The Mighty Hunters

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE

I plan on going on a couple of longer--over ten miles--hikes this week so today I thought I'd take it easy and bring along some company. So I piled Kahlua, Nikolas, Jakob and Johnnie into the Sienna and headed to the top of the cove here in La Quinta.

I didn't want to hike too far so we just headed up the Bear Creek wash. Nikolas brought his slingshot along for a little target practice and to make the hike more interesting. He asked if he could shoot a jackrabbit and I told him OK. I can barely get a photo of a jackrabbit so I knew the chances of him hitting one with a slingshot were non-existent.

But the boys were excited. They figured they could bring home a trophy kill and they weren't going to wait to do it. Their idea of hiking is what most people would call running.

The temperature was about 100º but in the shade it was pretty nice. We were not the only people out this afternoon but we were the only hunters.

We hiked back a way in the creek bed but didn't have any luck spotting a jack rabbit much less trying to hit it with a slingshot. So the boys decided to run up the hill to look up there for something to kill.

But the only thing up here is a big pile of rocks so the boys decide to run over and check it out.

We find this rock pile and take a little target practice. I don't think the rabbits, or any other creature for that matter, have much to fear.

We look up at the sun setting on Martinez Mountain and I wonder if I can get the boys to go hiking up there with me one day. Of course, they won't be able to bring the slingshot. It's a game refuge. No hunting allowed.

Little Johnnie makes his way up the rock pile as we head toward the trailhead. The other boys already ran ahead. I never bother trying to catch up and don't know if I could if I tried. Of course, it doesn't much matter: I have the car keys.