The Family Hits the Trails (without a compass or a clue)

Bubba Hubby started today by pointing out that it was a very, very rare kind of day for us. I didn’t have to go to work, nor did I have any work-at-home stuff on my list. He only had to spend an hour or so at the law clinic this morning. Basically, we were looking at a more-or-less free day. Yeah!

So he did his time at the clinic… which actually ended up being a little longer than he anticipated, and I made up a list of possibilities for spending some good quality family time.

My list went something like this:

• bookstore (eldest kid request)


• putt-putt golf


• dollar theater


• zoo & ice cream


• dress up for family photos at the lake


• hiking (exploring) on the trails north of town

Much to my surprise, he said, “Let’s do the trails, hit the bookstore, rent a movie, then come home.” What a perfect family day! I was giddy.

Now, I’m pretty sure hubby had envisioned a nice little half hour to forty-five minute jaunt through the “woods” of Kansas. That’s kind of what I had in my mind, as well. We started out along the trail… everyone happy. The last time the kids and I were on these trails it was March. There was nothing green to be seen anywhere, lots of sticks and bare branches. This time of year, of course, it was abundantly green. So much so that you really couldn’t see more than 15-20 feet from the trail. Green above. Green below. Eastern Kansas is certainly a different critter than western Kansas, I’ll tell you that much.

So we were hiking and admiring and the kids were choosing the direction each time the path forked. Eventually, we started thinking about heading back to the car. We walked. We walked some more. A bit of mild complaining began to commence. None-the-less, we kept smiling. Kept walking.

We knew the interstate was to the south. We assumed the train tracks were to the north. Somehow, the interstate traffic noise kept getting on our wrong side. We’d work our way around, sometimes marching along a fairly well traveled path, sometimes feeling like we’d ventured onto critter trails where no man had ventured before.

The complaining got a bit louder.

When we reached the point where we knew we were traveling parallel to the train tracks and we could no longer hear the interstate noise, we decided following the train might be our best bet.

Not one. Not two. But three and a half hours later… a very nice older woman, her daughter, and fifteen-year-old grandson stopped and asked if they could give us a ride. We had small children with us so I guess we looked safe. How could we refuse?

Bubba Hubby says I will never live this one down. It’s likely I will never get anyone to go hiking with me again. At least not without a map… and a compass… and some bottled water… and perhaps a guide.