The Hike, Week 106: February 19,2006 (AKA The Easy Walk, Week A)

Under the ortho doc's admonition to do only "general walking" on my sore right knee, Gail and I decided to consider a short, easy walk that wouldn't come under our radar under the heading of "hike." And the visit of grandson Matthew cemented the decision to make the drive to the Booker T. Washington National Monument and undertake a two-mile stroll that would include cows, horses, pigs, chickens, sheep and swans--the prefect features to keep a three-year-old interested and walking.

The walk begins at the visitor center, and then spills out to pass the buildings re-created from the time of the boyhood of Washington. Among those are animal-sheltering structures, including one for the sheep.
Inside, next to a vigilant momma, were two tiny lambs born during the night before. They made a much stronger impression on the 50-something Greatest Day Hiker Of Them All than on the single-digit-something new walker, who much preferred the size of the horses, the snorting of the pigs and the shrill call of the roosters.

Most of this walk is along the Jack O' Lantern Branch, a small stream with just enough flow to draw the young walker's attention and comment on its rocks, its tiny falls, its sparkle under the sun. At the far point of the circuit, we paused to help educate Matthew about one of the great rewards of a hike--the breaking out of the hot chocolate, the cashews and the beef jerky for a cold-day snack in the woods.

The rest of the loop back includes a short, gentle climb whereon the little hiker showed his mettle in catching up and passing The Day Hiker, and then another loop past the animals, where their keeper was giving them last food for the day. Perhaps the highlight of the hike for Matthew was the big pig Cinnamon--aware that food was coming--snorting and using his snout to lift the stacked slats of his enclosure, impatient with the pace of the delivery of his corn serving.

We made it back to the visitor center just a few minutes before closing time and walked across the lot toward the only car still there, with the tiny hiker pointing out with the hint of corrective tone that we were walking right in the road.

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