Hunter and Zanders World: Going on a Nature Hike

It started out as a very nice, casual walk on a very well beaten path through the woods. The colors of the trees were just starting to turn and the view from the look-outs were unbelievable. We walked until the path came to an end and where there was a sign in front of some steps that read; 930 to pond access. Before I had time to think about how far 930 feet really was, Hunter was on his way down. I stood at the top thinking, you guys are crazy if you think I'm walking down all those steps with Zander in the backpack carrier on my back! Of course walking down wasn't what I was worried about, coming up is where I am sure I wouldn't be able to make it. I don't think Jason was too keen on going down all those steps either and the fact that he didn't offer to take Zander off my back and onto his made that abundantly clear.

Once at the bottom, which was an easy and steady decent, we were standing on the edge of the lake. The water was crystal clear and there was one boat with a fisherman trolling around. The perfect setting to set up an easle and attempt to paint the scene. We sat down for a few minutes until Hunter spied a suspended bridge that took you another 900+ feet deeper into the woods. We all made it to the end but by then my shoulders and back were starting to ache with the not so light body I was carrying on my back, AND we still had to make our way up all those steps. After taking another little break and walking to the edges of the water, we began our hike back up. With Hunter practically running up the stairs, me and Jay followed behind......slllllooooowwwwlllllyyy.....thank goodness for the sturdy walking stick I found, that allowed me to take a few leaning breaks and supported me on the way up. Needless to say we were a little out of breath at the top, well me and Jay were, not Hunter he was still talking and hopping and jogging and whatever else that a 5 year old with endless energy does.

Can't wait to go back to the lookout to see the trees now during their peak show of colors, but I think I might just skip the steps or maybe I will tackle them again to see if I am in any better shape since the last time!