Spontaneous Friday Afternoon Hike in the Sawtooth Mountains

I have been looking out my kitchen window at my neighbor's amazing maple tree in it's full, brilliant glory all week, lamenting the fact that I probably wouldn't make it up the north shore to bask in the inland maple forests.  We are having a late fall this year, and the previous weekend the leaves were not really turning very much.  Dr. Peds and I both did not feel like traveling that weekend, either.  I was looking ahead at this last weekend and realizing that Dr. Peds would be working, and it would be nearly impossible to work out a trip north with the kidlets because of swimming lessons, a symphony concert, church, and a recital I was singing in this afternoon. 

Then, lo and behold, I realized Friday at lunchtime that Ya Ya had an early release day from school and would be hopping off the bus in twenty minutes.  I decided then and there we would do some hiking.  I gathered everything up.  Mr. SP and The Banana were actually excited, and when Ya Ya came home, even she didn't complain too much about the idea.  It was such an amazing day outside.  

We zipped up the scenic highway and drove on an even more scenic gravel road to see heartbreak hill.  The maple trees were not quite peaking, but still were turning all sorts of rich colors.  I love early fall the best, with it's anticipation of explosive bright colors, and the first colors mixed in with all of the greens of the trees that turn later.  

We kept traveling north to hike at Oberg Mountain.  It was just a fantastic hike:  the perfect length, not too strenuous, but plenty challenging for my little people, and the most superb views of Lake Superior and the surrounding maple hills.  We might make going there an annual tradition, since I seem to need my maple tree fix every year at about this time.  

The pictures do not do the scenery justice whatsoever.

It was a breezy day, with wind from the east and amazing waves on Lake Superior.  The hike went so well that on our way home we stopped at the lake side of Temperance River State Park and walked down to the water.  The kidlets immediately noticed a tall man in a black wetsuit surfing on a stand-up paddleboard, so we had to watch until the sun set.  

We drove toward home and stopped for a late supper (and ice cream  . . . a bribe for good hikers, which I am not overly ashamed of since it actually worked on this trip) before arriving home and climbing into bed.  I was really happy that we went.  Sometimes if I think about how much work and misery it can be taking the kidlets hiking by myself I don't go.  Quick decisions are sometimes for the best.