Hike with Sara and Yari
Thanks to our dear friends Yari and Sara, the boys and I were able to officially test out our gear and camp just south of Boston. Yari is a nature lover, and tries to hike and camp as much as his busy life allows. He has been a great supporter and is super enthusiastic about our impending adventure, which has won my gratitude and the hearts of both boys. Sara befriended me on a bike tour, makes me laugh and has held me up and supported me in all ways. She can pull off words like sluff. So these two are good eggs. They took us on, signed up to camp and off we all went on an overnight trip.
Sure the water did not need to be filtered and we had access to restrooms, but Max insisted on filtering the water and pooped in the woods. Yari built a fire with Max, and Nate read in the tent. We successfully set up camp and used our stove, our clothes line, headlamps and speaker all without a hitch. We also slept in the double sleeping bag together and without a pad. The hope here was to get a feel for how the boys might do both sleeping in a clump of people, as well as on a hard surface. Slept like logs. Is that right? Out like a log? Anyway, it went well. We will have sleeping pads for the trip, but knowing they can sleep well without, is useful.
The next morning, we went for a short hike. I think this was our first really warm hike. The boys and I have been hiking through snow and ice, and had a few long walks in 65 degree weather, but this hike was a hot sun-humid air hike. The body shock and adjustment to climate and temperature bums me out, but helped with the cause and effect lesson learning. If you don't fill your water bottle, then you go without water. If you forget your hat, you will get sunburn. Lessons in the boys' real life tend to not hit as hard and fast, as they might in nature.
There was crankiness, cooperation, thirst, complaining, raccoons, wet wood, gorgeous pond trees, ramen, hotdogs and marshmallow roasting, and music. I think it went ok.
