Boys Day Out

DAY EIGHTY SEVEN

This morning I asked my son, Nikolas, where HE wanted to hike. He chose the Living Desert. I told him we were going to hike if we went there, not just walk around and look at the animals and he said OK.

He asked if he could bring two of his friends, Eddie and Jakob, along and I said OK. We stopped at the store to pick up a few Lunchables and off we went.

We get to the Living Desert and head straight for the trail.

Well, almost straight for the trail. Nikolas has to stop for a picture with the goofy cutout near the Butterfly and Hummingbird exhibit.

And so does Jakob.

And Eddie.

We hike up the main tourist trail to get to the trailhead of the Eisenhower Trail. There's a lot to read on this board but let me sum it up for you. They named the mountain and trail for a President.

The boys get right to it. Their parents are going to be SO happy tonight when they are ready to crash at about 8:30. It's warm so I just let them go and am content to bring up the rear.

There's a plaque part way up honoring Bill Cook. I bet that's who Cook Street is named for.

This is really a nice trail. I can't believe I've never done the whole thing before. There are tremendous views of Indian Wells and beyond.

The boys are getting tired out and want to stop. I keep pushing them and they are happy when we make it to the halfway point, a picnic table and SHADE.

They try to catch this Desert Iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, and I am secretly pleased when they don't. They'd want to bring him home and I'm sure he'll be much happier up here where he belongs than in some aquarium.

The boys are overjoyed when they see the trail stretching out before them: downhill all the way!

Even still, with the temperature close to 90º even downhill can be taxing so they stop for one last water break before finishing up the hike.

After the end of our hike, we stop in the Living Desert cafeteria for some soda and air conditioning. Rejuvenated, the boys want to look around a bit so we do. We check out the train, the reptiles (a Living Desert employee is doing a hands-on for the kids with an African Boa), the African animals and the petting zoo in the Village Watutu. I finally have to force them to leave since my other son, Harrison, has a baseball game I have to get to.

Don't worry, we'll be back.