Our First Hike

This is a pretty big deal.

Not only was this our first hike ever together, but it was my first hike since surgery (hooray!), and it was my Mr. Jackson's first hike ever!  I know, unbelievable.

Jack is literally the King of New York.  I swear to you that if you give him any two points in New York City, he can recite from memory all of the trains and transfers you will need to take to get from A to B.  But my city boy was not really exposed to the Great Outdoors as a wee one.

I'm trying to fix this tragic deficit.

Whenever I talk about hiking he usually, mostly respectfully, says something like, "Now, I'm not trying to knock it, but I'm just trying to understand...but how is "hiking" any different from just walking?  Don't get mad!  I just don't get it."  (Me: eyes rolling)

You have to understand, I lived out of a sleeping bag for months.  Not because I was a hobo, but because I had the absolutely brilliant idea of doing a study abroad through the BYU Recreation Department in Australia.  Make no mistake, this lady can schlep it through the woods!

About a week ago, we discussed the merits of a log cabin rental VS a tent VS a camp trailer.  He likes to pretend, "Brothas don't camp," but I know he's intrigued!  He has already learned quite a bit; he is an excellent Outdoors Student and, if nothing else, a very good sport.

Fortunately, either spontaneity caught him off-guard or he wanted to support my recovery by joining me in something he knows I love, and this weekend we went on an impromptu hike at Sleeping Giant State Park in Connecticut after searching for homes(!!) and checking out the Peabody Museum at Yale.

Last week was my first full week after getting the green light from my physical therapist to walk without my cane.  With that new liberty, as well as having my mom back at her home so nobody could tell me I was going too fast or needed a break (sorry, Mom, I was a little naughty) I entered Turbo Time!  I have been speed walking for miles around downtown Philly, getting my groove back.  I felt ready for a little trail because if I can navigate cobblestone streets and sidewalks that have been on the city's Fix-It List for, oh, decades, while somehow not getting run over by taxis, then I think I can watch out for sticks and stones on a trail.

Plus- big, strong Jack was holding my hand or had an arm around me for support the whole time.  He even lifted me up over some big rocks at one spot (aww, so romantic!).  So we went on a little 3.2 mile loop to the top of the mountain on the Tower Trail.  As you might imagine, there is a large stone tower at the top which was built during the Depression by WPA workers- cool!

Unfortunately, Jack's confidence was not exactly bolstered by the fact that literally every child walking downhill while we were walking uphill was either screaming or crying.  I take that back, there was one kid who was neither screaming nor crying.  But she was saying to her mother quite calmly, "I am never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever coming back here again."

Great.

J: I like these kids, they're smart.  They don't want to be on this mountain either!
L: But aren't the trees here so pretty?
J: Yes, but I've got plenty of nice trees in my back yard.
L: Oh, look!  A chipmunk!
J: I've got plenty of those in my yard, too...
L: (sigh...)


But we made it to the top and --thank goodness-- the view, as it is from basically everywhere in this tree-stuffed state, was lovely.

And on our way down there was a really nice breeze, we were the only ones within our sight on the trail, and at one spot we were experiencing a surround-sound of singing birds and he said, "Now this I like."

And the highlight was when we he said, "Alright, yeah, I had a good time."

Choir of Angels: HALLELUJAH!  HAAAALELUJAH!

YES!!

To try to give him positive associations with hiking, we ate pizza at Sally's in New Haven for dinner right afterwards.  Excellent!

So don't you worry, Grandma, he will use that brand new camp pillow you got him from our REI Registry-- I'll make sure of it!  And I definitely see KOA cabins in our near future.  After all, you have to start somewhere :)