A Hike to Remember

Yesterday was Grouchy and Addie date day. They played golf. Addie won. Grouchy's score playing 9 holes was 44. Addie drove the cart, so her score was zero. Lowest score always wins in golf!! Addie is proudly waving the score card around today!!!

Today was Ainslee and Mommy date day. We drove to Big Mountain in Whitefish, Montana and rode the ski lift to the hightest point and hiked the 4 mile trail downhill. It went like this:
Mile 1:
Mom, are you serious we are going to walk all the way down?
Yes, Ainslee.
Mom, I am scared.
Of what, Ainslee?
Bears.
Ainslee, you have the bear bell.....(and she shakes it violently for a few minutes)
Mom, I don't like the bear bell.
Ainslee, do you like bears better?
Mom, that's not funny.
I think it is.
Mom, how much farther??

Mile 2:
Mom, can I have a snack?
Sure, Ainslee, if you can walk and eat. We have to hurry to pick up Dad to take him for a massage for his back issues (more on Grouchy's first massage later...he he he!!!)
Mom, do you have water?
Yes, Sweetie, here it is.
Mom, I gotta pee.
Okay, Ains, let it rip!!
Mom, NOT HERE!!! Let's get around that bend in the trail.......okay, here (in the straightest part of the trail, mind you)
Thanks, Mom.
Sure, Ainslee!
Mom, are we close to the end.
Nope, Ainslee, only on mile two.

Mile 3:
Mom, I'm scared!
Of what?
Look over to the side. It's a cliff, and I am afraid to fall off.
Ainslee, stay on the trail and look ahead, not down. (keep in mind she isn't graceful on the trail, has already fallen three times and can do great AS LONG AS SHE IS HOLDING MY HAND!!! Narrow trail, cliff on one side....)
Mom, I am really scared (begins to sob)
Ainslee, I am really sure you will be fine. Look, I will hold your hand and fall, I mean, walk on the side with the huge drop off, OKAY???
Mom, I am still scared. Do you have any water? How much farther? My legs hurt. My ankle hurts. Are we there yet?
Ainslee, we are not there, keep walking, I do have water but for later, and I PRAY we are almost 2 miles in with 2 miles to go.
MOOOOM, why are we going so far?
Ainslee, do you think there is an option of going straight down?
No, Mom, but why can't they move some of these rocks out of the trail.
Because it's a trail, Ainslee. Look, keep a good attitude, smile, stop whining, and let's make this a fun experience.
Mom, I never want to hike again.
Fine, Ainslee, so it is even more important to make this a memorable experience since it is our only one ever......

Mile 4:
Oh shoot, Ainslee, we have like 5 minutes to go this last mile and drive home to get Daddy to his theraputic massage!!!!
Okay, Mom, but my legs are tired and hurting, but let's run!!
Okay, Ainslee, let's run together!!!
(So we take off jogging, holding hands, going on a pretty steep downhill, but amazingly MUCH more graceful than our walking was!!!)
Mom, you have more water?
Yep.
Can I have some?
Not til the bottom.
MOOOOOM, why??
Because. Ainslee, how bout we re-nickname you Bear Scat (that's bear poop to Montanans apparently)
NO, MOM!!! I hate all the nicknames you and Dad have ever given me!!
Okay.
Mom, how much more?
50 miles or so....let's watch for signs.
Look, Mom, a waterfall.
Great, keep running!
Look, Mom, a flower we haven't seen!
Nice, not keep running as you look at it but DON'T FALL OFF THE CLIFF!!!
Mom, can we stop to rest.
No.
MOM!!!!
Hey Ainslee, how bout we call you Mountain Goat??? You are really nimble at a run, just not a walk. Whatcha think???
Wow, Mom, I like that. (She then begins running with an extra spring in her step, hopping roots and rocks along the way.)
Ains, see how wonderful things are when you have a great attitude?
Yes Ma'am. I am glad we came. Thank you for bringing me. But next time, can we buy lift tickets for both up AND down the mountain????
NO!!!! Next time we will hike up AND down!!

Oh, and our surgeon friend who has put us up in the guest house by their house for a month recommended for Grouchy to have a therapeutic massage to try to ease pain in his side that she thinks is caused by his back. We went....I WAS SHOCKED and very encouraged!!! It was almost a two hour deal, and it was very inexpensive, and he said it was not bad, but not something he enjoyed overall. It was deep tissue massage..OUCH!!!! I walked into the office when it was over and met the lady who worked on him, and she started asking him how he felt afterward. He said, "fine." and that was it!!!! The end.

Godspeed,
CL