So my wife is out of town for a ling weekend, leaving me with the older kids. So, naturally, I took them for a hike. In factI took them to the same hike @Tman posted a few weeks back, Saddle Mountain.
Obviously with a 2.8 and 5.8 year old, pace was going to be slow at best. But it would be a good warm up for next summer at the Utah National Parks.
The drive out and start were extremely foggy, visibility in the 1/4-1/2 mile range. Temps were decent enough though.
We went 1/4 mile or so then stopped for lunch, as it was that time by the time we arrived due to distance and stopping at Winco for some trail snacks. The kids enjoyed the rocks, but my son was really being a butt about the whole thing. He can be like that unfortunately, because near 6 year olds can be like that. However as we hiked, the clouds started to thin out. Partly due to the layer dissipating, partly climbing above them.
As we continued upward the view in the distance really started to break. We even could start to see the edge of the coastal range, Ecola State Park, as well as the ocean.
Time for a snack break! The reward for reaching the top was gummy worms!
The way down was much eaiser, though the sun was starting to get low. However, at this point, we were racing daylight and tides. I had promised the kids we would go to the tide pools (low tide was +.5 ft at 5:20pm, sunset 4:50). I was having to hustle the kids to get them down, particularly my son who was getting tired. My daughter was really tired, and wound up sleeping on my arms the last half mile or so.
But we made the car by 4:30, so rushed the 30 minutes or so to Cannon Beach. Slightly after sundown, but with still some twilight remaining.
It was a good day. Not my usual pace or hike, but given I spent a good chunk of it carrying my daughter, a decent enough work out still.