It's me, Dave, just in case you got confused about the change in style or content. Now that we got that out of the way, this is my first blog of our 2011 Bend vacation. It has been an altogether different experience this year with Tyler and Hailey turning into little people rather than toddlers. We have had a trip full of firsts and new experiences and I am excited for what the years will hold in our future. I envision outdoor sports, hiking, skiing, golfing, and our trip to Smith Rock Park was the best indicator of that. In fact, today we went out and got the kids camelbacks to make sure they don't dehydrate and die on us on a future hike!
Val and I planned on taking a shot at an adult hike at Smith Rock and figured a little toe dip into the proverbial waters with the kids would give us a clue about what we were getting into. We have been coming to Bend every summer for all of Tyler's 6 years and then some. Some years we have made multiple trips. We have driven by Smith Rock a few dozen times at least and never got to experience the breathtaking beauty. Even Tyler remarked at how amazing it was and has requested his special day include a hike there, rather than the annual bike ride in Sunriver. Bring it on little man, you got your camelback so lets hit it!
As for me and Val, on one of these mornings we are going to fill up our camelbacks and head out to climb 'Misery Ridge'and then get a good look at Monkey Face. During our hike we looked at Misery Ridge and while both of us have been eating slightly too much on this trip felt we could kick it's you know what! Then, we looked at the map and saw that what we took for 'Misery Ridge' is actually called 'Picnic Lunch Wall'. Stay tuned for how that hike works out!
As for our day, the kids did great. There was a pretty decent descent and ascent (I hope I spelled those right) and we quickly found out that two kids nalgene water bottles is not enough for a hot, dry, dusty landscape and hike as this (thus the camelback splurge). Nature is a wonderful thing and it is becoming more and more evident that our kids were meant for the outdoors, regardless of their paleness!
We don't know what we are getting into, do we?
The path down and up.
The view from below. I am a speck in this photo somewhere, poor choice to wear all tan.
We got this, Dad!
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