We just enjoyed a long overdue family hike. Be it busy schedules, misplaced priorities, or just kind of forgetting about nature, it has been a LONG time since we went out in the woods as a family. It actually may have been Calvin's first time in the great outdoors that wasn't the park or lake, etc. He was as excited as I've ever seen him.
Our destination was Rattlesnake lake, a quick 30 minutes out of Seattle that felt incredibly remote. There is a serene lake with a curious fishing policy: single barbless hook only, no bait allowed. To any fish stupid enough to bite on to a dull piece of metal and hang on for dear life- you deserve to be eaten. There is also a stunning rocky ridge you can hike up to in about an hour, with a trail that leads all the way to Snoqualamie falls if you are up for a 10.2 mile walk. We didn't make it up to the top of the ridge- easier said than done with a 17 month old... instead we found a fire road that nobody was on and let Calvin have the run of the forest.
We don't any pictures to share as we left the cameras and cell phones at home, just a few fun memories:
- Chasing a deer through the woods- Calvin was determined to find her and have a deer ride. No such luck...
- Finding a patch of tall silvery mushrooms- they looked delicious but we all were to scared to touch them.
- Listening to Calvin scream at the top of his lungs so he could hear his voice echo in the trees
- Getting soaking wet, muddy and massarced by mosquitoes and remembering it fondly
There is something magical about the woods in western washington. I don't know if it is the mist, the moss that hangs like beards on the tree stumps, the cool energy you feel from the plants- it makes one feel a little mysterious and nostalgic. Maybe I was just getting a little intoxicated from all of the fresh oxygen coming of the flora. It seemed to offer me a certain clarity that was much needed after a completely topsy turvey last 6 months. It was a pure joy to watch my little one romp around like it was his living room. We will not deprive him of the outdoors so long next time, nor ourselves either.
By the way, we still haven't had an official family camping trip yet. If any friends or family want to join us to help remedy that, hit me up!
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