yep, not me.  Still not me.  BUT - today - I got it, if even slightly.  Now, I won't go so far as to say, I have the same love of the outdoor universe as my father, but I understand the ability and fascination of introducing another human being to the WONDERS of this world.  Now, THAT, was pretty damn cool. 

Cheese Face

Is there anything better than a boy and mud?

Lichen - what was that?  Mud - oh it squishes.  Giant rocks - oh I can climb these AND jump off of them with Mom helping me to fly (because you can fly at 2 you know).  Dogs make footprints in mud. Mountain bikes can climb mountains fast.  Cactus really ARE pokey.  Hawks eat mice (ewww).  Something lives in all those holes.  We changed 'creepers crawlers, come on out. let us see what you are all about".  None came out.  But.... the best, we really did climb that mountain, to where we could see 'down' on all of the houses, our cars, the playground and the canal with a bridge.  Rhett was so excited and proud of himself.  

Another giant boulder to tackle.

He fell (tripped) a couple of times.  As headstrong as he is, he just got MAD and needed to cry about it for about 20 seconds.  Then he would accept my hand for help up and dust himself off and continue. 

On the way down, he reaches up for my hand, and we are walking down together and he says "Mommy....I love you".  That is now, hands down, the BEST hike I have ever had in my entire life. 

And thanks for showing me all of those little things in the world Dad.  I may not have known or liked it then, but I know what you meant to do, and I know your intentions were good ones.  However, I just want you to know I will never ever EVER get over losing my tooth on the bear creek trail.  That tooth fairy 'incident' will stay with me for life!  The things that we remember right?

On top of the world.

Handsome boy.

Laying down is cool too right?

Walking back to the playground to have some time on the swings, I turned to take this photo, as the mountain was bathed in the sunlight.  Rhett says "Bye George!".  I asked him, "who is George?" and he says to me - "The mountain mommy!  We climbed George!".  Well, alrighty then my smart little man.  Apparently we climbed George.  And we will go climb another mountain next weekend too.

Bye George! 

Playground time!