Sunday, March 4, 2007

Hiking with a banshee

Yesterday, we packed up our hiking gear and went over to a local nature preserve. This was our first real hike with Eleanor, and I'd be lying if I said it went as well as we had hoped. We put Eleanor in her pack......and she was fine for about ten minutes or so, but as we got farther down the trail, she started to lose it. After about ten minutes of her crying and us not being able to calm her down, we headed back toward the car. As we got closer to the car, she started to fall asleep... ...so we decided to continue on with our hike with her sleeping in the pack.
We hiked all around the reserve, and decided that we would try to find a geocache. Jared had the coordinates for this mystery cache, and the GPS was pointing us to the bottom of a ravine. Jared couldn't go down since he had Eleanor on his back, but, for some reason, I thought I could manage it. (Keep in mind this was like my second hike ever.) I practically slid all the way down the ravine because it was very muddy, and I looked all over the place for the cache. I couldn't find it, and I started to panic a little about how I would climb back up the steep hill to get back to the trail. So, I decided to just leave without finding anything. The climb back up the huge hill was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. It was so muddy, and every time I'd climb up, I would slide back down a little. I kept having visions of my unconscious body lying at the bottom of the ravine.
But I finally made it back to the trail to find Eleanor out of her pack and in Daddy's arms. Apparently, she had screamed the whole time I was gone. At that point, we decided we should head back to the car, which was about a mile away. We are in total agreement that that was the longest mile of either of our lives. Eleanor did her screaming banshee impression all the way back to the car. She was absolutely inconsolable, and was apparently doing some kind of experiment involving her lung capacity. It really was like some kind of nightmare. Finally, we got back to the car, put her in, and she went right to sleep.
Her Daddy says she can't go hiking again until she's 7, but we'll see. I have a feeling he'll soon forget that experience, and be ready to give it another go.

10 comments:

Wendy said...

Too funny Meagan! I love the pic of her sleeping in the backpack. It is precious! I am sure you will be out braving the world of nature soon enough. With spring and summer around the corner it is ahrd not to get out! Keep doing it and she will learn to love it! And Remember- This too shall pass.....

Janice said...

Eleanor sounds a lot like Ava! I remember when we tried taking the kids out on a little nature walk and that did not go over so well either. But don't worry, Eleanor will learn to enjoy it and will have so much fun you won't be able to keep her indoors!

M said...

Hey Megan! Glad you guys to hike afterall - Eleanor will get use it the more you do it! I found with both my kids - those pack things can uncomfortable to them - Cade HATED the BJORN carrier - I think it smooshed his manly parts! He would scream everytime I put him in it! Karina was always TOO BIG to go in that thing! She weighed 9.5 when she was born!
About the shorts comment on my blog - It was like 50 outside, but I had him in shorts in the house - I had to put jeans & and his jacket on him when we went to pick up K from school! Take Care

Shana-Lynn said...

Megan! What kind of pack do you guys use? We are looking into more of a hiking pack now that our daughter is older, we have an Eddie Bauer one that she has outgrown. Just wondering.

As for geocaching, my husband got us into the sport in 2000 but we have not done much with it since our daughter was born, but you might have inspired me to start it up again. I was laughing to myself about this post.... I can so relate with you. Anyway, thanks for sharing.

Oh, BTW, I am a friend of Janice!

Megan said...

Shana-Lynn,

Here's the web address of the pack we have http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47690739&parent_category_rn=4500629&vcat=REI_SEARCH

This was the first time we tried it out for a long-ish hike. I don't think it was the pack Eleanor was opposed to. Your little one might enjoy it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Denise said...

Maybe you can convince Jared to let Eleanor try hiking again when she's 5!

Shana-Lynn said...

Megan... the whole link did not come through:-( I will check out REI though. Thanks!!

Robin said...

The first picture looks like "the look."

Lisa said...

Yeah... I agree with the others... keep bringing her outside. Plus I'm sure as it gets warmer she will love it. Grace goes to our back door and bangs on it. She LOVES outside.

Oh and you be carefull! Don't go down any more ravines please.

Megan said...

Shana-Lynn,
Sorry about the link. The pack is called Piggyback from REI. :)

Robin,
I thought the exact same thing about "the look" when I saw that picture! Doesn't she looked thrilled about hiking?!