The First Adventure of 2015

We've had some adventures these past few summers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
We're trying to soak up the precious remaining time with our kids. In 2 years the oldest could be out of the house. Not that I see it happening that soon, but it could.
Gulp.

So we decided to get an early start this year. The sunshine beckoned, and despite the cooler temps, we packed up and headed out to the woods.

This trip we drove out to Opal Creek. What I thought was going to be an easy afternoon hike, say, 3 miles or so, actually ended up being 8 miles.
Yowsa.

And the kids were such troopers through it all!

Especially the youngest. She walked most of it, with four of us taking turns carrying her occasionally. We walked along a rough road/trail that had plenty to see next to it. We saw waterfalls of different sizes, a creek, plenty of forest, bridges to cross (both scary and not-so-scary kinds).

There is an old mining area there that has equipment laying around, parts that once belonged to the USS Oregon. Eventually we made it up to Jawbone Flats, an old mining town that has been converted to a camp of sorts. We didn't stay long, because the sun was going down, we were cold, (and the camera batteries were dead).

We capped it off with a quick meal at Dairy Queen, which really helped stem the letdown and whining that can accompany the end of an outing when we're all tired and worn.

It was a great start to the adventures of 2015.