Heading Up Rocky Butte

(from Terri)

It took a while but we finally put the hiking carrier to use again with a hike up Rocky Butte last weekend. The weather was just too great to pass up getting out in nature.

Our family shadows on the way up:

It was windy at the top, but the park has a nice lawn area:

Mount Hood was visible to the east:

Radha was happy to be out in nature:

Radha and I at the start of the hike. I was not used to carrying this much weight on my back, not to mention uphill, (Ro and I took turns) but it was a good workout!

Blast Off to Summer

(from Terri)

Ro, Radha, and I spent the Memorial Day weekend very leisurely before our big trip back to the Midwest (Quad Cities, Illinois-Iowa area). Thanks to some good (and very generous!) friends of ours, we finally had the time to try out a hiking carrier pack and go on our first family hike.

Since this was our first trial with the carrier, we decided to take things easy. We headed to Oaks Bottom Nature Preserve within town. Radha was intrigued as we started the hike, wondering when the spaceship would lift off. "Where's the warp speed on this thing, Dad?"

Away we went! The "tent" cover for her head was great sun protection, especially since Radha prefers playing peek-a-bool with hats rather than wearing them. Of course, living in Oregon this will also be a handy rain protector on rainy days.

Can you spot the rare species, Cutius Babius Evahius, among the trees?