There's a Lesson in Here Somewhere

*NOTE: I wrote a brilliant post. It was pithy, funny, adorable, destined to go viral. Then I had internet connection problems and lost it. Here is the replacement, which probably won't be as good. 

I went on the Tahquitz Canyon hike. This is the one I THOUGHT I did the other day, but that was really the South Lykken Trail. They start near each other. I thought I was so cool, because the Tahquitz Canyon hike costs $12.50 (it's a state park) and the South Lykken trial is free. But I was a little confused when I didn't see the waterfall, so I came home and looked it up and figured out the difference.

The waterfall is totally worth the $12.50. It's a great hike. I went first thing in the morning, so I was alone the whole way, and it was quiet and peaceful and shady, and you can hear the water gurgling along. Awesome. They haven't had much of a waterfall for a few years because of the drought in California, but luckily it rained while we were here! 

So while it was really nice walk, it wasn't a strenuous workout, and I wanted to check out the NORTH Lykken Trail. Apparently "North Lykken" means "you will die on this mountain." Here's the beginning of the trail, and the last time I knew where I was going. See where the sign post is? You're supposed to go to the left there. But as you can see (a little) to the right that nice, broad trail continues, so it LOOKS like you should go that way. And a LOT of people have made that mistake, because it LOOKS like there are trails. But they aren't trails. They're DECEPTIONS!!! 

I went about a quarter mile and I knew it was wrong, so I turned around. There were people starting up the trail behind me, and they assured me that they'd done the trail before and they knew where they were going. They said I could follow them! Great! New friends + a hike! A great day! We found a second trail (different than the scree I had skidded down earlier) and I thought things were going great. Then we lost it. 

Behold! Up ahead! Other hiker! We followed them.

Turns out they were lost too! 

We finally turned around, and ended up in the same spot where I had gotten "lost" the first time! We scrambled down the mountain (again, there were footprints, so people had done it before us!) and walked along the wash at the bottom back to the parking lot.

And then I came home and ate a banana and peanut butter and it tasted like LIFE! 

I think hiking is great, and I would love to have it as a new hobby, but I'm not sure if there's anywhere (good, close to home) I can continue it in the St. Louis area. I'll have to look it up!