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Janell and I tried something new last weekend, and took Henri out to Point Mugu State Park for a hike! We both underestimated temps and started out radically overdressed. But layering is a beautiful thing, and after losing a layer we both were ready to rock and roll.

The general plan was to head for the waterfall, but we took a wrong turn and decided to just keep going. The result was a nice loop from the Wendy Drive trailhead to the ranger station and back.

I forgot my GPS. Doh! And I only took one picture. Double doh!

Henri had a blast, sniffing every single inch of the trail and actually whined wanting to romp across the open grassy areas. Alas, fear of snakes (and, y'know, state law) keept her on the leash. She overheated after about 45 min, so Janell carried Henri a little way until she'd rested enough to get back to the car under her own power. Henri was pretty tired that night, but recovered the next day for a spirited run around the park.

We stopped in at the ranger station so I could ask a few questions, and I did my bit to support the park by buying a $10 map that I'll probably never open again. Or maybe I'll get lucky and find a nice singletrack into the Sycamore Canyon that avoids the paved access road.

All our gear was great. Janell invested in some great hiking boots, and they kept her comfy and blister-free across more than an hour of hilly trail.

Lots of fun was had by all, and we'll be headed back again this weekend!

It's been a while since the last time I went hiking. Mountain Biking kind of warped my brain, and I saw hiking as just slow and boring. But as Janell and Henri and I wandered the trails on Sunday, I really enjoyed myself. Rather than racing by in a blur, every rock and tree was in perfect focus, and there was a clarity and serenity that I'd forgotten about. I'm really looking forward to doing this more often.

It'll be a challenge to keep Janell excited. I don't mind doing a half-dozen favorite trails over and over, but she hates doing the same thing twice in a row. And having Henri along actually opens up new options. Trails I might have skipped because they're too short are now perfect! So it's time to dig back into the hiking books I have and see what's out there!