Carlos and I have been talking about spring for weeks now.  We had a great, active winter, but we have just about had it now.  We want green grass, warmer weather and dry ground.  We want to see flowers and leaves and hear the birds again.  More importantly we want to get our hike on!  Last year Carlos started hiking with me.  We have some very kid friendly hiking spots in our area.  He also completed two nearby mountain hikes.  He loves it.

After work yesterday I went to the gym.  The gym has been there for me all winter but I am really tired of it now.  I could see the sun starting to shine outside.  I knew that the weather was supposed to be warmer than usual.  I wanted to do something outdoors with Carlos, but the playgrounds are still too wet to enjoy.  When I got home I asked him if he wanted to try hiking Skinner Mountain.  He started jumping up and down, he was so excited!  Weird right?

The trail was in rough condition and parts of it were closed so we settled on hiking up the paved road to the top.  Carlos was so disappointed.  Off we went and then suddenly we hit this:

Wintery Reminder

The road went from clear and dry to a snowy, icy mess.  It didn’t stop us though.  The road improved as we got higher.

Look Mom the trail is right there

The temperature actually got warmer too.  It turned out to be a perfect day for a hike.  Carlos had three layers on to begin and ended up with just a light long sleeved shirt by the time we got to the top.

Skinner Mountain Summit

Still Climbing

I love hiking mountains because you do all the hard work up front.  The hard work is rewarded with gorgeous views and an easy down hill return.  I have a goal of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for my 50th birthday with Carlos.  My husband says he won’t do it, but I suspect once we get involved in the planning stage of the adventure he will likely join in.  I’ve got a while before that dream becomes a reality, but it’s fun to think about.

“All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” -Walt Disney

What do you dream of doing?