Boys Night Out: Motocross

Yesterday Daniel and the boys went to watch Motocross with friends while I stayed home and enjoyed some quiet and took care of some mundane tasks like swapping out their winter for summer wardrobes. They got home around 11pm last night and excitedly told me all about their day. It took Jack and isaac a little while to settle down enough to fall asleep. I’m so glad they had a fun afternoon/evening with just the guys.

Father-Son Hike: Mushroom Rock

Part of our homeschool experience is taking Jack for one-on-one hikes on trails that are in close proximity to our home.

Typically I am the one taking him on these hikes, but with homeschool everything is flexible.

So, when I had a doctor's appointment that I scheduled, Daniel took time off work and took the opportunity to go on the Thursday hike in my stead.

I am so grateful for the time I have with our first-born in the woods, but I am also glad that occasionally Daniel gets these same opportunities. These photos and videos in this post are from their hike.

Mushroom Rock is Jack's all-time favorite hike. It is about 2.5 miles round trip and he loves to run on the trails, and will run most of the way. He also likes to attempt to climb Mushroom Rock, and walk on every fallen log he comes across. He really has amazing balance!

I do want to note that they took a turn and got lost for a bit (not in a scary way). I have never gotten lost on our hikes ;) Knock on wood!

Notes from the hike:
Location: Mushroom Rock Hike with Daddy
Date: Oct. 26, 2017
Time: 9:30-11:30am
Weather: Mid-50s, sunny
Comments from Jack: "This morning was good because we got to see Mushroom rock. It was so awesome!"

Previous Nature Hikes with Jack:
September: Green Gorge, Althaus Park, and Mabbit Springs
October: Reflection Riding Center (Monday Nature Day with friends),  Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Among Trees (hike we did as a family), Greenway Farms Nature Day (family archery lesson and hike)

Father-Son Day: Motocross in North Georgia

After inviting another father-son on several outings earlier this year (Mountain Biking to Edwards Point and the TKO Enduro Race), Jack and Daniel were invited to attend a Motocross event in North Georgia. Which they gladly attended.

I am so glad to see my guys do things they love with other guys that share their interests. Luckily for us, these friends also have another son that is close to Isaac's age!

I know nothing about Motocross, but my guys had fun!

Jack was very impressed by the little guys that were riding this track.

Father-Son Day: TKO 2017

Ever since Daniel was re-stationed from Bellefonte in Alabama to Watts Bar back in 2014, he has been taking Jack to watch the Tennessee Knockout Enduro (TKO) race in Prentice Cooper. It looks like I only shared about it the first year (probably because I don't tag along), but the two of them go every year and they love it.

Some years it is muddy and wet and they come home soaked and dirty. But they always come home happy.

What could be better than hanging out in the woods watching dirt bikes attempt to climb over sometimes impossible obstacles on a trail? Especially if you love dirt bikes and the woods :)

This year, Daniel and Jack invited another father-son to go watch with them.

We are so thankful to have met some friends that have similar interests to my guys (they went mountain biking together to Edward's Point during the summer).

I know Isaac will also love getting to participate in this outing when his time comes. And his time is coming. We have agreed that next year Daniel will take both boys to enjoy this experience.

I hope our kids will have many fond memories from their childhoods, and I'm pretty sure this yearly adventure with Daniel to watch the TKO Enduro race in the Prentice Cooper woods will be one of them.

For comparison, the above photo is Jack at this same race with Daniel back in 2014.

Mountain Biking with Kids: Edwards Point

Yesterday Daniel and Jack did a little father-son excursion with another father and son we have become friends with. I am incredibly proud of Jack for tackling his first serious mountain biking ride to Edwards Point. Daniel thinks they covered about 9 miles. Jack said he fell off his bike twice, and he came home pretty muddy. The following comments are Jack's regarding his experience.

"This is where I got stuck in the mud." – Jack, age 5.5

This is when I fell in the mud... I just collapsed into the water mud.

Mr. Tarbell helped me pull it [my bike] out. 

This ride was better than the Pump Track because we went a lot faster.

 The only time I got off my bike [on the way to the Point] was for some water breaks.

I didn't walk my bike down the steep hills, but I did walk it up.

 We walked to the Point after we parked our bikes. 

We went to all three Points. 

We were throwing stuff off the ledge: rocks, a pine cone, and sticks.

This is one of the cliffs. 

They were not scary but Daddy thought I was going to jump off, I think. 

It would be scary to jump off!

We were hopping over a log to go back.

Where we parked our bikes – on the kid tree.

Riding back to the car.

It was tiring walking up the hills with my bike.

Some of the time I rode on the side of the [banked] path. 

Do you know why? 

Because there were mud puddles [we had to go around].

We saw a teenager and he wasn't behaving very well.

He was riding a dirt bike and he almost hit daddy. 

And then they had an issue. 😆

I only got hurt one time.

That is the end.