A family hike - bonding time, refreshing exercise, see the beauty of God's creation - right? Only in Mom and Dad's minds. To our pre-teen it was punishment designed to torture and to our 6-year old it was great until she was tired (5 minutes into the hike).
We went to the Wichita Mountains Wilderness Area - a lovely, hilly area to the south with several peaks and trails. There are bison, long horns, elks and prairie dogs - all hits with the children. But the minute we mention getting out of the car and walking, my pleasant, much-loved son is replaced by his evil twin brother, poison-tongue. With mutters and complaints he punctuates each step - "Why are we here. We've been here. This is boring." Every turn in the path - "We should turn back. This is dumb." It doesn't help either of his parents that he is vastly more fit than either of us and could run circles around us as we are hiking (oh the injustice!).
On the other hand, our daughter stops every step - "Oooh! Look at this stick. Here's another stone for my rock collection. Carry it for me, Daddy!" She's showing an interest in nature - great. But then she grows tired. "My legs are dying. I can't walk another step. Carry me!" She starts flopping around the path and loud moans turn to wails. This causes her brother to mutter (or shout) insults about "Babies," which lead to a symphony of bickering.
Anyone enjoying the hike yet? Just wait. The last 20 minutes, God decided to open heaven's floodgates. I exaggerate not. It felt like we were swimming along the path. The water was over our shoes; sheets of water hit us from behind and above. And - I had our very expensive, brand new camera with me. After running hunched over with it under my shirt for 10 minutes, I gave up: it was raining as much under my body as above. I tore into a grove of scrawny trees and shoved my hand with the camera into a "drier" spot between 2 rocks. I had to share with a huge spiderweb, but anything for the camera, right?
My husband shouted that he'd send our son back with the umbrella. Of course, the kids were well ahead of us, all signs of complaints and exhaustion having disappeared. I crouched in the drenching rain until I heard my son shouting, "Mum?" repeatedly as he ran along the trail.
We made it back to the car where I immediately dried off the camera. I think it still works.
Being soaked, we had to strip as much as possible so we wouldn't freeze on the 2-hour car ride home. Our daughter called us the "naked family" and giggled for the 4 minutes it took her to fall asleep. I was just glad that no one could see in the car due to the blinding rain.
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