Know When to Fold 'Em

Two happy boys at the start of the hike

Still doing okay here...

Why the sad title you say?  Well, Kenny Rogers was right, you gotta know when to fold 'em.  As I said in my first post, we want our kids to grow up loving backpacking.   So if there is something that might make them miserable when they are backpacking...  contracting giardia, getting eaten by a mountain lion, freezing to death, or otherwise, then it is best to stay home.

So what happened?  Well, the last full day of the Mills Family Reunion, we planned, appropriately, to hike to Mills Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park.  We woke to a brisk but clear morning.  Soon into the 6-mile round trip hike, Jack says, "I feel sick."  Being the crazy hiking mom I am, I thought that he was merely cold or tired (we were at the trailhead at 7 a.m.).  So on we went.

Soon, however, I realized that Jack was rather miserable and really not feeling well.  I should have realized it when he was not bounding off of rocks like his younger brother Gus (who by the way successfully pooped in a cathole on the same hike... not bad for a four year old).  We proceeded the three miles to our destination.  Beautiful Mills Lake.  There we bundled up Jack who was shivering by now and

And a no longer happy looking Jack...  Sorry kid!

who continued to shiver even though adequately warmed.  Yep... Fever.  :-(

At this point Tree and I made the decision to cancel the weekend backpacking trip.  We knew that even if Jack was feeling better the following day, it was very likely that one of us would end up ill in the short-term.  And sure enough, we all did.

And crossing the CDT, the next day!

So passing on a bit of wisdom.  First, if it is going to rain the whole trip, consider cancelling.  I can't remember where we learned that, but probably not bad advice.  Second, if a normally happy-go-lucky hiking kid tells you he is sick, take his word for it.  Or at least adjust plans accordingly when you realize he is sick.

Another trip coming up next month.  We will see you on the trail!

Full recovery for our future CDT hiker!

- Mama Bear