Sibley State Park: Hiking Mt. Tom (Saturday)

Hiking Trail: Mt. Tom Trail with Oak Hills Trail short cut
back to the camp site.
Distance: About 3 miles













What a rainy day! It was wet enough in the morning that we slept in and ate breakfast in the camper - the first time with all of us around the table (we need to do something to protect the upholstery from sticky fingers of excited little boys who refuse to sit still for a meal).

Finally we got dressed and headed out for a hike to Mt. Tom, said to be one of the highest points for at least 50 miles around and the product of a glacier.















The kids and Sofie did great on the hike inspite of the mist and rain. Finn was in the Piggyback carrier. [I still love that carrier! Hopefully we'll get one more year out of it before the boys have outgrown it for good.] The trails were really nice and well groomed walking paths.

By the time we returned from our hike, the rain had picked up. So, another meal in the camper - boys bouncing off the walls!

After lunch, Jay and Brek tried to fish between rain showers, but found the shop at the beach doesn't sell bait. I got Finn to nap (by force) and got my first chance to stretch out on the bench at the table and crack a book. The anglers returned and quietly played cards while Finn continued to nap.

We had promised the boys a campfire, sparklers and S'mores sometime. Since this was our last night, despite intermittent rain showers, Jay started a fire.

Finn was a pill to keep out of the road. We chose our campsite because of a large grassy spot away from the camper and fire ring. But, instead of playing in our little "yard," the road was a magnet for him. Finally we resorted to the creative parenting at which we can occasionally be so good... Finn discovered that a baseball bat made a good horse and a pail of water was the perfect "lake" for floating a large piece of bark and a toy boat.

We had brats over the fire and attempted (failed) roasting sweet corn. [We removed the silks, closed the husks back over the ear, soaked them in water, then put them around the edges of our small fire. Not enough heat or time, I guess.] Our zip pack potatoes turned out OK, though.

S'Mores. Oh, My! S-t-i-c-k-y! But we all enjoyed them. However, Finn was truly BOUNCING off the walls when we tried to put him to bed! (Maybe I shouldn't have included the chocolate on his S'mores?)

Lesson of the day: Light rains don't have to keep us indoors! It was a great day!