Where's Waldo - I mean Casey!?!?

We have discovered hiking! It's MUCH different from jungle-trekking, but fun still the same. Just not as hot. I wore a sweater the entire trek - and it was 4 hours long! We decided to go to Waldo Canyon. Why would they name a canyon after a lost cartoon guy? I don't know, but we decided to find out. Casey helped greatly in our quest...


We saw deer, squirrels, mice, birds and all manner of flora and fauna. Mark got really close to this deer to get this pic. He had to, his iPhone doesn't have zoom. :)


We searched high and low for cool things to see. Here Lewis and Clark, I mean Ben and Mark are pointing out some interesting stuff. Clouds maybe? Benjamin wanted to climb up EVERY big rock he saw. He REALLY wanted to climb them when we showed him it was much easier from the back of the rock.

We found Bambi's meadow.

And LOTS more rocks! About 20 minutes into the 1.5 hour walk Casey decided to go ahead with Jordan and Jade, (Kelly's black lab). Casey, ever-patient, sped ahead, wanting to get to a rendevous with her friend, Noah, after our hike. Ipod in place, food in the backpack she took off. Jordan with her. About 20 minutes later we texted her to wait for us. Soon we came upon a biker. "Are you Gordon's parents?" He's waiting for you at the split. His sister went ahead and he doesn't know which way she went.

We had gotten to the "loop." Jordan was waiting for us. In the tree.

Smart kid! Now where was his sister? I stayed at the loop beginning, because Casey would have to come back here eventually. Mark took the boys and went left. Half-way around they hadn't crossed paths with Casey and Jade yet. So Marcus got to run/jog the loop. 3 miles for a sister. That's love.

Jordan and Ben came back to stay with me. Jordan, then Ben climbed trees to act as look-outs. Marcus reached me and - no Casey. Mark then reached me. No Casey. So they took off again. One of the hikers has told me that there was a fork in the trail, that would take her over 2 mountains and to Cascade. Mark went to investigate that. I kept his iPhone and Marcus kept his so we could communicate between our groups.

Problem was, reception was sketchy at best.

I sent Ben and Jordan up the trail with the iPhone where I had heard another hiker receive a call. (I stayed at the apex of the loop - just in case Casey came back). To make sure I could know where they were, and they didn't go too far, I had them sing.


Jordan started a rousing "Another Opening, Another Show" from Kiss Me Kate. Then they segwayed into "High on a Mountaintop." How fitting! LOL Benjamin started "I Am a Child of God. Then I heard Jordan say forcefully, "No Benjamin!! We are NOT singing 'Thriller'!" Later he explained that all he knew was the first line, and he would have probably tossed the iPhone as he did the hand actions to it. :)



Prayers were said. We got reception and I called Kelly. Embarrassing, but she would know who to call if we didn't soon find Casey. She had been missing for about 2 hours, and it would be dark in another 2. True to Murphy's Law, as soon as I spoke to Kelly we got a text from Casey, she was at the car with Jade. How did she pass us? I don't know, but she was safe so we headed back.

Go back to the map above. See where it said, "Watch for turn!"? Casey didn't. She walked up and down 2 mountains, followed bikers, finally reached another parking area, talked to a Park Ranger and got a ride back to our car. We are so blessed that she was safe. Casey was so thankful this happened in America - where she could speak to the Ranger!



We all learned (some already knew )- to NOT make a turn without the group. Stay and WAIT! We also learned to keep our own supplies with us. That oak leaves make for great latrine accessories, that we can laugh in the face of danger, and that prayers work.



I have to put down our lessons learned because Kelly grilled us on them later. :) She also said they had never gotten lost. We must just like it. Well - it does make for good blogs!!