Closer to Home

Another hike, but this time we didn't drive all over hell's half acre to get to the trail. The Katy was fun, and we know what it is now, but it's much more something to ride bikes on than to walk. If I can rent a tandem to put Mo behind me on or one of those bike trailers sturdy enough for a 125lb passenger, maybe we'll Katy from town to town next summer.




Meanwhile, Shawnee Mission Park has trails much closer to home and, as it turns out, more to the honyocks' liking. Well, Em's anyway, not sure if Mo preferred one over the other, though I think she liked both.

Most of the people on this path were mountain bikers, and the going was what my bro refers to as 'technical.' 'Technical' mountain biking paths are also known as Hard to Walk On Without Twisting Your Damned Ankle.



Not that the girls seemed to mind. Em even danced part of the trip. She also told me this was what she pictured when I talked about hiking the Katy. Basically, I drove 150 miles round trip instead of 25 to give her an inferior hike.



She liked it so much, in fact, that she bet me ten bucks when I said 'You say that now, but you'll piss and moan next time I say let's go hiking Shawnee Mission Park.' Ten bucks that she'd not only go, but wouldn't complain along the way. I appreciate her enthusiasm, but I'm pretty sure I'll make money on this one.



Two miles, and it took us longer than the five on the Katy did. Big difference in terrain, eh? Talked to a mountain biker who raved about how it was the best thing for a combination of balance, leg strength, upper body strength and cardio. Said he was 64, and the gray temples, I'll buy it, but Em wasn't having it. I think she was looking at his legs, which weren't just 'not 64.' On my best day at any age, my legs wouldn't look like that.



The guy was so enthusiastic, I couldn't help but entertain fantasies of myself single-tracking it. Even though I tried that a few times in a much younger and fitter time and know I'm not likely to ever be the crazy old man of the trail.



Em told me about various types of fairies at one point. We'd seen a deadwood teepee sort of thing, for a start, and then these tree fungus that grow out like shelves, she started in on how they were fairy beds, and talking about the different types of fairies.



Brownies and shrub elves, the kid believes in. And I can't even swallow the God thing, at least not whole. What was that about the eye of a needle?