A Walk in the Woods

"I'd really like to go on a hike tomorrow since our BBQ plans fell through."

"We'll figure something out for tomorrow."

...

"Hey, why don't we go on a hike tomorrow?"

"We'll think of something to do."

...

"I'm going on a hike tomorrow."

"But I don't want to hike."

...

"I. Am. Hiking. Tomorrow."

"Ok, ok.  Let's hike."

It took a little friendly persuasion to finally convince Corey that he wanted to hike up a mountain Saturday.

There was actually a little more shouting and a little less give-in-edness in these conversations, but I thought I should keep it clean for the masses.

See, I love to hike.  I love being outside.  I love physical activity.

Corey loves sitting down to a cinnamon roll, watching horse racing, and a light walk each afternoon around the neighborhood.

Bless the dear for giving all of that up for one day.

But the dear almost got himself shoved down the side of the mountain.

"You don't understand, my legs are tired."

...

"You don't understand, my knee hurts."

No, you don't understand, Corey.  We are climbing this danged thing.

"You have no sympathy for me.  My knee hurts from hockey."

Before I start to sound like an insensitive jerk, I will mention here that his knee was able to carry him down the mountain at the pace of a slight jog.

Oliver was as happy as a pig in a blanket.

"Right after that set of rocks up there I'm turning around."

20 minutes later...

"Right after that hill I'm turning around."

15 minutes later...

"After we get to the top of that rock I'm turning around."

15 minutes from the summit...

"I can't do any more.  I'm going back down now."

At the top...

"This was a pretty good hike.  We should do it again sometime."

View of Lake George and random hikers who

probably didn't complain the entire time.

We will most likely not do this again sometime.

But there were a few pockets of fun.  Like watching Corey pull out my Vera Bradley lunch bag he was using to store his water and an ice pack.  A real man knows his Vera.

And drinks ice water on a mountain.

We also spent a good amount of time trying to figure out how energy is consumed.

(i was desperate to find topics to keep his mind off his "swollen" knee.)

This is a snake.

I am happy to report we both made it down the mountain without incedent.  And I had the nap of my life on the way home.