Friday Hike Day: Fish Canyon Falls...almost again

We ventured out to a hiking location we visited months ago...a warm day last spring. This time it was almost 100 degrees.

We went hiking today...but being humble hikers...when one of our crew became overwhelmed by the heat, which increased the intensity of our hike dramatically, at 45 minutes in-we agreed to not go any further and head back. It's a tough call but we all need to feel safe and be able to trust and look out for each other. This is part of training and learning to be good leaders. 

A visible working mine owned by the Vulcan Mining Company.

One of the main things I love about this hike is how it leads through a real mining company. It fascinates me to see machines push rocks and boulders over the edge of a hill. Watching the debris initially slide and then begin to plummet like meteors, barely touching the side of the hill, is addicting.

What part of the dusty and dry trail looks like.

You have to walk under a conveyor belt transporting rocks from the mine. There are large CAT diggers daring the dirt and rocks to slide on top of them as they dig into the side of the mountain.

A few steps along the way.

Eventually you leave the mining company's private property and enter the public forest and trail. 

Though initially it was only one of our group, on the way back, one of our Adventure Moms also became overwhelmed by the high temps...getting chills, feeling light headed. It was a good call that we made to turn back.

Part of me was initially afraid of disappointing the others by choosing to turn back. As a parent, we are forced to make the hard and disappointing choices sometime. I am learning to own these hard choices. It develops our authority when we can acknowledge that others may disagree with us but we choose to make the decision anyway.

Our crew is maturing though so everyone understood and there were no hard feelings. When we can be compassionate, caring & empathetic toward each other, it builds trust. Knowing we can say we are too sick, weak or whatever, to continue, with out back lash, is what builds trust and makes us feel secure with each other.

It was awesome...up until right after this picture! I mustve hit a sprinkler or rock but I injured my tail bone so painfully, it makes me believe it's fractured.

Afterward, we went ice blocking. I thought this would be a great cool down activity. It was even hotten when we returned home and that made it even more worth it. A few of the kids had never tried or even heard of ice blocking. We went to a local park with a gigantic hill. 

'The boys attempting an ice block train. It failed. haha.

Besides my minor but extremely painful injury it was a great Friday Hike Day. I am proud of all the life lessons we are unintentionally learning and how our kids are maturing.
See you next week!
Remember to Start the Day Out Side!