Solo Adventure

I've always loved spending a day at the river.  Most times, it's a family outing, but when the weather and my schedule cooperate, I sometimes find myself there on my own.  Last Saturday, was one of those days.

Alex was supposed to have an 8am baseball game.  That morning, I got up early, walked the dog and packed my stuff for a day at the beach.

As I pulled into the parking lot of the field, I received notification that the game had been canceled due to the flooding of the fields.  Since I was already half way to the river, I decided I would just get out there early.  There are several trails at the state park and since I plan on taking the kids on a hike or two this summer, I thought I better try one out on my own.

I chose the Lakeside Trail because a). it starts right where I always park b). it makes a loop around the lake so I couldn't really get lost and c). it was only 3.5 miles.

The estimated time of the hike was over 2 hours, but I figured it wouldn't really take that long.  I was correct in my assumption and finished the hike in a little over an hour.  And I stopped several times to take pictures.

Early on in the hike, I discovered a small little alcove not far from the beach but far enough to eliminate the noise of the beach.  I made a mental note of this spot to come back to later.

The trail was pretty easy.  It was well marked and with a few downed trees on the trail, I got the full hiking experience.  I haven't really hiked before so I was a little nervous about this adventure.  I am so happy that I enjoyed it so much.  It was a great workout and something totally acceptable to do by myself with feeling like a loser.

After the hike, I grabbed the essentials from the car; food, drinks, towel and book.  I headed back down the trail to the place I had discovered earlier.  I climbed down from the trail to the flat rock beach.  It was just a small little patch but perfect to spend sometime alone in the sun.  The water was cool and clear.  I took a couple swims in the river but mainly enjoyed getting lost in a book and the sounds of nature.  About an hour into my solitude, a slimy snake slithered a little too close for comfort.  I took that as my sign to get back to the beach.

Once on the beach, I spent about another half hour in the sun.  Then, the thunder started rolling and my day of adventure was coming to a close.  I made it out of the park and back to the main road before the sky opened up.

The day was much needed.  I loved the hike, the water and the sunshine.  Even the storm that rolled through was a welcome ending to a pretty fantastic day.

Oh, and the views on the hike were nothing short of God's handiwork.