Anatomy of a family hike

Logan Utah
November 19
to Castle Rock
^
blue-skied
balmy November day
all confidence and enthusiasm
every kid was trash talking the parents
"Come on, hurry up!"
* * *
And then we hit the steep part
Note to self:
when given the choice,
take the less steep path
not the shorter but vertical climb
* * *
I won't name names
but there was pleading to turn back,
hikers frozen in spot
a little wailing
but we kept inching along...

^
Lauren was the first to reach the top

^
then Maddy joined her

^
Look at that gorgeous valley
I love my original homesweethome

^
Lauren enjoyed pushing the limits
of the rules
If we said "nobody goes past that ridge"
she managed to creep just beyond it
Shortly after this
I had to remove myself
so I wouldn't freak out


^
so I entertained myself taking
self portraits
since I never include myself
in the photos as the self-appointed
family photographer


^
this answers two questions:
why don't I include myself in photos?
and
why am I getting two vertical lines
engraved between my eyebrows?

^
hop aboard the hike train,

^
wave good bye to the mountain
and head back down
satisfied