One more time up Haystack

While Darius oversaw our moving sale yesterday, we decided it would be best for me to keep the boys out of the house. We were a little concerned that they would have a hard time watching people carry off their old toys that we were selling.

The weather was looking questionable, but lucky for us the rain held off long enough for us to enjoy a mostly dry hike up Haystack. The boys seem to really love the hike, probably as much as I do. It was definitely a hike I wanted to get in one more time before leaving Cordova.

The recent rain left a beautiful shine on all the foliage, and lots of mud! I told Zach that lots of water and dirt make mud, and he enjoyed repeating that little factoid to me throughout the rest of the hike. He also enjoyed the many potty breaks along the way and whenever he needed to go, he would say to me "I need to pee on the moss." I don't think I officially announced it, but Zach is indeed potty trained now!

 

I know for a fact that the one thing I will miss the most about this area is how incredibly gorgeous it is, and there's no better way to appreciate the beauty here than by simply getting out in it. For me it's taking a hike, and for Darius it's getting out on the water to fish. For the boys, I think it's a combination of the two. They seem the happiest splashing in whatever puddles they find, or throwing rocks into a body of water.

Setting the Pace

We enjoyed a day of gorgeous weather and enjoyed lots of time outdoors. After a visit to the playground in the morning and lunch, we took a drive out the road to hike Haystack with Joy and Grandma. This was the 2nd time there with the boys, and I was curious to see how they would do compared to the last time I took them in November. They took off without us up the first 30 steps or so of the trail before we caught up to them. For little kids they certainly set an impressive pace. I constantly had to tell them to stop running, and even with all the steps and tree roots along the trail, they didn't fall down much.

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The last time I was on the trail there was still snow covering the upper half of it. Today with all the snow melted, the cloudless sky, and all the new growth, it looked a lot different than it did just last month. Different yes, but still just as gorgeous. I love Haystack!

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The boys seemed to really love it too. Zach peered into hollow areas of nursery trees for monsters and ghosts and would then scurry off and squeal, and he seemed to enjoy harassing other hikers along the trail. A family coming up the trail as we were headed down received a finger and a "Get out of here!" from him. Ben had lots of crazy energy and liked picking up sticks along the way.


While we've got family here I'm going to take advantage of the extra eyes, arms, and legs to come along for a few more hikes with the boys and I. There are so many great hikes around Cordova, and I'd love to take more of them in. Thanks Mom and Joy for coming along and helping out, and thanks Joy* for sharing some of the pictures you took!

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Mixed Tape & Haystack

Recognize the handwriting? Bea, maybe you? I'd guess that this tape is probably close to 15 years old, and it's been in AK now for probably over 10. Little history...

When my parents first moved to Alaska I was inbetween jobs in NJ and decided why not check out Cordova and see how it fits. It didn't. I lasted a couple of months before I headed back East but left a lot of my stuff behind.

This tape was one of several mixed tapes my lovely friend Brandi made for me when I was in high school. I actually love that I still have them. We have a cassette player in the car, and I listened to this tape with her favorite songs on it from way back when on my drive out the road today. Do you remember any of the songs you put on it Bea?

My drive took me to the Haystack Trailhead, and I spent a few hours leisurely hiking and taking pictures. I love this trail. I love that there are stairs and planks. I love the massive amounts of moss carpeting the ground and trees. I love the overlook. I love how quiet it is. I love that I had the trail all to myself today.

 

I couldn't help but think of my mixed-tape friend during my outing and how much she would have appreciated the things I saw today too. Hopefully we'll get a chance to get you up here for a visit Brandi.

My super troopers.

For weeks now the weather has been downright depressing. I may be wrong, but I think the last semi-decent break in the weather we had was the evening of Halloween. Since then we've had grey skies, rain, and snow (briefly). This morning I could finally see gaps of blue through the clouds. It was almost enough to make me cry in relief. I knew come hell or highwater we were going to get out and spend a good chunk of the day outside.

I've just recently started taking the boys for walks without the use of a stroller. They're getting a lot better at following directions, and I don't find myself panicking as much when they're not somewhat confined. I'm by no means a heli-mom, but with 2-year-olds times 2 I'm still somewhat selective as to what I'll attempt with them on my own. Today I totally left my comfort zone, and instead of just a walk we went for a hike on Haystack Trail.

Haystack is about 20 miles east of Cordova along the Copper River Delta. It's a fairly easy in-out trail through a mossy forest with net-covered boardwalks and stairs. The hike in is just under a mile with an elevation gain of about 150 feet and stops at an overlook at the edge of a high cliff. It's a great little hike, but I had no idea how the boys would fair. I was prepared to go as far they could make it.

They enjoyed the boardwalks and stairs, although some of them were hard for them to climb with their little legs. Unfortunately the whole trail isn't covered with boardwalks, and of course the areas that weren't were ginormous puddles, deep mucky mud, or gnarly tree roots. Halfway up the trail they were soaked and muddy up to their knees bud didn't care one bit. They wanted to stomp through every puddle, loved looking up at the tall trees, and frequently called out for ghosts and monsters.

I was so proud of them for their efforts. We made it all the way to the overlook and stopped for a little lunch break. It was quite a bit cooler at the overlook, and they were happy to get underway again. They even let me put their mittens and hats on them. That's saying a lot. The hike out was pretty good, and there were only a couple of times I had to give them each a turn on my shoulders.

Seeing the car at the trailhead as we descended the final part of the trail was a relief. I thought for sure the boys' feet would be soaking wet and cold, but even after all the puddles of water and mud, they were surprisingly dry. After a change into dry clothes, we headed home and the boys promptly fell asleep. I drove back to town with a big smile and a great feeling of satisfaction. It always feels good to be able to do something I love that the boys enjoy too. It breaks me heart just a little the older they get, but at the same time it's great to know that they're getting old enough to take on some bigger adventures.

If the grey skies and rain return tomorrow, it's okay. Today was good and we'll get by okay until our next break. 

View from the overlook. Pictures don't quite do it justice.