A Small Hike

It was a drizzly morning today but Sandy was eager to go out for a little hike... just a small one! He was starting to bounce off the walls with impatience and grumbling at the rain. But... it did clear off for a bit and off we went.

Whoa.... they grow big maples out there!!! This one is ginormous! Although Sandy heard on the news that some guy on Vancouver Island found one that measured 21 inches across its widest part... which is pretty big!

Like a good hiker, Sandy checks the postings at the start of the trail and is a bit disconcerted to find this sign...

 Eeek!! But Mama says as long as everyone hangs together and makes lots of noise we should be good. Cougars tend to go after pets, small children and little bears who stray too far from the group. So Sandy has strict instructions not to wander off on his own!

 Ummm... we're not sure what this statue is... it looks a Polynesian totem of some sort... but maybe it's there to scare off the cougars? It sure doesn't scare a little bear though!

 The trails goes through some damp meadows for the first part... we'll be able to see cougars from a long way away! But then the trail goes into the dark forest.

 Be brave little bear and stay close!

 Oh hey... there is a cute little stream in the forest! Mama says that there might be salmon in this creek... but there aren't any... Maybe it's too early? Or too late?

 It is so lush here on the coast! There are big ferns here and big trees and...

 thick moss covers everything...

 Sandy found this leaf near the end of his hike and wanted to know if it was bigger than the other guy's leaf... but Mama says it wasn't. Ah well... That was still a good little hike!

Oh... and this is the inside part of Sandy's own private little doorway...