Purgatory Chasm State Reservation

We woke up this morning and decided to do something on our Saturday, especially since Daddy was going to be home ALL DAY.

We drove to Sutton, Massachsuetts. It's a hour south, and we left the house at 9:30 a.m. Luckily it was a little bit cooler today, it's been 90+ degrees outside all week. Just looking outside has made us sweaty and sticky, but today it was a tiny bit cooler and luckily the trails were all pretty shaded. However, we forgot bug spray and we really would've appreciated it!

We dove right in and went straight for the Chasm trail. It was a little scary for Galina to see the steep drops and steep climbs and then to see deep holes underfoot. There were spiderwebs in all the little nooks and crannies, but after she figured out that there was an actual trail to follow (blue spray painted lines here and there) she was a trooper. She was actually excited! On the climbs she would curl her fingers and say it was time to use her cat claws!

But, to begin with, Daddy had to carry both kiddos...

We stopped and ate our picnic lunch after we finished the Chasm Loop Trail, and Johnny actually requested to get back into the hiking pack. I was surprised he didn't want to walk and wander, but...

...we figured out why he wanted to ride soon enough. With a full belly, and being so warm and getting to bounce a little, he went right to sleep as we hiked the mile long Charley's Loop Trail. Galina wasn't thrilled halfway through this one and started complaining a little bit - hence less pictures, I was busy trying to redirect her attention towards funny shaped rocks and talking about movies and such. Once we finished, she was excited and said it was the best hiking day ever. I think that means it's been too long since we've been hiking - like real hiking and not just the Minute Man Trail. 

This is the last thing you see on Charley's Loop and I'm not sure what it is, doesn't have a sign on it. It's padlocked and empty (and looks rather strange on the inside, a room in the middle (that's behind metal walls and heavy doors, and then on either end of the cottage there are rooms with doors that go outside. It's just weird. I didn't think to ask a ranger about it - next time!

Well, tomorrow is Sunday and it's 9:48 p.m. I've procrastinated long enough for tomorrow's singing time...and now I'm going to bed...ho hum...but I enjoyed the nice day out with our little family!