Ricketts Glen and BIG lessons.....

Ricketts Glen was amazing! I am feeling so glad that we checked it off......But it came bearing some lessons for me as we tackle bigger hikes! I normally see the difficult warning on trails and don't think too much of it, the kids and I are active, and in good shape and it normally is not a thing.......but this one meant what it said.....it was difficult....the kind of difficult that when you are in the middle of it you think can I do this??? The mind over matter kind.....where you get in your head, and let your mindset lead your body:) All the trail is, is a huge stairway going down around all of the falls they are there and back up....but the thing about it is the stairs are not stairs.....they are rocks....and varying sizes, and some super steep, and some super tricky with no space on the trail and the falls.....and going down is just as challenging as coming back up.....and the fact that it is 6.5 miles makes it all the more....because once you took all the time to carefully, and strategically come down all of the way, you need to climb back up for over 3 miles.......and it is straight up.....so it challenged all of us tremendously.....and I was SOOOO proud of my kids.....especially Gabe, who has challenges with spatial stuff, and his legs and he did so well.......However the effort was worth it.....it is such a glorious spot......so serene and beautiful everywhere you look.......and I love that we checked it off of our bucket and it came bearing some heat lol;-) It feels like a big accomplishment for us all....what added to it some too was that I was carrying a backpack full of food and drinks.....we had a picnic along the way.....and it was pretty heavy....so it added to the challenge for sure;-) But I did learn some things.....the first one is to always bring a map.....there was NO service, and I could not get my All Trails app up.....and it was not marked well....and at one point we went the wrong way for a good bit and had to backtrack....however that detour led us to say goodbye one more time to our new friends from the cabin, serendipitously bumping into them on the trail so that felt like something:) We ended up following a lady that started at the bottom too, that had brought a good map up to where our trail was....it led us back the last half and to the right parking lot.......and I normally take for granted it is marked well.....but it wasn't.....so I won't make that mistake again......I also realized how much I need to replace my hiking sneakers.....the tread is worn nearly off from hiking....and they were not great for the terrain....so much so that up on a flat spot I slipped on some shale, and my foot got caught.....and the weight of my pack brought me down....I hit my elbow pretty good and hit the side of my jaw....a humbling fall.....and that was early on in the hike....it definitely rattled my cage some, realizing that there was no service....I am in charge of my kids, and how quickly it happened....and it definitely hurt....but I got up and used the ice pack I had....we sat and had our lunch there and I regrouped.....Mads saw my lying on the ground and thought I was playing a prank lol:) So this morning the swelling is almost gone....but it was a good lesson in needing my proper footwear always...and never to underestimate that......and I always trust myself and my body now....but I need to be prepared for anything.....somebody said they have a GPS thing that you can carry in the woods when the service is not there.....so maybe something to look into if we go somewhere big again or remote. This morning finds me happy and sore lol:) Loving our little getaway:) Feeling happy I did it with the kids......and hoping when they are grown they remember all of these things we did together ,with deep fondness.....that their mom loved adventuring with them the most....and seeking magic, and because all of these memories with them will live in my heart all of my days....Someday rocking in a chair as a little old lady, with a smile on my face, remembering all the times we adventured, and feeling just so damn happy we did:) Remembering every single one, Amen:)Happy Thursday:)