Hiking the Borrego Trail

Rus and I used to be great hikers. Adventurers, really. There was a time when we owned TWO kelty packs. We created the NM Adventures 101 blog. We gave tips on how to hike with your children. 

Then I got pregnant with Marianne. 

We haven't hiked in a really long time. We've been reduced from "avid hikers" to "sporadic walkers" who tote around scooters and helmets and leave our dog at home because we have too many children.

But no more. 

This is the year that we emerge from our self-made cocoons as even more adventurous adventurers. This is the year that our children become super hikers themselves and the only one we have to tote around is the Bug. 

We began to enforce this resolution with an ambitious four mile loop on the road to the Santa Fe ski area. We took the Borrego trail to the Windsor trail to the Bear Wallow trail, which took us back to our van.

 In an effort to reduce the number of rocks that perch on my window sills and under the beds of each of my children and show up in the wash on a regular basis, I created "The Rock Collection." It's a big shadow box with the best of the best, and each rock is labeled with it's date and location of acquisition. On this hike I made a rule that we could only adopt the extraordinary rocks, and we still came home with a dozen. The kids really enjoyed the hunt, though!
Here they are crossing one of the bridges: Colonel was the only one who ventured into the water. Did I mention it was SO COLD? We were dressed for a high of 70 and as such, had to hike briskly so that we could warm up in the 48 degree weather.

 This was near the meadow that we had lunch in. I would have showed you the picture of us eating lunch, but Rus caught me mid-bite and I don't feel the need to share that with the rest of you.

 It really was a cool environment where we hiked. It was downright moist. There was moss and old man's beard growing on the trees. There was fungi! Jacob loved the fungi. We had to go home and watch Ferngully after I told him how the fairies in that movie would perch on fungi like the ones on this log.

 And another bridge:
Bekah was easily the best hiker. She is so full of energy. She quite literally bounded most of the way. Jacob also did well. He complained of tired legs on the last mile and Rus told him how he would need to be strong if he were to go backpacking with dad later this summer. I told him how animal experts have to walk long distances in the wild. None of that seemed to help him forget his tired legs...
Beau also had tired legs near the end, but his legs are so little, I wasn't surprised. He did really well. And Marianne was happy to sit in the backpack the whole time...

 We had a great time. I would count the experience as a success, with room for improvement. Hooray for adventures!

(Did I mention Marianne peed in the woods? We are SO on our way to establishing our little troop of hikers!)