This year has seen a few big birthdays for our family. I now have a ten-ager in the house (that is what Maddy decided that turning 10 is called) and will have a teenager in just a few short months. It’s fun to see them grow up but also a little heart-wrenching that time is moving so fast.

So of course we want to make the most of every moment that we have with the girls. And I can’t think of a better way to do that than to head out into the mountains for some backpacking! Maddy and I have been planning our trip for a while, and it was supposed to be just the two of us. A little dad-daughter bonding trip. But then a rearrangement in our schedules meant that Abby was able to join us as well. All it took was getting a few more meals and resorting our gear for three backpacks instead of two.

We had an amazing time. The trail we hiked was a loop that was on the Appalachian Trail and the North Fork Moorman River trail. All told, we hiked just about twenty miles over three days. It pushed the girls for sure, but to me that’s some of the fun of these kinds of activities: testing what your body is capable of. We saw a deer and a fawn and then a larger deer that watched us at our riverside campsite. We saw a warning about bears, but never saw any bear activity, just a large dog print in some mud, and we had a beautiful hike along the river (including a couple of precarious crossings, hopping from rock to rock). We had fun at our campsites, dipping our feet in the cold water to soothe them, eating in the wild, and playing cards in the tent as the sun went down. On our third day, a small detour brought us to a beautiful waterfall and large swimming hole as well.

By the end of the third day, we were all getting pretty tired and starting to dream of delicious meals and a comfortable bed. Unfortunately, the end of our hike was a consistent uphill climb from the river to where our car was parked along Skyline Drive. My legs were burning, and I’m more used to climbing than the girls are, so I know they were getting tired. Abby was hiking a little bit ahead of us, just getting into her own rhythm when suddenly she came hustling back towards Maddy and me. There was panic on her face. She said there was a fat snake in the trail, and she had almost stepped on it.

I went forward and had a hard time spotting the animal, until as I got within about 10 feet it started rattling at me. It never moved. Not with shouting or rolling a few rocks past it. It just laid across the trail, blocking our way. As I started to devise an alternate plan, I looked up and saw a relatively flat spot about fifteen feet up the mountain-side. Fortunately these are the Appalachians, not the Rockies, so the hill was steep but walkable. The girls weren’t thrilled with bushwhacking through the woods, but it was our only way to the car. So we persevered, the girls ahead of me, while I kept my eye on that snake. From our vantage point above it, we traversed around about 200 feet and then descended back to the trail without incident.

At this point, we only had a mile and a half left to hike, but after seeing the snake, it took a little cajoling to get some energy back into the girls. But I’m glad to say we made it, and we had an amazing time, we made some wonderful memories, and now the girls have a great camping story to tell their kids one day, plus a great lesson: Always watch where you step.

And we’re excited to have your pets stepping around our place at the end of the month! Our 2nd Annual Plants and Pets event on Saturday, August 26 is going to be so much fun with Brutus Bone Broth sponsoring our Pet Obstacle Course as well as providing treats and giveaways for your furry friends. We know it’s important for you to be both a Pet Parent AND a Plant Parent, so we have our “Pet-Friendly Plants and How to Keep Pets Away from Plants” seminar at 10am in the Greenhouse. We also have MIX 100.7 with radio personality (and animal advocate) Katie Sommers onsite from 10am – noon. Lightning Jack will be providing us summer tunes with his steel drums while Tikiz Shaved Ice and Ice Cream serves up refreshing treats for purchase. Take home memories from your poses in the Photo Booth and a fun time outside with your cherished animals. We are really looking forward to hosting you!

P.S. Our Yard Sale is in full swing, so come by and have a look at the deals!