First Time For Everything

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT

This weekend, my son had a baseball tournament in Twin Peaks, near Lake Arrowhead. We had to drive up to the mountains and then depending on if the team won the game, he'd have a game later in the day or on Sunday. Our team lost so the next game will be Sunday. Now I've got to figure out what to do with the family and where I can go to hike.

I did a quick Google search and found Lake Gregory near here has a place for kids to play and a trail that circles the lake. I'd never been there so I figured, why not?

The only hikes I've done in the San Bernardino Mountains have been in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. I figured if you're going to make the drive you may as well make it worthwhile so I've done San Gorgonio several times from several different directions but nothing else. OK, I've gone skiing at Big Bear but that doesn't count. This hike will be a first for me.

The trail goes around the entire lake and since dogs are allowed I wish I'd have brought Kahlua. She'd love it up here. I don't think there will be anyone backpacking around the lake, though. It's not that long.

There are exercise stations along the trail and it makes me wish I'd brought my running gear. Although on second thought if I tried to do any exercises I might lose my lunch of pizza and Pepsi. It's good that I'll be sticking with hiking. But this is the first trail I've ever done that has exercise equipment other than rocks and logs.

There is a restroom on the trail! If I'd known this I may have been able to persuade my wife to come along. Next time. This is the first time I've ever encountered a restroom on a trail that wasn't either an outhouse or a tree.

The view here is pretty, especially since it's about 110º down in the desert today.

There is a ball field right next to the lake. It's not the ball field Harrison is playing on but it is the first ball field that I have ever hiked past.

Not only are dogs allowed on this trail, there is even a dog park. Near where I live dogs aren't allowed on many trails at all and they have a dog park up here. Incredible.

To enter the part of the lake that has a swimming area there is a $3.00 fee. Since the family is in here I guess I'll pay it even though I will not be doing any swimming today.

There's the wife and Nikolas on an Aqua Trike having a blast while I'm hiking. Family fun for everyone.

This trail also has a water slide and some water jets plus a lot of people who should never go out in public in a swimsuit. I'm sure a lot of people do a lot of hiking around lakes but living in the desert it is not something I get to do often, if ever. I kinda like it even if the hike is not particularly challenging.

Nikolas also likes it. If it were up to him I'd hike here every day.