we were supposed to go camping this weekend but all 6 of the other families involved backed out on us (thank you very much ya turkeys), so this is what we did instead

  

  

We hiked.

 

  

In the 105 degree sun.

 

    

Actually, it probably wasn't that hot yet because we went early morning and the weather was quite pleasant, but I heard rumors that it was supposed to get pretty darn hot on Saturday.

 

  

How have I lived here this long and never hiked White Tanks?

 

 

And when I say 'hiked', I use that term very loosely or liberally or to the best of what I need it to mean at this moment.

 

 

The waterfall trail is precisely that: a trail.

 

 

So the 'hike' is just a trail, a walk through a bit of desert-ey terrain.

 

 

Is it just me, or are Danny's calves all 'the hotness' in this picture?

 

 

And he wears those swim trunks so well.  Though later he mentioned something about chafing.  (Fear not, I personally checked him out and made sure he got the right treatment.)

What?  I'm studying to be a nurse!

 

  

I personally have never found the desert to be pretty.  There's just too much brown on top of more brown surrounded by yet more dying brown.  But ehh.I guess this was a pretty day.  For the desert.

 

 

There are a few points where you climb a bit, but it's quite easy. 

 

 

My 5 year old did so with minimal complaining.

Rather, he complained from the moment his little sneakers left the comfort of our AC-filled van and touched the pavement but we just assured him that if he indeed perished, that he would be missed a great deal and to please try to make it through the rest of the hike.

 

 

The waterfall.  Err.I guess after a rain, there's actually water here.  Go figure.  So, us wearing our swimsuits was all for naught, but at least we were prepared.

 

 

We'll totally have to do it again during another season.

 

  

We were warned of the possibility of snakes and other wildlife but all we saw were these fellows.

 

 

And that one lizard.

 

 

I guess it's almost as good as camping.

 

    

No, not really.

 

   

But it was a good substitute this time around.

 

       

I cut Dan's hair real short this past week and in this picture he looks like a cancer patient.  (don't worry, his hat is just covering it-there's still hair there)

 

 

When Ethan decided he couldn't take it any more, Sean very kindly offered to carry him back.  In this shot, Ethan was saying, "My legs!  My legs hurt!"  And I thought your legs!!  Poor Sean's legs!

Alas, no one perished in the desert this trip and we live to hike another day.