Indiana State Parks and Indiana Dunes National Park

We planned, and the universe laughed. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is off; Indiana State Parks and Indiana Dunes National Park is on!

We decided to put GSMNP on hold for either a winter trip or a spring next year trip. We had a few projects come up that we decided made it smarter to have a shorter time away. We are installing a new master closet in our house all my our own selves, and it's going to take some dedicated, focused time that we will have over spring break, if we aren't gone for all of it. Then, our washer started its Final Cycle Into Imminent Death, and the closest delivery we could get was during spring break (please, Washer Gods, let the washer last until then).

All in all, a smarter decision to have a shorter trip away and make sure we have time at home to get these projects done and settled. 

The Plan. One day and one night in Turkey Run State Park and Shades State Park. This is an easy combo, since the two are only about 15 minutes away from each other, and we will try out the Inn at Turkey Run. We've been meaning to go to these two, especially this winter, because Turkey Run has fantastic rock formations along the creek, and when the creek freezes, you get a hike you can only do a few weeks out of the year. ALAS, our plans were foiled by me and JD getting covid in early February, so it will be a wet spring trip. We've got some neat hikes picked out, and hopefully it won't be too muddy.

From there, we head on up to Indiana Dunes National Park and the neighboring Indiana Dunes State Park. We planned out two full hiking days there, and staying at a nearby hotel. Again, have some nice trail options picked out and we are excited about the water views, even if we are staying far, far away from that frigid nonsense.

As a grand finale, we are going to head over to Chicago and spend the night there. We will hit up hopefully three museums that the kids will lose their minds over, and get some Chicago-style pizza (or... not, if you are JK and allergic to tomato). There will also be train rides, naturally.

We will head home after a full day in Chicago.

A Trip Owed

I am currently owed a solo trip. 

Let me back that up. Obviously, at a very shallow level, this pandemic screwed up a lot of plans people had. Some of those plans for us were lots and lots of travel. We had two glorious, GLORIOUS trips planned for 2020 that we had to cancel (basically, big loops of national parks out west, with cool extra things, like a train ride and viewing the night sky at Kitt Peak). We put them off and put them back into our pocket of "somedays." 

In October 2021, I decided I was taking a solo trip. For a lot of reasons, I was in stress city. So I was going to go away. At first, I wanted to go, obviously, back to Estes Park. Although JK never would have stopped me, I could tell he did not love the idea of me hiking up in those huge mountains by myself, and so close to when it could snow huge amounts. I could not truthfully tell him I wouldn't hike alone, because I was absolutely going to do that, so I decided to ease his mind and go to Tucson and Saguaro National Park instead. My brother and his family are there--they live practically at the base of one of the park units--and he would come with me and hike, or my sister in law would.

Great! It was going to be fun. But then a long standing injury of JK's reached a critical point and required surgery. Even minor foot surgery means no walking, and so, I canceled my plans, as you do. Six weeks of no walking sucks, by the way. 

Now we are about to enter to vortex of JK being gone for three weeks for trial, where I am the solo parent, and at some point when this trial is over, I am doing this solo trip. I mean, I would actually love it if we could ditch the kids and go on a trip together, which we haven't done since... 2015, when we went to NYC for two nights together and left EJ with Grams. JD wasn't even born. 

Anyway, solo trip. Or trip with JK. The top of my list is always to be RMNP and Estes Park, so let's just take that as a given. JK really, really, REALLY wants to get to the Grand Canyon, and honestly, that's one I think might be more fun without kids. The hikes are not easy, and if we could snag a camping permit, we could even try hiking all the way down. I would love to go to the Utah parks, but I want to go in as close to off season as I can because yikes, those crowds. We are both very interested in doing Acadia soon.

If I am by myself, I want to hook up with one of the many outfitters who do guided backpacking, and do that. That way, I can hike myself into oblivion, and JK won't worry because I am with a knowledgeable group. I am taking some backpacking classes over these next few weeks so I can start learning, and I am excited. 

Where would you go? It's so hard to choose. 

Gear Post--Kids and Clothes

Gear post! For multiple days now, I've planned a morning hike with the dog, and had it either rain or ice on me, thus canceling my plan. So instead of pretty pictures of frosted trees in Fort Ben, I've been working out in my gym and thinking about gear. 

Child Carrier Devices. Whew you can spend a pretty penny on these, but if you are into walking or hiking or anything that involves being on the go on foot with kids who just won't keep up, it's worth it. This was a purchase for us on par with a car seat--it was going to be in regular use, and we were going to keep it as long as possible. Unlike a car seat, we could reuse it for the next kid (our kids have too big of an age gap to effective reuse car seats before the expiration date) and eventually resell it. So. We sunk the money in, and I would do it again.

Having said all that, our first one was a bit of a cheat. We were about to take a weekend hiking trip for the first time with a slow moving kid, and scoured Craigslist of all things to find a child carrier backpack. We found a Deuter Kid Comfort, one of the original models, and got for the low price of $20. It had been well loved but was still in good condition.

We used it for quite some time before deciding to upgrade for the next kid--also we were older at that point, and wanted something with a bit more back support, so that we could keep using it until new kid was older and ready to roam free. Incidentally, the Deuter still had a ton of life left in it, so we gifted it to another family with younger kids. The Deuter is still out there, living its best hiking life.

We moved on to the Osprey Poco, which had several great upgrades. Our Deuter didn't have a sun/rain shade (most of them do now), and it did not have a great place for JD to put his feet. The Poco DID have those things, and it was a great addition. It's also got great pockets, and who doesn't love pockets?

A critical thing to look for is a good hip belt, along with how the back is vented. Those two things--support plus cooling--will make the hike more enjoyable for you all. 

In the end, I high recommend either the Deuter Kid Comfort or the Osprey Poco. I lean towards the Poco, but keep in mind we had a older, used model of the Deuter. The two are very comparable. 

Eventually, JD declined to be contained, and wanted out. He was still too little to keep us with us, and frequently wanted to be held, which, the kid is a tank. So, we said goodbye to the Poco, and got a piggyback assist device. Picture included so you can see what I am talking about.

As you can see, it's literally that: it assists with a kid riding piggyback. There would be a harness for JK, a harness on JD, and he just stood on the bar. When he was done and wanted down, we would unclip and JK would either leave it on, or I would stuff it in my daypack. Easy peasy.

Clothes. This is so specific to each person, but here's what we like. 

• Kuhl pants. We love their hiking pants. The material is great and durable. 
• Duluth Trading Co. Dry On The Fly pants. Again, durable, great material, more pockets than I can shake a stick at. Love that I can roll them up and that they have double snaps so one side doesn't sag down. 
• Smart Wool. Does anyone really do a base layer better than Smart Wool? I don't think so. I've got leggings that I layer under my favorite hiking pants, a long sleeve shirt, and a long sleeve hoodie that I wear as a base layer or as a hoodie. 
• Duluth Trading Co NoGa pants. Sometimes I want more of a yoga pant style material, and that's when these are my go to. I get the slim leg (but not leggings) because the regular is way to wide and swooshy. 
• LL Bean, sweaters and vests. When I am hiking in super cold weather, I have a few really heavy-weight cable knit sweaters from LL Bean that do the trick, especially if they are paired with my smart wool. Then I don't need a super bulk coat (unless its even colder). We are both also very picky about our vests, and we like LL Bean vests. They have a nice sweater fleece long vest that does not pill, is a long length, and is the material I like, aka, no swooshing sound while I walk. Also, many pockets. 
• Duluth No Yank. These tank tops and shirts are fantastic. The material is such that it tends to stay put, rather than ride up, and it's all longer in length, so truly, I am not yanking my tops back down. They just don't ride up.

Basically, the themes and things I would look for in clothes are (1) does it fit and feel comfy, even when you are squatting? (2) do you like the material? (3) POCKETS; and (4) does it feel durable? I am willing to spend a bit more if I know it will last, and I don't regret the money I spent on my Smart Wool, Kuhls, LL Bean, and Duluth stuff. 

Picture Post: Garden of the Gods & Pikes Peak

Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, in pictures. Brace yourself, because there is almost nothing of Pikes Peak--the visitors center and the cog railway were both under heavy construction, and all the views were obstructed at the top. 

Of course, SOME of us like the construction vehicles (ahem, JD).

Kind of sort of a view.

Don't let the lack of pictures scare you off BUT MAYBE this drive up the mountain should. I am kidding, it was spectacular. I love stopping at the pull outs and scrambling around. 

Although it turns out I am a very anxious passenger on this ride up Pikes Peak, I still love it. LOVE IT. It's such an adrenaline rush. Also there are brake check stops, where they take the temperature of your brakes and sometimes make you pull over if you brakes are overheating. That's how steep the incline is.

Like I said, I love stopping at the pull outs. We did a bunch of short, one mile hikes at a ton of stopping points. 

After Pikes Peak, we went on to our house in Garden of the Gods. This view was 50 yards from where we stayed. Seriously. 

We actually hiked this trail in the late evening our first night there, but the view were, uh, limited then.

There was something so magical about this section. It was like walking through a long hall, approaching a god's throne. 

We kept going but then the kids got goofy and there are many silly kid pictures.

The famous Kissing Camels, on the main track of sights to see.

If you zoom in on the wall, you will see a surprise.

This is just amazing and it really made me wish I could join those climbers on the top. Zoom in on the peak! What an adrenaline rush that must be. Yes, please.

Balanced Rock, which hangs over a main road in and out of the park. It's often quite busy there.

The tree is not dead-dead, it's only MOSTLY dead. Joke compliments of my niece.

The Siamese Twins rock, which was part of a really great hike. 

Real talk, that red dust is brutal. Look at JD's butt! Also, look at the awesome piggyback assist device we have.

At one point, we took a break and sat under an outcropping for snacks. It's hard to believe you are in a smaller park in the middle of a city with that view. Also, our butts were totally covered in red dust after this break. 

Finishing up our hike and our time at Garden of the Gods. We hiked the kids into exhaustion that day with 2 three mile hikes, then drove them home starting at 3 am the next morning. They slept hard in the car for a long time.

Travel Planning: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

As things often do for lawyers, everything congealed and solidified. Motions were granted and denied, trial dates were set, subpoenas issued, and lo, we were once again able to plan our lives. We settled on Great Smoky Mountains National Park, ultimately ruling out Mammoth Cave National Park because its closer and it's one we feel we can do in less time than the full week we have to play with. 

We are selecting a cabin as we speak, and are picking one where we can bring Finn. He will have to stay behind most of the time, as pets are only allowed on two of the park's over 800 miles of trails, but he will be happier traveling with us. Like I said, he's a lazy bum, so if we hike in the morning and hang with him in the afternoon, he will be just fine with that. 

I created a list in my AllTrails account to flag hikes we should check out. There's a better than 50/50 chance that my mother in law will come down for a few of the days, so maybe JK and I can even do an adults-only hike at some point and leave the kiddos behind. 

When I say I've flagged "some" trails, I honestly mean I've flagged 52. There's no way we will go on 52 hikes, but I do enjoy having a menu from which we can choose. They're mostly all on the Tennessee side, since that's easiest for us to get to, but I've got some flagged that venture in further and over the state line. 

• Various parts of the Old Sugarland trails
• Peregrine Peak
• Courthouse Rock
• Laurel Falls
• Gatlinburg Trail, so we can bring Finn
• Nature trail walks, like Fighting Creek and Cove Hardwoods
• Twin Creeks
• Cucumber Gap
• Huskey Gap
• Chimney Tops
• Rainbow Falls
• And so many more

We will never get through all of those, especially the harder trails I have picked out. I am hoping for one harder trail, maybe one that gets us to a summit, but I would rather save that for sans kids, likely. EJ could totally do it, but JD is a bit more iffy at age 4.5. He can go for hours and loves adventure but when he hits the wall, it's over. 

Things we need to get in order:

• Air bed. Most of the places we are looking at are two bedrooms, and our children are, uh, aggressive sleepers. Having them share a bed would result in hilarity and possibly injury. They can share a room, as long as one of them is on an air mattress. 
• New hiking boots for JD. He's somehow outgrown his. Again.
• New hiking socks for the kids, who have worn holes in basically all their socks. 
• Shoe inserts for me, to help my sad feet.
• New daypack for EJ, so JD can now carry EJ's old pack.
• Some upgraded rain gear, because I think we are going to need it.

En route is a book on hikes in GSMNP as well as a park-wide trial map. We also like to buy a giant box of assorted individually packed snacks, and that works well for all hiking related snack needs. I think I may have some pre-made meals ready to go and bring them down in a cooler. I would have loved to try camping out here, but Jeff convinced me it will still get too cold during the night to make for a fun experience.

If you've got any experience in GSMNP, we are taking recommendations. 

Gear Post--Daypacks and Dogs

We are by no means expert-level hikers. We've never backpacked or camped, though I am hoping to learn this year. We have hiked quite a bit though, enough to make us fairly experienced, and with kids of varying ages. We hiked with dogs, in varying environments, and we've got stuff we like, mistakes we've made, and stuff that's lasted through thick and thin. 

Daypacks. I use the Osprey Sirrus 24 Daypack, and I've got the 3L hydration reservoir in it. Key for me is the hip belt--I wanted something that would give some back support and not just a flimsy strap. This has a good, solid strap with some pockets for light storage (my phone does not really fit in there, but I cram masks and tiny hand sanitizer in there, because these are the times we live in). 

My focus in buying it was the hip belt and size, but there are some features that surprised me and made themselves indispensable. The mesh backing lets my back breath, and I never really overheat with the pack. We eventually started doing enough hiking that we got trekking poles, and lo, there is a place to attach the collapsed poles when I don't need them. Never thought I would use the attached raincover until I did, and not just for rain--snow, sleet, and even the memorable times I wrapped up creek-soaked children shoes in it and transported them home for a washing. The way the pockets are arranged makes sense and works well for access. There are a few places to clip carabiners on the outside, which is where I hang the collapsible dog bowls. 

EJ has a small kids hydration pack--the Osprey Moki 1.5L. She started using it around age 5, and has used it up to age 9. Now that's she's 10, she's switching to a larger daypack, and this hydration pack is shifting to JD. It's got the airmesh harness to keep them cool, and a small pocket so they can carry a snack or two.

JK uses a very old Camelback hydration pack. Sometimes he uses the actual reservoir, but more often, he sticks in his favorite water bottle. Since JK is the designated hauler of children who refuse to walk another step, he keeps a slim, light pack, and I carry the bigger pack with all the snacks, extra water, first aid, dog gear, etc. 

Dog gear. We hike with our golden retriever quite a bit, and we hiked with the previous golden too, until he got too old and politely declined* anything more than an amble. Telly, our previous dog, had endless amounts of energy and was extremely athletic. Finn... well, he's an excellent snuggler. He's still a puppy (turned 1 in October 2021), so he's got energy, but he's quite lazy, and he's the most clumsy dog I've ever had. He's very sweet though, and he likes to come with us, but he's also like OMG WHY about halfway through a hike, so we are measured about the length of hike we take him on. 

We keep a water bottle for Finn with us, and have a collapsible down bowl. It's the United By Blue Earth Day Collapsible Double Dog Bowl. It's easy to clean, has a spot for food and a spot for water, collapses, zips up, and comes with a hook, so I hook it on the outside of my pack. We even travel with these, and it's his car bowls. They are just fantastic. 

We don't exactly live in bear country, so we also hike with dog treats for Finn. He's food motivated, and he's still learning proper etiquette, so we use the treats to encourage (bribe) him.

Finn has three harnesses, and we always hike with a harness. He's quite large and strong, and the harness gives us a better ability to control him while still being gentle. If he surges ahead, the front clip makes him turn around--so she just doesn't surge. We have a Pet Safe harness, a Ruff Wear harness, and one from Duluth Trading Company. Our favorite leash for hiking is one that we got from Target, and it has the hand loop at the end of the leash, but also a hand loop about halfway down the leash. It gives us a comfortable two hand grip on the leash, which I like. 

I hike with a small first aid kit for Finn. I got mine from REI, and it's the Adventure Medical Kit--First Aid Kit For Dogs. It's small and its got all the basics I would need for him for minor injuries.

Lastly, we always keep towels and dog wipes in the car. Hiking can be muddy business, and we don't want to miss out on the fun in order to stay clean! We got WeatherTech mats in our vehicles--in part due to winter weather slush, part kid crumbs, and part dog dirt. It does make it so our floors and carpet are pretty protected, which is great. 

*Telly would see us assembling the hiking gear, stare at us with a disgusted look on his face, and go lay down in his favorite spot, but with his face buried in the corner. Okay, Telly, we get the message. Though that was really only the last few months of his life--before that he still was very energetic. 

Hiking Prep--Training

Here's a training for hiking post for you, and I will start it with a caveat--the best way to train for hiking is to get out and do it, no matter what your ability or fitness level is. Figure out where you are comfortable and start! Don't put off the fun!

I mentioned earlier that I get altitude sickness, and talked about finding out that delightful little nugget of information. So, let's talk about what I do now to mostly NOT get altitude sickness. Spoiler alert: there's no easy fix. It takes time.

I know there are products out there on the market that advertise themselves as a pill or an herb to avoid altitude sickness, but in my experience, the only thing that really gets the job done is fitness. When I say that, I don't mean being a certain weight either, because, honestly, fuck the patriarchy, and fitness comes in all sizes, and I've been fit at many different shapes and sizes in my life. I mean, are you in a position to do sustained amounts of heart-pumping exercise? That's all I mean. 

In addition to altitude sickness, right now, I've got myself a nice little case of plantar fasciitis, brought to me courtesy of an ill-advised attempted to think I could maybe run a 5K. Note to self: I am a swimmer and a hiker, I will never, ever be a runner. See also: persistent shin splints.

So, while normally I would say that the best thing I can do for training for big hikes is making sure I am doing big or long hikes, that's not in the cards currently. Below are some examples of what I've been up to in my home gym.

Cardio days: You need to have the actual ability to keep up sustained walking, usually with inclines tossed in. Here's what I cycle through: (1) 30-45 minutes of rowing; or (2) 30-45 minutes of cycling. As my foot heals, I will add in (3) 30-45 minutes of elliptical at increasing levels of incline/resistance. The more my foot heals, the more I will rotate between these, and further adding in (4) 3-5 mile brisk hikes on some of the more hilly trails nearby.

HIIT and weights: This makes a big difference for me, so I always make sure I include it. I have a wide variety of high-intensity interval training workouts that I rotate through, so I won't bore you, but I will tell you what I focus on. The things that help me most for hiking are: (1) squats--without weights, with weight, and/or with jumps; (2) lunges--stationary, walking, with weights, and curtsey or speed skater style; (3) stairs--running up them, lunges on them, one legged squats on stairs while lowering down, like going down an incline; (4) planks--low planks, high planks, side planks, mountain climbers; (5) work with an Olympic bar--landmine attachment exercises, dead lifting; (6) other core work--ball crunches, reserve crunches, bicycles, stuff like that; and (7) upper body work--I have to focus on my upper back and shoulders, due to some old sports injuries', to ensure that I am holding core properly and can carry a pack or a kid. 

Yoga. I also work in yoga days. That big stretch and flexibility is huge in terms of how I feel after hikes and how I can recover. It does not get my heart rate up in a big way but oh boy do I notice when I've skipped yoga. Yoga also pulls in all that core work you need while hiking along with a pack.

Swimming. Lastly, as an altitude note--the biggest and best thing I do to make sure I can hike at high altitudes is swim. Nothing increases my lung capacity quite like it, especially since I do breathing-control exercises (meaning, I limit how many times I take a breath while swimming laps, and that limit gets progressively harder throughout the workout). I am a former D1 swimmer, so the pool is a place where I am really comfortable and really creative with how hard I can push myself. There is a huge difference in how I handle altitude if I have been regularly incorporating swimming into my training and workouts.

So, that's a little picture of the work I do to make sure I can hike some of the bigger hikes we like to do, and at altitude. This year, I'd like to pick some summits to accomplish, though nothing over, say, 11,000 ft. I've been out of the pool for awhile, so I will need to get back to it, but in the meantime. I'm healing my foot and keeping up with the rest of it.

The Almost Trip: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Well, we will just chalk this one up to a missed trip, and save it for planning purposes I guess. I was defeated by a combination of the Midwest weather and my own forgetfulness. 

I was driving to Buffalo NY for a baby shower, and the route between my place and Buffalo takes you directly through Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I've been meaning to stop for years, but we are always racing through on our way to family, usually with increasingly hostile small humans in the back (the trip to Buffalo is at least 8 hours), so we've typically just pushed through. This time, though, it was just me and EJ, so we thought we take our time and stop mid-trip for a hike.

Life did not cooperate.

A storm swept across the Midwest, starting with dumping rain all over us for more than 12 hours, then having the temperatures plummet. Our backyard is still covered in ice. We received a generous helping (for Indiana) of snow to sit on top of that ice. The storm then perfectly traced the route from my house to my sister house, dropping buckets of rain, ice, and snow all along the way. We delayed our departure time to let the roads clear up, and even then, the road to Buffalo was littered with semis and cars off the road in ditches, being rescued by tow trucks. It was very slow going and dicey in some parts. 

We decided it was best to drive through, and I waved to CVNPS on the way, figuring we could stop on the way back.

You know what's helpful for hiking in a national park in the snow and ice? Your microspikes and trekking poles. You know what I forgot? My microspikes and trekking poles. I looked around Buffalo at various stores, and while I could have easily bought extra trekking poles, microspikes were nowhere to be found.

EJ and I thought we might give it a try, but one look at the trail head convinced me that was a bad idea. Ice was the reigning theme, and the last thing this trip needed was for the only adult, driver, and sole source of EJ's ability to get home to bite it on the ice because we tried to hike without the right equipment. 

Sometimes, that's part of the adventure--the miss. It's always part of learning to hike and have more adventures--knowing when to make the right call, knowing your limits, and knowing the limits of the people you have with you. EJ and I have a funny thought somewhat disappointing story that is part of a larger trip where we had a great time, and we have a plan we are looking forward to pulling off. I will remember my gear and hope for better weather, and there are no injuries, which seemed pretty likely.

I can't wait to hike Brandywine Falls, though.

Travel Planning: Spring Break 2022

Due to Lawyer Problems (an actual thing requiring capitalization), we are still planning what we are doing for spring break this year, and we aren't able to book anything yet. We are on tenterhooks*, waiting to see how these trials and schedules shake out, and then we will execute one of our plans, last minute style. Since we need to stay flexible, we are also playing the game of potentially needing to book a flight or a place to stay last minute. 

This is not my favorite game. 

Coming up with itineraries IS one of my favorite games though. I have an entire inventory, so when day comes where JK says, "Let's talk about going to Iceland!" I will cheerfully pull out the three suggested Iceland itineraries I have. Yes, I am like this all the time, why do you ask? Also, my itineraries often have charts and spreadsheets. 

Great Smokey Mountains National Park. This is the busiest national park, but spring time has a lower number of people, a high number of budding wildflowers, and more than 800 miles of hiking trails that don't get used as much by people just doing the drive through. There are still lots of vacation rental places available, and many of them take dogs, so we could bring the current model of golden retriever. It's a close enough drive. I have no interest in going to GSMNP in the summer--it sounds like a crowded mess. I bet fall is gorgeous, but again, I bet everyone else has heard that, too. Spring is when I've always wanted to go to GSMNP--hiking, wildflowers, weather that starting to warm, nearby Gatlinburg. This is my preference for a trip.  

Mammoth Cave National Park. I mean, how cool is this? It's the world's longest known cave system and it's practically in my backyard. Cave tours, a bike trail that used to be a railroad for the train loving child, some nice looking hikes, and if we are lucky, a chance to do a kayak trip on the Green River. At first, I was all excited, because it looked like there were backcountry trails we could get to in one part of the park, but reviews of the trails all talk about how muddy and unmarked they are, which is probably not the best bet for our family right now. So, I think we are looking at a cave focused experience, with some hiking and biking in the main area of the park. This is JK's preference--as long as he is able to go (that's a whole other part of the logistics questions).

Red River Gorge Geological Area, in Daniel Boone National Forest. Have you heard of this place? Lots of people in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky go here for camping, rock climbing, hiking, and more. It's a real stunner of a place--a canyon system within the Daniel Boone National Forest, and it's got more than 100 natural sandstone arches. There's more hiking than you can shake your trekking poles at, and I'd love to try a rock climbing lesson. There's also kayaking tours that take you INTO a cave on a kayak, which, yes, please, sign me up. I think this is a strong second place for both of us. 

Saguaro National Park. Yes, I realize I just named a whole bunch of places close by and in easy driving distance, and here I am, throwing out an option in Tucson Arizona. That's the luxury of having family in other places--it makes spontaneous trips easier when you have a place to crash. I love Tucson, and spring is a great time to visit. You might even catch some cactus blooms (and some cactus pollen). We'd hike in both units of Saguaro National Park, and over in Sabino Canyon. The kids would love the Desert Museum, and maybe we could catch some night sky action on top of Mt. Lemmon, or do a sunset horseback ride. Not to mention my brother and his family and their pool. Major cons to this are the expense of the flight, car rental, and having Finn the dog stay with the dog sitter. 

Complicating logistics is the fact that I might be doing this solo with the kids, because lawyering and trials are stupid some times. So maybe JK will be there; maybe he won't. What do I want to tackle without him? If he's not with us, we are not going to Mammoth, because he really wants to go. Should I plan for Tucson, because I would have more family? But that's a hassle with tickets, etc. My preference is GSMNP or Red River Gorge--I am comfortable driving there, I would be fine being there sans JK. I would be equally comfortable in Tucson, but then I am dealing with flights and refundable tickets and dog care and ugh. 

So, we are seeing how a few more things shake out before we make decisions, then we will pick one. 

*Did you know that it's tenterhooks, not tenderhooks? Tenterhooks were hooked nails in a wooden frame called a tenter. Tenters were used in the process of making woolen cloth in the 14th century--the metal hooks were used to stretch the wool on the tenter as it dried. 

Fort Harrison State Park

Indiana is our home base, and we consider Fort Harrison State Park--or as everyone around here calls it, Fort Ben--our home park.

Why To Go

It's just dang pretty, and its right there, in Indianapolis. There's creeks, and some decent hills (for central Indiana, that is). There's great spots to rest and picnic. There's trails for road biking, and trails for mountain biking. There's golf, too, and the old Garrison is now a restaurant with delicious food, with an Inn nearby. There's sledding in winter, and fishing and canoeing in summer (with permits). There's horseback riding, and there's history--so much history to this park. 

It used to be part of an army post--the former Citizen's Military Training Camp has been preserved around the park office in what used to be known as Camp Glenn. There are the park offices and even a Museum of 20th Century Warfare, which has exhibits about the soldiers that served at Fort Harrison. There are often reenactments and other history related events.

Favorite Trails

I could try to pick my favorite trails, but I can't. I won't. I shan't. You can't make me, I love them all. It's very common to people to have their leashed dogs on the trail, kids are a common trail sighting, and you get casual hikers to brisk and intense hikers to trail runners. Some of the trials are mixed use, meaning, they are also used for mountain bikers. Personally, when I am hiking with kids, I prefer to have the mountain bikers coming at me head on--I can see them in advance, with time to pull the kids off the trail. The mountain bikers have almost exclusively been fantastic and polite, but hey, they are on a bike, balancing, and we are on our own two feet, so I like to move for them rather than make them work for it. Team work makes the dream work.

Schoen Creek--This was the trail that had me falling in love with Fort Ben. It's up, it's down, there are tight turns, a steep drop off, it winds back and forth. Along the way, you'll pass over bits of frames of old buildings--remnants of the military fort, or get glimpses of Lawton Loop, where the officers lived, and are now private houses. 

Lawrence Creek--This trail is longer, and one that JK and I typically do together, without the kids, though we do parts of the trails with the kids. They can certainly handle the distance, it's more that we just like saving this one for just us. It has one of my favorite section of the entire park, where the trail narrows and is cut into the side of the hill but wraps back in on itself. I often let JK and kids, if they are with us, get far ahead, just so I can be amused by the view. So close, but so far. 

Camp Creek and Fall Creek--although these are/can be two separate trails, we often do them together and combine them in new and different ways. These are the two trails we prefer to have the kids on, because there are no bikers--it's a hiking only trail. This is a trail where, at the beginning, you often see people finding little sandy beach spots and floating along in the creek. It's honestly delightful to see families come camp out for the day, floating, picnicking, and having fun. This trail will take you along the creek, through trees, through tall grasses, up stairs, over gravel and sometimes  quick pavement crossing, down hills, and more. It can be kind of a choose your adventure hike, because you can cut it very short and exit on to the paved path back to the parking lot at several spots, or you can keep tacking on the dirt miles. 

There are some paved paths and a shorter Tree Line Trail, but they are more of a walk (though a delightful one) than a hike.

Favorite Spots to Be

Millennium Grove Picnic Area is such a great spot. There are places and spots to pull off and park your car and when the grasses are tall, you are isolated from each other. Schoen Creek Trail runs all around the area, so you could pick it up and hike a bit, or you can just hang. 

The top of the big sledding hill is another major favorite. It's a nice view from a high point, and I love sitting up there in summer and fall and just enjoying the sun and breeze. This hill is where I do my "training" when I know I am going to hike bigger hills/mountains--I run up the hill and walk down, over and over. 

Other Things to Do

There are stables, so you can sign yourself up for a nice horseback ride. Our daughter did it when she was five, and it was easy enough and fun. In the winter, it's a popular place for sledding--that big hill is a great ride. There's a golf course that's part of the park, so if golfing is your jam, it's a beautiful course. I see many families in the summer load up a cooler and  go find a spot along the creeks, park themselves there, and wade in, floating along the creek. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the history. In Fort Ben is the museum of 20th Century Warfare. they have reenactments, displays, special exhibits, and special guest series.

Eats and Sleeps

Nearby, you have deliciousness. Porter Books and Brews is a delightful coffee shop with some baked goods. Cafe Audrey is delicious, as is Chef Suzanne's little drive up hut. There's some chains--Panera, Culver's--but I generally prefer the local places I mentioned. The Garrison is a more old-fashioned eating place, but they do a great brunch on weekends. 

The Fort Harrison Inn is fantastic. I've stayed there, despite being close to my house and it is just neat.