We're Those People

When you were a teen and all your friends wanted to go hiking did you take special gear, the proper outfit, anything that said "I'm prepared" with you?  When I was a teen it was normally my running shoes, a pair of shorts and a tee shirt.  I didn't even take a hat or bottled water with me.  And sunscreen, isn't that for old people and babies?

Then when we were out hiking we would see the people that worn pants and long sleeved shirts.  They carried a pack and I couldn't figure out what it was that they would want to carry with them.  It's a hike, everything you have needs to be held and why would I want to hold something?  I made up lots of jokes to tease the prepared people because I could obviously do it better without all that stuff and still get a suntan.

It's amazing that the more responsible I get, the older I feel.  Because I have now become one of those people.  Click on the picture to enlarge and see my awesome preparedness. 

We were were so prepared that we had a little conversation that went something like this:

Ranger walks out of the Park Ranger Station,
R: "Where are you guys headed today?"

DH: "We're going to Devil's Postpile and then Rainbow Falls."

R: "That's a great hike, be sure to drink lots of water and use sunscreen because... Well, actually you guys look pretty well prepared."

-insert RANGER SEAL OF APPROVAL here-

Well, what is in all of that gear to keep us safe and happy on our hike?


Each of us had UPF hats, UPF shirts with roll up sleeves, UPF pants with rollup or zipoff shorts, bandanas to dip in the streams to keep cool, proper hiking boots with hiking socks and a Camelback for hydration.

Divided up between the packs were our lunches, trail snacks, a sippy cup, diapers and wipes, trash bags, extra sunscreen and bug spray, our camera, and a hiker's first aid kit.  And of course LG.  DH and I took turns carrying her and whoever had the pack got to use the really cool hiking sticks.  I think BG would of carried her sister if it meant she could use the hiking sticks.

 I don't know what the big deal is, hiking is so easy when you're in a Kelty.

We did finish our hike the best way possible, with strawberry milkshakes and a bus ride back to the car.  The best way to finish off this post is with some shots of our hike at Mammoth Lakes, Ca.

The Devil's Postpile.

 Underneath a really big tree.  

There were a lot of Jeffery Pines in this forest.  Their bark smells like vanilla.  This tree, however, is not one of those.

A burn area from the Rainbow Fire of 1992 caused by a lightning strike.  

It looks like the area has still not recovered, but a sign posted on the side of the trail told me that a lot of animals like to make this area their home.

Rainbow Falls.  

This is where we took a break for lunch.

Red's Meadow and the end of the hike.

Wow, I am really bad at taking pictures.  I cut off the sign that they were posing next to.