Carr Canyon

10 days into December?!  Usually this months postings are full of Christmas prep and happenings....but this year it's been a bit different.  We got our tree right after we got home from our big Disneyland trip; and we dug out a few decoration...just enough to make our home feel 'Christmasy'.  Soon my mom will be here and we'll break out the annual gingerbread house kit.  We are going to have an early Christmas morning/dinner/celebration next weekend because the weekend after that we will be hitting the road again.  Making our great migration back East, Maryland bound. But more on that later....

A month or so after we first got into town we took a little drive one Sunday afternoon after church.  We ended up in Carr Canyon {you can't make these things up folks ;) }  Our town rests at the foot of the Huachuca Mountain range.  The highest peak, Carr Peak, is 7,400 ft in elevation.  {Keep in mind, we live in the 'high dessert' and our town sits at about 4,200 ft.}  In Carr Canyon there are several picnic areas and trail heads that will take you all over the range.  There is also a dirt road that ascends the mountain.  On that Sunday we ventured about 1 mile up.  The kiddos were getting a little worried and since we were in our Sunday best and really had no idea where the road went, we decided to turn around, go home, and research it a bit.  And here we are.  Two weeks before we're due to leave and finally making that return trip!  

We found out that dirt road travels all the way up the mountain.....5 miles of narrowly winding, rocky dirt, nail biting, white knuckle, driving.  Seriously.............I'm not exaggerating.  At the top is a small campground!!  The Reef Townsite Campground.  Turns out, these mountains were mined for gold and silver during the turn of the century and the now campground was a mining outpost up until the 1950s.  Cool huh.  From the campground is a .7 mile loop trail where you can see remnants of old mining digs and foundations for an ore mill!  Well, we just couldn't pass this experience up!  So we packed a lunch, laced up some dirty hiking shoes, and off we went!

{how close to Mexico are we???? THIS CLOSE!  ha!  Don't worry, we were prepared for this...if you know what I mean ;)}                

If you look closely at the tree covered mountain side you can see the switchbacks of the dirt road we climbed.  This photo really doesn't do it justice though.  There were times that it was very steep, very rocky, and right on the edge of the mountain!  Not so fun for our little girl with a slight fear of heights, she kept say this wasn't a good idea and we should probably turn around....and Gavin just kept yelling COOL GUYS!!!

We finally made it to the top.  And it was quite the experience!  I've never driven around on a dirt road at the top of a mountain before and it was pretty cool to say the least.  We found the campground easy enough and parked near the loop trail head.  Once we got out and started exploring Kayla was very excited to be there!   

The views were truly breathtaking!

About half way through the hike we stopped for a little picnic lunch.

The temp was in the mid 60s and just lovely.  I couldn't help it but to just lay down for a bit and soak in all of God's beautiful creation.  

On with the hike, we came upon parts of the foundation for the old ore mill (I think it was).  

Photo compliments of Kayla :)

Alas, the trail came to an end and it was time to begin the journey back down the mountain. 

 But not without a quick stop to enjoy the view one last time!

 Despite all her doubt and worry, Kayla thoroughly enjoyed herself.  After she exclaimed how pretty it was up there I told her sometimes we have to climb great mountains to experience God's beautiful blessings.  And I meant that literally and metaphorically.  Our road cannot always be smooth and straight.....

I've often joked with Garrett that our family motto should be 'Adventure is Out There!' from Disney/Pixar's UP.  I want to  hang it over our door so we can remember it every time we leave the house.  It's sooooo easy to get lost in the day to day grind and forget to stop and smell the roses, if you know what I mean.  The #2 thing, I think, we want to pass down to our kiddos {#1 being our faith} is to enjoy life.  Not in a hedonistic way, of course!  But in a way that glorifies God.  This land He created is a beautiful and magnificent thing.  We want our kiddos out there experiencing the wonders of His creation; the land, the people, the cultures, and to not be afraid.  As much as we, as parents, want to keep them in a bubble until they'er about 30, we just can't.  This is the world God gave us and He said to preach the Good News to it!  So here's to popping that bubble and getting out there!!