Hiking with the Rangers
Nothing beats a good hike in the woods. Getting out and connecting with mother nature is something we take for granted. This simple activity can be so relaxing and freeing for the mind. Taking short hikes with my family is something I try to do monthly, even during the cold times of the year. With winter upon us I scheduled a guided hike with the park rangers for a class on tree identification during the winter months. Tanner and I took to the woods bundled up in layers ready to learn something new and enjoy some time outside.
The hike was led by three park rangers and was a free tour; there ended up being thirteen people in the group for the hike. The group was amazing, it had parents and kids and ranged in age from at least five years old to some who were in their sixties. Everyone was really pleasant and eager to learn something new. Tanner and myself hung in the back of the pack, took our time and made sure to let the information sink in. The park rangers who also hung near the back of the pack were very nice and answered every one of his ten thousand questions.
This tour in my mind was going to be made or ruined based on the park rangers and how they lead the group. I must say the rangers exceeded any assumptions I had. They were very informative with identifying trees during the winter, answering questions we had while walking about trees and nature in general, and handled the group of young ones exceptionally. Tanner has a lot of questions every time we hike, and they did not shy away from tackling each one he had. They answered them to the best of their knowledge and were honest when they were unsure of the exact answer.
The hike took us on a one and a half mile loop to a beautiful little natural waterfall at the bottom of the valley. Along the way each ranger stopped at a specific point to discuss what we were looking at and how we should begin to look at trees. They discussed as we walked we should begin to take notice of the bark of the trees, if the bark looks similar as we walk or if we are seeing a lot of variants. They showed us some pine and fir groves as well along the hike, discussing how they do not lose their leaves to save energy, but instead collect energy from the sun year round from their tiny needles. The rangers who were near us as we walked also showed Tanner leaves from the ground and how to identify pine and oak based on the shape of their leaf. Tanner was amazed by the lichen on the tree, the algae and moss combo we saw growing on most of the hardwood trees. By the end of the hike Tanner had a little collection of pine needles, acorns, leaves and sticks in his pocket for his artifact collection. Seeing his beaming smile as he was collecting items and asking questions about nature made my heart warm and I swear it grew in size from watching him be so happy with the experience.
When the hike was over, Tanner and I jumped in the car and went to pick up some much deserved pizza for dinner. On the way to the pizza shop he kept saying how much fun he had, that he loved his life and was so happy we got to hike with the rangers. It is moments like these that make me the happiest to be a father. I do the most I can for my children to give them meaningful experiences and allow them to grow as individuals. I hope you get to see our family grow as the blog spreads to you all. I hope that through this blog I can help others grow their relationships with their children and give some guidance along the way.
If you have not done so, get out with our loved ones. Enjoy some quality time and bond without technology and the hustle and bustle of life. The connections we make with our family means more than anything else we do in this world. As parents and partners it's important to be there for the ones we love!
Click the green button to see the entire hike!
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