Running Up The Side of a Mountain

Matt decided to enter a Spartan this weekend, running straight up the side of Big Bear Mountain while doing multiple obstacles and activities.

Sounds like fun, yes? We all decided join along for a weekend adventure. Of course, Matt is the only one that ran straight up the grassy ski slopes. Melinda and the kids went for an easy stroll through the woods and played at the nature center.

We rented a small cabin on the lake. The kids enjoyed the nearby park with the lake view.

 Swinging high!

 Rock stomping.

Cheese!

The nature center was a lot of fun. The park rangers gave them pencils and the boys immediately stuck them into the nose of a bear statue. Oh boys. The park rangers could not stop laughing. We walked the short trail around the shelter, the kids thought they'd be lost forever. It was sooooooo long and grass poked them and there were BUGS. But, they forgot all about hating grass and bugs when we got to the kid play area with the building logs and chalkboards. They couldn't understand why mom didn't want to climb into their rickety structure... until it collapsed. Then, they were glad mom wasn't in there so she didn't "bonk a head."

 Jefferson is being a scary cougar but Eleanor

just wants to pet him.

 Stuck his hand straight in the mouth,

what else would he do? 

 Enjoying one of the many bear statues.

 Bear cub

 Forced to walk a whole 1/2 mile

on a trail through the trees. Poor kids. 

 Fabulous log balance walker

 Rugged mountain man, building things.

 Climb in our shelter mom!

 Girls wanted to take turns taking pictures.

 You can see them in Mom's glasses, doing great.

After the nature center, we went "panning for gold" at a gem shop. The kids actually picked out sparkly dragon-themed gravel. It came with dragon boxes and was filled with small colorful gems once sifted.

 Ready to sift for their treasure.

 Rocks!

Finally, after a long day running up and down a cliff... eeerr.. mountain slope, Matt came home. While he was in the shower, Jefferson put on his hat and medal and walked around saying, "duh, I'm daddy," in the lowest voice he could. It was an amazing impression.

Are you ready for this?

 Straight up the mountain

 And over whatever this thing is...

And some rings, because we don't

want to make it too easy!

Victor!!

 Jefferson, master impersonator.

The race Matt ran was incredibly hard. So many people were behind time or dropping out, that the organizers actually started removing obstacles for later heats. But, Matt was in the early heats so he had to do them all - and he still finished in the top 6%. 

Many of the shops on the town's main street had "Welcome Spartans" signs up. But, one store own confessed that Matt was the first racer he'd seen that day. We told him most were probably still up on the mountain and would likely go straight to the hot tub when done. Melinda however, felt that watching four kids all day was practically like running a Spartan, so Matt didn't get to retire to the showers. He was dutifully helping lug the kids around for dinner and evening shopping.

 Amazing Nepalese restaurant. 

 Adelaide and little bear,

peeking through the window.

We found a candy store with chocolate frogs!

All in all, it was a super fun, short trip. The kids enjoyed the nature center and especially building with logs. Matt questioned his sanity and ached all over... but was already mulling over his next race by the time we had driven off the mountain.