Almost like camping

Friday was a perfect Fall day, so Pete took the 3 older kids to Morrow Mountain.  He had originally intended on camping overnight, but then remembered that his sleeping bag had been stolen the last time they went camping... and 2 of the kids don't have sleeping bags.... and our tents are wearing out... and it was going to be pretty cold at night....  So they went for the day instead.

(In my opinion, that's the best way to to do it... still get the time in beautiful nature, still get the campfire and camping food.... but no lying awake all night in a tent that leaks and does not provide good protection from bears!)

Before they left, Colsen kept asking me if he was going to get to see a deer.  Turns out he did!

Some more pictures from the day....

The kids were all able to handle the "strenuous" hike -- a 2-mile trail that was pretty steep at parts. Other than a 25-minute period when Pete and Rayna could not see Strider and Colsen (during which Pete got pretty freaked out), and a few minor falls, the hike was great.

Afterwards they built a fire and roasted hot dogs for dinner, and enjoyed the view! Sounds like it was a great almost-like-camping day.

(Colsen came home and announced that he is now a hiker and a mountain-climber.  He said, "Let me show you how I climb Mount Everest.  I walk real hard like this one day, and then I do it again the next day, and then I do it again the next day, and then I get to the top!  And then I have a bike at the top, and I ride that back down.  And sometimes I just take my car.")