LOOOOOOOOOOOONG hike yesterday, and a long ride today.

Loni and I went on a hike yesterday. Started at 12:15 pm. It took about 40 minutes of hiking on a moderately difficult trail to get to the trail head of the one we wanted. We started on the Lost Road Trail to get to the Maple Arch Trail. The Maple Arch Trail is mainly a horse trail, so it's not very well maintained and has lots of ups and downs and fallen trees and junk but some spectacular views of the lake.

She likes to take pictures of things like branches vertically and then the same branches horizontally. To each his own.

But she also has a eye for things like kudzu encrusted elephants in alien landscapes and the blueness of still water....and how to repeatedly shoot her dad's big butt on the trail. I deleted most of those. (When she was about 5, I had just finished my shower and was drying off my ankles. Suddenly I heard her shout right behind me, "Whoa, Dad! You got a BIG BUTT!"
When I told Cindy, she patted me on the head and said, "It's ok. To Loni, everyone has a big butt." That was not my point. My point was, please keep Loni out of the bathroom when I am drying my ankles.

Then there was the time she was three and came in as I was drying my face and I heard her running down the hall excitedly screaming, "MOM, MOM! Dad a has a tail!" All Cindy could do was grin and say, "Yes, dear. Dad has a tail." That's what you get when you have no brothers.

Why am I this subject? I have no idea.

Anyway, went hiking and it took 4 hours and we went about 8 miles or so and it was rough. I was wiped out and she, of course, wore flip flops and had just a swell time. As we neared the parking lot, she said, "We made it!" I said, in an attempt at a teaching moment, "No, not yet. I never say I made it until it's officially over. So we have to get to the actual pavement."

When we hit the pavement, she announced we had made it. I agreed. Then we drove home and parked in the garage. She moaned, "Oh, now we have to walk up the stairs!" Crap.

When we got up there, Cindy asked Loni if she still wanted to go shopping and to a movie. "Sure! Just let me shower first."

I showered and luckily Loni made no comments about my anatomy, and then Cindy asked me if I wanted to go shopping and see the movie with them. No, sir. I'm sitting down, putting my dogs up and watching tv. The End.

And a good time was had by all.

Here are some pics from our hike:



Two beautiful views



I am the very model of the modern trudging waddler.



Window into paradise.



Poor little feller had a broken wing. Pretty, though.



Loni Lou and the Little Blue.



Kudzu.



Efelants and Woozles in the Kudzu. Loni found them.



Chick magnet. Get it? Thanks to Heidi and Brett.



Loni, just before the bug flew in her eye.



In Gatlinburg right after lunch at No Way Jose's. Our first longish ride with Hurley's. About an hour and a half one way.