The Hike of February 28, 2008-What was I thinking?

My mom proposed taking the kids on a hike together. She said it wasn't long, up a hill, we'd easily be able to take turns carrying Olivia, and we would get to see real petroglyphs (sp?) on the rocks at the end. I was game--I should have also remembered I am 6 months pregnant. Fortunately, a couple things made the hike turn out better than it could have. First, my dad came too, and he and my mom were able to carry Olivia or help her walk when she became determined to do so. Had we been relying on me to help with this we may not have made it to the end. Second, I thought to bring snacks and water in a lightweight bag, which I carried, and since the hike went into dinner time this saved Austin and Nyah.

So we arrive, park, troop out of the car, and begin. It's a little rocky and uphill at first, but overall easy walking. At one point my mom realizes she's killing us with her pace so we slow things down. We go up one hill and then the paths levels off. Then walking starts to get more challenging, a little more rocky and a little more uphill, and then we hit the second hill.

Yep, it was kind of scary and daunting, but my mom assured us the rocks with the neat pictures are at the top, so one step at a time I trudge up and make it. Only to hear my mom say "Oh crap," which means she's wrong.

Sure enough, down the path a distance there a third, bigger hill in front of us. Did I mention I'm six months pregnant? So, despite the contracting and cramping of all my uterus muscles, I think "Okay lets just keep moving" for three reason, (1) if I stop its likely I won't get moving again, (2) the sun is headed behind a mountain and we want to get back to the car before dark, and (3) the contracting and cramping can pretty much happen when I'm being completely lazy too, so I know I'm not in danger of having the baby.

Here we pass a neat point--a place where colleges come for archaeological digs, complete with "don't touch anything, etc." signs and orange construction fencing to keep people away. I don't stop to look, because, as mentioned, its best if I don't stop. So after much trudging, Olivia swapping, handing out apples and crackers and water and encouragement for the kids to keep moving, we make to the top of our second hill, complete with another "don't touch anything, etc." sign. After some false attempts at the right trail through the giant boulders and drop-offs we find the petroglyphs (sp?). And they are fabulous and amazing and worth the hike. Austin and Nyah are amazed and trying to identify what the pictures can be--aside from a couple people, snakes, and livestock pictures, there are lots of swirls and shapes that we don't know what they could be. We get some pictures and then head down.

Going down should be faster, but I think it actually took longer. Austin wanted me to take pictures of this and that--mountain views, cactus, fungi growing on boulders, etc. Nyah pouted and fussed that she was tired and wanted someone to carry her (me too!!) and her shoes were hurting, which is when I remembered she had a blister and we forgot to put a band-aid on it--oops. But still not enough to persuade anyone to carry her (or me, though my dad carried my bag for me). All snacks and much water had been consumed, and the sun had disappeared and we were in shade. Thankfully it wasn't cold because we didn't bring jackets (I know its February, but I'm a mom and am allowed to be forgetful). And by this time Olivia was adamantly insisting she be allowed to walk--no more riding!! So we baby-stepped down the mountain. Yep I said it--no "hills" or "three hills" but one mountain. I climbed a mountain.

And I'm glad I did!!