October 18, 2014

The day began with me not wanting to get up, but knowing an earlier start in hiking would be best.  I noticed a text from my landlord about coming by to paint the door, so that added incentive.  Got the kids up and we packed for our hike, made it out the door by10:30.  I saw
  some of the areas where the King Fire burned trees right off the freeway near Fresh Pond,  wow.  Not as bad as it could have been, but I still saw entire hilltops filled with dead trees.

We reached the location...way up there ...and off we began.  It was a pretty awesome walk; the kids finding ice in water just off the trail and long conversations about books and favorite authors (and this convo primarily with Ethan!). Just as Ethan started to complain about the hike, Universe presented us with amazing granite/water areas, and we so we left the trail and headed up via the water's path.  It was SO beautiful....Maggie and I were ready to call it a day and lunch there, yet Ethan was motivated to move on, and thus, we did.

We made it to Desolation Wilderness and the hiking continued.  We have frequently walked 5 miles on the bike path, or in San Francisco, but this trail (with my semi-full back-pack on, which limits my movement) was MUCH different and it wasn't too long, however, before we were ALL wondering where this lake was.  Finally, after much more than 4.6 miles (because of our off trail adventures), Ethan and I heard Maggie joyfully announce, "Oh my god, it's the lake!!!"  I would like to mention how ALL day long, the kids have been doing the sound effects for Zeppelin's "Nobody's fault but mine". I'm a VERY proud mama.

We had a lovely lunch there, mashed potatoes with butter, Kielbasa, a horrid bag of Honey lime chicken (which we ended up giving to the dogs) Mandarin oranges, energy bars plus fresh water from the lake, which Maggie filtered (it's her favorite thing to do).  We noticed how much the shade had increased in our brief Time there, so we needed to get underway. We started walking down the hill and almost immediately decided to go off trail and go along the creek, instead.  It was so beautiful and made us happier than walking on trail.  I am not a spring chicken however,  with my bad knees that I've had since I was 14, my beyond flat-feet, bad back and using a backpack makes it all more difficult, still no complaining because THIS is our ADVENTURE!  DONT LET THE BODY WIN!!!  The kids were hurting, too, though (by now we're on the trail). Still, great conversations (Ethan talking about"baby barf" - glad to hear that term is still around...)and soon, we're walking in  the gloaming.  I brought my headlamp, but we used a mini-flashlight once it was too dark to see the trail.  Somehow, someway...we found the car and enjoyed the heater.

Dropped dogs off at home quickly & headed to Carrow's where sweet Barb is still waitress there.  The kids loved her (they don't remember seeing her many times before years ago).  I was ALSO thrilled to see a former student working there.  He plans on joining the army in April.  My, what a difference from that angry kid not so long ago.  Kids feel asleep almost instantly at home. I'm having a love affair with Icy Hot and my rice heating pad after a hot bath in Epsom salt.  Good lord, I may die from soreness, but these adventures with my kids mean the world to me.

 Pictures:  Lake Sylvia; Hiking UP to Lake Sylvia; a cute little snakelet we found; hiking DOWN from Lake Sylvia, off-trail.