Amazing Park Challenge: Check One Off The List

As mentioned in a previous blog, I somehow managed to get myself sucked into this Amazing Park Adventure thing by a friend.  Since Little Man and I have 9 challenges to complete by August 11th, I decided we should get moving on our adventures.  Since it really has not been warm enough to go swimming and Little Man needs to prepare himself for bigger hikes later in the season, we decided we would head up Eagle Mountain.  Since we have never hiked here before, I looked all the details up online and found that it is a great beginner hike, 2 miles long with a stunning view.  Perfect! Let the adventure begin. 

 

Upon our arrival at the parking area, I applied bug spray to both of us and checked the park map.  Upon further inspection of the map, I realized that the overlook we are supposed to take a picture at for our challenge was only .4 miles and the top of the mountain a whopping .5; so much for that 2 mile hike.  When we reached the overlook the mosquitoes were apparently oblivious to the bug spay we applied, so it was a quick snap-a-picture-and-move-on stop. 

 The view of the lake was beautiful however, maybe another day when it has not been raining for a month and the bugs are ripe and ready for human blood. 

 The reluctant Little Man let me drag him the extra .1 to the summit.  Now it is at this point I should mention that the overlook and the summit were mere guesses.  Other than a sign at one cross-road we came to, there was actually no indication that we were actually at the summit of the overlook and there were several trails that criss-crossed, so the view and the rock cairn at the top were my only indication that I was actually where I was supposed to be.  It was at this point that it struck me, many people who are doing the challenge have never hiked before.  The friend that convinced us to do this for an example.  Had I not known to follow the blazes on the trees, and that a cairn sometimes signifies the top of the mountain, I would have had no clue where I was and would possibly still be wandering around in the woods.  While the view was great and we did have fun on the hike, I am not 100% sure this was a place I would have used on this type of an adventure.  Oh well, one of our adventures checked off the list.  On to the next one.