We Came, We Saw, We Conquered!!!! Mother's Day- Part 3

By now you'd think that I don't want to let Mother's Day go. I am definitely extending it as long as I can.


After church on Sunday we wanted to get out in the beautiful outdoors. All agreed that a hike would be a lot of fun. Plus, it got me out of the house and all the cleaning I didn't want to do that day. So we headed a few minutes Northeast from us to a Central Oregon paradise, Smith Rock.

We left the house at 3:00 and got there in just 15 mins. I feel like someplace this beautiful, this close to me should get more of my attention. This was my third hike there in almost four years.

We parked far away in the overflow parking. It was packed out! I remember son #1 commenting on how everyone had the same Mother's Day plan as us. We hiked down a side trail, not the chute, and made our way over the bridge to the hike sign. I had in mind to take a simple, not too treacherous hike by the river since we got a late start, but the children had other thoughts.
The sign read, Money Face 3/4,most difficult. And that is what they unanimously decided. So march on "uphill" we did. We hiked the Misery Ridge trail. I do want to say that my legs faired much better than the last time I did this 2 years ago with Michael. It's nice to know the exercise I have been doing has helped a lot!

We made it up to the top, where the view was "to die for". It wasn't the clearest day, but the mountains were still visible and so very beautiful. We goofed off at the top for longer than I wanted, but that was the point of the day right? To relax, have fun with the kids, and be outside. When it was time to go down, I was adamant about not going down that steep hill that got me up, but down was the only way. Something about going down a hill that steep just doesn't seem right to me.

By now it is 5:00 and the only other way down was to go the long way. I seriously didn't remember it being that steep. It was very slippery with my shoes that didn't have much traction and all the loose rock. I found myself on my rear a couple of times. Josh and Michael had the best hiking shoes and they had little trouble.

Alas, we made it to the bottom and followed the trail by the river back to the start. The start being the uphill hike back up to the parking lot called the "chute". By the time you do that long, Misery Ridge hike, an elevator is really what your looking for. I had a couple kids who sprinted up that and stood watching us from the top with their hands on their hips. Those youngins! I hope they appreciate their pain free joints, healthy heart now for it won't be long before they are feeling the pain in the knee and the pulse of the heart and have to stop and break every few steps.

Mandy wants to do this hike every weekend! She loved every moment. Jeff, he takes his hiking pack filled with all the essentials where ever he goes. He remembered the first aid, which we needed, and the water, which we needed, and the whistle, which we tried to take away from him. Josh, he just the energizer bunny. He keeps on going and going! Emma is a great little hiker who loves to to be first!! Her and Mandy were always racing.

I think if I were to do this again with them I would make sure we all had proper hiking shoes or a nice little hiking stick like many of the other hikers.

I am so thankful for this beautiful creation that God made. It sure does deserve a little more of our attention. Here are the pics to prove that we made it to the top and down again!!!