Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Long Walk

Post #2 and I'm already deviating from my theme: this post has nothing about bikes.

I got the idea to take Henry backpacking this summer. I don't backpack much, but lately I've picked up better camping gear for my bike camping trips. With this lighter gear, I should be able to manage packing stuff for two: Henry can carry his teddy bear(s) and maybe his pillow, and I'll likely carry everything else. This is why backpacking with the twins may not happen anytime soon.

The only place I've backpacked in Ohio is Zaleski state forest. They have a very well laid out backpacking loop, which should work nicely for our first trip. My only concern: would Henry be up to the five or six miles of walking this would involve? I wasn't sure, so I decided on a local test: we would walk to our favorite lunch spot, Chipotle, about two miles away. Four miles should be an adequate dry run.

This past Sunday, we set out about 10:25 in the morning. We walked through #3 Avery Park, though I'm not counting this as we didn't stop at the playground, and it deserves its own post. Past St. Brigid, through the tunnel under Muirfield Drive, and before you know it, we were at Chipotle right when they opened at 11:00.

Victory! Celebrated with a burrito bowl.

 We took some more pictures on the way home. Here's Henry at a random parking lot outside a fast food restaurant. Nothing special here, but when Henry asks to get his picture taken, I oblige:


On the way home, we took a different route through #36 M.L. "Red" Trabue Nature Preserve.

We saw some swans:
or maybe they were white geese. Is there a difference? I'm not sure, don't care.

Saw the old house whose original occupant I forgot:

Then ran into our old neighbors Steve and kids at the pond:

They let Henry borrow their fishing pole, and:

Dinner! Or not.


Further on, we stopped by #56 Wyndham Park, a pretty typical neighborhood playground save for its two high slides and a sand volleyball court:

Henry proved his mettle on this Long Walk, with no whining or foot dragging. I think he's ready to head out overnight.

Two more parks down, 48 to go.

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