Easter Sunday Hike with Jake

While my regular hiking buddy napped, my number two and I headed to the local woods to check out the condtion of the trails and see if we couldn't stir up some wildlife. The temperature was in the low 40s with only a slight breeze.

We were armed with what I normally carry which included a 32oz. (1L) Nalgene bottle, a Scout firesteel, and my Bark River Knife and Tool Mini Canadian--more than enough gear for a short day hike.

	I have always believed in getting the best gear you could afford and that philosophy goes all the way down to the gear I buy for the kids. There's no point in cheaping out on kid gear just because they'll outgrow it in a matter of months. Jake's sporting his Columbia coat that offers him protection from the wind, water, and cold. His boots are waterproof and well broken in.
	Before we even hit the trailhead we found some nice deep deer tracks in the mud. This one was at the base of a sapling where the deer had clearly been browsing new spring buds.
	My tools. This is stuff I carry every day. The Mini Canadian is one of the best knives available today. It's got phenomenal geometry, great heat treat, A2 steel, micarta handles, great ergonomics, and, best of all, it's a fantastic value.
	Jake fueling up. Sugar, sugar, and more sugar...sure, it's not what you or I would choose but for a three year old it's the perfect choice. A large Easter Egg of candy plus a few big glugs of water kept him moving over a couple of muddy miles.

A good (short) day in the woods with Jake. No wildlife to speak of (excluding the boy) but plenty of sign that they'd been in the area before we came tromping through. Another couple of hikes like this and he'll be added to the roster of "regular" hiking buddies. Like his sister, he can put in the miles without complaint. It surely helped that he was hopped up on Easter Candy both before and during the trip.

UPDATE

What goes up...

Thanks for reading,


B