An Introduction

So to fully understand the blog, the goals, and the intended outcome it may be a bit valuable to have some background info.

The Players

The Black Bear- aka me

age 24

 Not the most fearsome of Bears but still a bear. I can stand on my back legs and give a good roar, but mostly in confrontation I just scamper away. My favorite place is any place I have yet to go. I love nature and the amazing beauty that it beholds. I like dirt paths and natural trails over pavement and boardwalks. My favorite part of hiking is when we take an abrupt left and make a path of our own. My favorite place to hike is Third Beach in the Olympic National Park. 

The Grizzly- aka husband

age 26

 

 Awe-inspiring, fearsome and reclusive. That is my counterpart in this adventure of life. My Lovely husband Kevin. He is the push factor, the one who motivates us all to put on the hiking shoes and get out of town. He has the roar and the absolute unquestioning power to get us all moving. He pushes us out of comfort zones and even gives us all a little hand when we need it. He's favorite part of hiking is finding a path nobody else is on. Favorite Place to hike any old growth dense forest.

The Tom-Boy Princess

age 5

 

 Emma, my girly girl. She loves pink and all things feminine, aspires to be a ballerina and her role model is Fancy Nancee. She also loves to find bugs, worms and other dirty critters deep in the dirt. She can wear ruby red slippers and climb a mountain simultaneously. Her favorite place to hike is the River Bottoms. Most likely because over this summer we have constructed a lean-to tepee and she feels its her responsibility to maintain a good home. Girls!

My Wild Thing

age 4

  

Goose, or Lulu, or Luigi, or Loogie. Her given name is Lucy but at the ripe of old age of two she decided that wasn't a good name and has been changing it since. She's wild. She doesn't hike she runs, much like her dad, the pace of the crowd just doesn't suit her well. She has her own plans her own ideas and is her own person. She has no misguided notion that the world's opinion matters, she lives her life by her standard regardless of what anyone else wants. Her favorite place to hike is Yellowstone National Park mainly the geysers as she is obsessed with the "hot lava" that flows beneath the surface.

The Gak age 2

 

Whatever image you conjured on that introduction "The Gak" is probably an accurate one. Jack our baby and only boy is a mess. Not like a disastrous child who cannot be contained but a literal mess. He is always covered in dirt and debris regardless of how many baby wipes you have assaulted him with. He is sweet, caring and a nice little boy who is too independent for his own good. He likes to hike anywhere that involves throwing rocks into a source of water. He needs a dose of encouragement to keep up with his older and more skilled siblings but all and all he gives it his best.

So that's us, the local tourists.