Kids really do have faulty memories

Today we went on a family hike. Meadowbrook Farm sponsors a variety of outdoor activities, and today there was a family hike to the Big Cedar - the biggest tree in the valley. The kids were excited for this outing, it was a sunny morning, and we were set for some fun. We met at the farm and caravaned to the North Bend library, which is only a block from the Snoqualmie Valley trail. We set out on a hike, and our hike leader pointed out local plants of interest - the native high bush cranberry was pretty, and I'm now thinking of a mountain ash to replace our maple that needs to come down.

We were well on our way - had set off on the single track trail in the woods that led off the main trail (which was a converted railway.) And then we came to mud, mud and more mud. We bushwhacked our way around the mud to discover that there was water - lots of water. The South Fork of the Snoqualmie has so much water from the mountain snow melt, it was well over its banks. The beaver dam had also redirected the water, and so our trail guide said that he'd never seen it like this in six years. And so, this is a long way to say, we didn't make it to the tree. We turned around and hiked back. We still had a fun time.

But, here's the punch line about faulty memories. We asked the kids what were their favorite parts of the hike. Both kids said, "Climbing in the tree!" But, we did not see the cedar! J says the kids were talking about a tree at the former hobo camp where we stopped our hike to turn around, and not the cedar. At least I hope it was, as we definitely did not see the cedar!