Fall is my favorite time of the year!
It USED to be summer! I loved ALL THINGS SUMMER! I loved softball, no school, hot summer days, swimming, and everything associated with the freedom of the season. I love barbecues and family reunions. I love camping and hiking and biking and getting away from the rigmarole of life. I love long days and popsicles. I just love it all.
Until humidity! Now, I still love all those things but I love them in Fall weather!
I also love the colors of Fall. I still love a deep blue and some cool colors, but I love the warmth of Fall colors. I love how the trees change. I love how the mornings and evenings are cool and the days are sunny and warm.
Such was the PERFECT day for our trip to Garden of the Gods!
I have been wanting to go for a long time....probably nearly as long as I have lived here! Becca went in the summer and we decided to go again this Fall. Finding time off of school was tricky....where she wasn't busy with YW and me with kids and soccer and such. We are busy!
Did I mention it was THE PERFECT DAY! Not only was the weather perfect, but the hiking (4 hours worth) company was fabulous, and the colors on the trees was perfect! A splendid splash of reds and greens (light and dark) and oranges and yellows. I am pretty sure the pictures won't do it justice AT ALL!
We camped over Sunday night! Celll phone coverage was limited...well, non existent for Becca and me....so poor Bruce and Brittany had to drive around forever to find us. I felt horrible! But glad they made it. We talked around the campfire for a bit after roasting marshmallows for s'mores! (a perfect activity in the dark!!!)
We didn't even put our rainfly on! I kept my glasses on long enough to look into the clear starry night. The trees blocked a lot of the view, but I could still tell how gorgeous it was! It reminded me of summer nights growing up....cool and clear!
Breakfast was "Eggs in a bag! Eggs in a bag!" (thanks, Brittany :) Spencer still sings this) After getting everything cleaned up we made our way to the trail head....and off we walked and walked and walked. It always takes longer than you expect. Poor Spencer was tired....I had left all the others home so I would have no complaining. Oh well! I decided to document his hike.....the midway stopping point was his highlight!
He started by warming his wet unders! I just HAD to take a picture...this may NEVER happen again.
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| After just 5 minutes we found some water...Spencer wanted to have Becca use her water purifier! He was tired from the get go! |
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| The tree Spencer WANTED to climb...but on we walked! |
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| So glad for friends that love my son....spend time with him, etc! |
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| He found a walking stick! |
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| tired |
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| still tired |
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| now HOT and tired...off came the shirt |
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| tired again? |
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| glad that friends walk with him....he was in 7th heaven with so much adult attention |
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| This guy was SOOOO nice to let Spencer up on his horse. Spencer had been begging me to buy him a horse. He has been wanting to go riding FOREVER! So this was quite a highlight for him. Before he went to mine for gold...you could see his wheels turning inside his head. "Can I ride the horse down there?" Funny kid! It was enough to get him on the trail for the 2nd half! |
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| Mining for a 'gold nugget' to buy something in the store. Never found one...no worries! |
Now we are getting to some fun stuff....but still a LONG way to go!
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| He wanted to go down that gorge. Good thing Becca was pretty adamant about him NOT going that way! |
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| Tired enough to lay down in the dusty dirt? Only Spencer! |
Now we have made it! We finished the LONG hike and are tired...but happy to see some of God's beauty!
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| Had to add this pic...it totally shows EXACTLY how we all felt after 4 hours of hiking! |
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| Spencer in his favorite spot -- a TREE! |
And now the fun pics of my friends....so much fun to hike with them!
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| Isn't this a beautiful area! LOVE the Fall colors! |
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| just because of the awesome fall colors! |
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| Just because.... |
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| I think this may be one of my favorite pics! |
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| Hey Brittany! Stand in my pic and smile....hehehe. LOVE it! |
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| The ENTIRE Gang at the Arch....almost done with our 4 hour hike and on to the beautiful scenery at the end! |
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| My Hiking Gang |
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| Bruce & Brittany Richards |
2 comments:
I think my favorite is the one of Spencer laying/lying (never can remember which one it is) in the rock. Or maybe the one of him all dusty. Or maybe the 2 of you still smiling after all that hiking.
It was lot's of fun Denise! I'm glad we found you.
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