We saved our actual hike through the desert for our second last day. It was a gruelling 3 kms of trail (on the path we chose) that worked out to (or felt like!) at least 5 due to the deep sand and huge hills & dips along the route.
Shwooo! We took along a dozen bottles of water and finished our last drops as we were coming back out.... exhausted.... and with enough sand in our shoes to open our own beach. I remember my little man moaning at me during the last 1/2 km: "Mom, I have 2 things to say to you; first, what is your problem? and second, why are you trying to KILL me?!?".
The only one not completely DEAD by the end of it was the girl. I guess life's alot easier when you're the baby and you only weigh 30-odd pounds. Without the benefits of a REAL back-pack for kids (like the ones Backpacking Dad & others sport)... and knowing there was no way we could piggy-back her all the way through, we emptied out our sturdy, framed and padded day-pack and made it available to her. She could snuggle-down right inside it easily, but turns out she loved the view from standing in it and hanging on to the loops of the shoulder straps much better. Daddy became her very own pack-mule for the day! Although she wanted out for the "fun" parts, she did precious little walking of her own.
We met so many other people at view points and along the trails.... and there were more than a few chuckles from them over-hearing her "cheering him on" (especially up steep embankments). "Go Daddy! You're almost there Daddy.... up, up! Daddy! You DID it! Good Job Daddy!" (OMG, she was a riot to listen to.... as he was panting and sweating to make it to the top of yet another rise.)
Still, despite the effort, the views were absolutely worth it. I had no idea we had a place like this so close to "home". Amazing. No wonder the natives held these "Spirit Sands" as a sacred place.
No comments:
Post a Comment