Last weekend felt like true vacation: the late-blooming spring had finally sprung, my husband took Friday off, we had one birthday, one holiday . . . and two hikes.
Two hikes. In a row? Cue the hysteria, mainly from the 9 and 15-year-old boys. Mom! No fair! We just took a hike yesterday! I hate hiking!
Hey, listen, when Daddy and I were growing up we had to go to church every Sunday. And Sunday School all school year and sometimes even church on weeknights! We don't make you go to church. But we do make you go on hikes . . . and to protests. Hikes and protests are our church.
What if I protest going on the hike?
Touché, son. Now go get your sneakers on.
Miraculously, everyone had fun on the hike. Two snakes and one very cool old glass bottle were found as was lots of other people's garbage.
As we sat for a snack break by a stream, we discussed what we should always have with us on hikes. Here is our list of five things to have packed in a backpack just waiting for snacks and water to be added before our next adventure:
1. Plastic bag for picking up other people's garbage*
2. Small first aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen
3. Chalk for when we find spots to make our own fun & temporary graffiti
4. Binoculars
5. Hand sanitizer not necessarily for washing hands (though I guess that'd be an added bonus) . . . but because I heard it can erase marker on some surfaces if we come across any hate speech (there can be a surprising amount of graffiti on some trails.) Also a Sharpie if we can't wipe it off and just need to transform it into a giant heart or flower or something *
*Surely some other items would be more useful than the plastic bag, sharpie and chalk . . . but then it wouldn't be just right for our activist family. Here's to lots more complaining and adventure now that the weather is nice and our backpack is ready!
Thanks for sharing the helpful post.
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