So, my nephew Burkhard from Germany knows I am doing this Summer 2011 Weekly Adventure with Kids blog, and as we are experiencing Week Number 9, climbing Cascade Head to the top where my friend Megan had suggested we hike to, my 8-year-old begins
to have a hard time.
Granted, we did not know how long of a hike it was to the top of this peak which Megan said would wow us a 20 mile view of the beaches near Lincoln City and the mountain range.
After the first 40 minutes or so of hiking in the woods, we come to a clearing which offered its own beautiful view of the Lincoln City coast area.
But, that was not the top yet. We looked and could see hikers continuing up and that is when my 8-year-old decides he does not want to continue after we snap our photographs.
But, my nephew wanted to go on as did the rest of us. I really wanted to see the top and so we decided we would go on, but not without resistance from my youngest.
And, when I ask the next person we saw how far we still had to go to get to the top, the person says, oh, a half hour at the most.
Well, to most adults that may be nothing, but when you are 8 and you are tired and hungry and thirsty, it is an eternity.
My 8-year-old, who has hiked plenty of hills with us, decides this one is past his comfort zone and he begins to complain. He is just not happy.
And, while Burkhard is listening to his cousin and me trying to calm him, Burkhard says, “So, are you going to write about this on your blog?”
Smile.
Yes, I am.
So, now everyone knows it that even adventures are not always picture perfect. This is real life.
I will say that we did make it to the top, an hour and a half later, and it was worth the hike. The view was spectacular. And, a saving moment was at the top of the hill overlooking Cascade Head, a group was up there from a youth camp in Seattle. They saw how my youngest was having a hard time, even after making it to the top, and one of the youth camp leaders offered him a granola bar, which brightened his day. Food does wonders. An act of kindness during week 9 adventure with kids.
It is sometimes a reward at the end that indeed helps. We visited the Otis Cafe for lunch, and the boys all had a milkshake. . .
along with other treats at this cafe that was featured in the New York Times.
The perfect ending to a real-life adventure in the life of a real-life mom.
For more info on hiking at Cascade Head, go to:
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGW269-016
For more info on Otis Cafe visit: http://otiscafe.com/
Hi Rebecca
The youngest, huh?! Augustin and I bet you are troopers…but, ice cream is always a favorite either way…
Oh how I can relate! I was always the youngest, well hiked-out and biked-out way ahead of my older football playing brothers! Ice cream was my kind act of choice…the wonderful memories of summer that grow sweeter by the year!
I am too Megan-and thanks again for the suggestion for the hike and the experience at Cascade Head!
Is that not so neat. Thanks again for the great hiking tip – and opportunity!
I’m so glad he made it to the top, where through the kindness of strangers he revived. That is life with kids.