Budding Activists

No Words for This One...

Our First Appalachian Hike

I say our first, because I have a dream that some day we'll hike the Appalachian Trail together. I fully recognize that this dream may require significant modification, as in, "Some day we'll hike 1/58th of the Appalachian Trail together." But it's my dream and I love it. There is almost no limit to my love for hiking. I once tried to climb a fourteener in CO while suffering from altitude sickness and as-yet-undiagnosed pneumonia. I still have mostly good memories of that excursion. But I digress...

While in North Carolina we hiked a trail or two off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was gorgeous and glorious. Meredith was a total pro, leading the way and reporting back to us on her walkie-talkie. Madeline was truly expert at sitting on shoulders, and actually did do some fairly significant hiking for someone who hasn't yet hit 3 feet.

Mountain moss.

Land's End vest model. Seriously. Who is this kid?

Camera balanced on top of a large boulder pic.

"One must read all signs, beginning in the parking lot." Chris Lareau

Beacon Point.

Appalachian mountains.

Southern Skiing

I fully admit that as we headed off to North Carolina with snowboards and a large assortment of gloves, hats, and coats, I thought Chris was deluded. No way there would be snow, no way it would be worth it, no way we could pull this off.

I was wrong. There, I said it. Granted, the snow was entirely man-made, but it was still a great day. We didn't do a whole lot of spring skiing when we lived in CO -- probably because it was a busy time of the semester even for those law students who were mainly there to play intramural soccer. Regardless, it was nice to push the sleeves up and wear sunglasses instead of goggles.

Mer took to it quickly, partly because she's pretty adventurous, and partly because Chris is a great teacher. They skiied together for an hour, she went to an hour class, and then she and Chris skiied together again. For all you haters out there: she had to start with skiing instead of boarding, 'cause they don't rent snowboarding stuff 'til you're 7.

And Chris totally took one for the team, getting in not one moment of snowboarding, while I went up and down the mountain seeing if I could still remember how to stop. I did.

And now, for the record and for the grandparents. Video of Mer's first solo ski.

Spring Breakin'

We don't consider it an adventure if we don't leave before dawn.



We like our adventures with al fresco dining. (Knoxville, TN)



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