I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track

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I love to go a-wandering, 

Along the mountain track, 

And as I go, I love to sing, 
My knapsack on my back. 

Chorus:

Val-deri,Val-dera,

Val-deri,
Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha 
Val-deri,Val-dera. 
My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream 

That dances in the sun, 

So joyously it calls to me, 
"Come! Join my happy song!"

-The Happy Wanderer, scout song

Now that the days are longer, the sun is shining, and the snow has melted (mostly) in the mountains, we have been getting out on some family friend hikes in the Cascades and Olympic Peninsula. 
Hike #1: Lime Kiln Trail. 5.4 miles, 625ft elevation gain. Highlights: a nice flat well maintained trail along an old railroad grade used for timber and a 1890s lime kiln for making lime (calcium oxide) from limestone into pulp to be used for melting ores. Cons: we forgot the carrier for Marit so she had to walk about 2 miles and then we had to carry her on our shoulders the rest of the way. We now leave the carrier in the car so we won't forget again!

 Hike #2: Heather Lake Trail. 4.6 miles, 1034ft elevation gain. Highlights: Beautiful hike up to one of the many alpine lakes in the Cascade mountains. There was lots of mud and over 6 feet of snow near the lake. We enjoyed a lovely picnic along the boardwalk and heard 2 avalanches echo in the valley. Cons: The snow was a bit slippery and both kids needed a chance of clothes when we got back to the car. 
  

Hike #3. Lower Grey Wolf River. 4 miles, 800ft elevation. Highlights: We hiked down along an old timber road to a beautiful mountain river passing a few small streams. Theo found a rough-skinned newt and a few banana slugs, which he kindly moved off the trail so they would not be stepped on by other hikers. Cons: Theo did not like "getting car sick on the bumpy road." Luckily he just closed his eyes and slept and didn't actually get car sick but we drove for over 10 miles up a national forest gravel road before running into a park ranger who told us we missed the turn back where the pavement ended. When we asked why there wasn't a sign, he said that every time they put one up, it gets shot down. Great!
At the trailhead
Last weekend we headed to Chimicum, Washington near Port Townsend to spend the weekend with Theo's PEPS group at the Blue Mountain Retreat, a 8 bedroom, 4 bath, 6500 sq. ft. home. There were 14 adults and 11 kids under 5.
Theo's favorite part of the weekend was the ferry ride followed closely by roasting marshmallows. We will definitely miss our PEPS group next year. Thanks everyone for a great weekend!
Ferry ride to Kingston

The PEPS group
Block room and the 2 year olds knocking down the wall of blocks
All the kids and the blocks
The group at Finnriver cider tasting

Lime Kiln Trail








Heather Lake
























Ferry ride to Chimacum, WA












































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